• The rise of Hawsoon Jobe and Port Au Mansa

    Written by Yasmine M

    Having worked in the shadows for years, crafting the dream of a fragrance. Many of us now know the name Port Au Mansa, the distinctive fragrance brand crafted in the suburbs of Stockholm, latest showcased in a project at Fotografiska and the British Embassy. 

    But it took time to get there, instead, the founder Hawsoon Jobe, focused on his studies and experiencing the world - gathering knowledge and inspiration. Now he is on the rise, and the support is huge. This brand is not about the look, but the scent - don’t judge the book by its cover.

    Let’s begin with the classic question, how would you describe yourself?
    I would describe myself as a creative and curious individual who expresses myself through my art. Always with a warm heart.

    Some time ago you moved back home to Stockholm, after living abroad, in for example London. How was that?
    Living in London was a great experience. I felt inspired every day by all the different cultures and seeing young creatives, especially people of color, creating their own waves without compromising their art. I also had the amazing opportunity to live in New York City and San Francisco during my studies, where also there seeing young creatives not compromising their art.

    ‘’..I felt like living in a place like London, you can be true with your expressions.’’

    How would you compare for example London’s community for artists compared to, Stockholm?
    I felt like living in a place like London, you can be true with your expressions and admired for it. You don't have to follow a certain formula in contrast to Sweden, where people often dismiss something they're not familiar with.

    Living abroad, getting exposed to new environments – did you learn anything that changed you?
    I learned a lot about myself navigating through hard times and just exposing myself to new environments. At the same time, I feel living abroad demolished my fear of anything – making me braver. It changed me a lot, I had to step out of my comfort zone and understand that normality is subjective depending on where you are in the world. Also getting exposed to different cultures made me widen my horizon. That I am much grateful for.


    ‘’..I took a photo in The Gambia, of young black schoolgirls holding a t-shirt of tennis star Serena Williams. That photo just speaks to the magnitude of having role models that look like you. It means a lot to me.’’

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    For the people who follow you, photography seems close to your heart. I can personally say you take inspiring pictures, what does it come from?
    Thank you so much! Photography is close to my heart; I feel like it’s the only format where time stops. When you see an image, you literally go back in time to that exact moment mentally.

    If you could choose one of your photos to tell us about, which one would it be?
    The photo that I’ve captured that’s special to me, is the one that I took in The Gambia of young black schoolgirls, holding up a t-shirt of tennis star Serena Williams. That photo just speaks to the magnitude of having role models that look like you. It means a lot to me.

    Creating the brand focusing on scents, what was most important?
    The importance of creating Port Au Mansa was to be authentic to myself and bring people to my world, instead of me adapting to their world. Not to mention, make sure I bring my community with me, through my journey. Since they were the first ones to support and embrace me.

    What does it mean for you to have support?
    For me, it means a lot – having the support from day one, even when they can’t see the result instantly, but they believe that you will get there one day. Hopefully, when people see the brand, they will get inspired to pursue their dreams and understand that the world is their oyster. The days of the gatekeepers are over.

    ''The days of the gatekeepers are over.''

    Tell us about the inspiration behind the brand?
    The inspiration comes from my surroundings and the gems that I picked up from living overseas, and the books I’ve read which is showcased in my storytelling.

    Working with the fragrances, what's your inspiration?
    Working with fragrance, for me, is all about keeping it simple and making sure it smells astonishing. Often, when I create a scent I might think about a particular color, song, or place that want the scent to reflect.

    Is there a fragrance you are most proud of? And wish everyone could smell?
    The scent, that I think everyone needs to smell, is Shinjuku and Bamboo. You will never find a scent like those anywhere.

    What's the perfect scent to get for spring?
    The perfect scent for spring is Dead Presidents, 432 Hz and Sweet November.

    What's next for Port Au Mansa?
    During the Fotografiska x British Embassy presentation, I was able to introduce the scents of Port Au Mansa to a new crowd which was amazing, and present a short film that I have done with my friend Ronson who is a videographer. Both these things made me believe we can broad the horizon.

    The next for the brand is to establish myself as a self-proclaimed business taking over the world without compromising.

    Where do you wish, everyone could travel to (if they could)?
    I wish everyone could travel to Anguilla in the Caribbean. It looks like paradise on earth. I haven't been there myself but hopefully soon.

    Get to know the brand closer at Portaumansa.com

  • DHL collaborate with South African brand Veldskoen

    Written by Fashion Tales

    DHL Express, the world’s leading express logistics provider, has become synonymous with unexpected fashion brand collaborations over the past few years. Starting with a Vetements DHL T-shirt which made a debut on a Paris catwalk for their 2016 Spring/Summer season, followed by a collaboration with mybudapester.com to produce a limited-edition sneaker to commemorate DHL’s 50th anniversary. DHL’s latest fashion partnership - in their quest to delight and surprise the fashion world - is with South African shoe company, Veldskoen.

    “For decades, we have made designers and fashion labels more successful worldwide, by creating tailor-made shipping solutions and using our unique logistics network to connect them with a greater, global audience. Following our successful fashion collaborations across Europe, North America and Asia, we wanted to find an African brand for our next exciting collaboration. Veldskoen created a modern take on an iconic South African shoe by adding a pop of colour to the soles and laces, and have built up an impressive customer base across the globe since their inception in 2016. And we’ve been working with the team at Veldskoen over the past few months to reinvent the traditional veldskoen yet again,” says Megan Collinicos, VP Marketing, DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa.

    “When DHL approached us with an idea to collaborate on a limited edition shoe to highlight South African fashion, it was a no-brainer for us. Their previous fashion projects really pushed the boundaries with some unexpected pairings, so being selected as the first African brand for the next collaboration was super exciting. There were instant synergies between our two brands, the most obvious one being the desire to make a difference in the communities in which we operate,” adds Veldskoen CEO, Nick Dreyer.

    Each pair of DHL x Veldskoen ‘Dear Everyone’ shoes goes through a process that sees 66 pairs of hands handcrafting the shoe in Durban, South Africa. Local South African artist, Reggie Khumalo, designed a mural for the side panels of the shoe, incorporating the campaign messaging, as well as subtle South African references within the design.

    DHL x Veldskoen ‘Dear Everyone’ campaign

    The DHL x Veldskoen campaign evolved quite dramatically with the onset of the Covid 19 Pandemic. A fashion collaboration of this scale presented the opportunity to share a purpose- driven message with the world. The impact of the pandemic has shown that while we are not all the same, we are all of the same. We wanted to create something that celebrates ‘Everyone’ and ‘every one’, says Collinicos.

    Dreyer adds, “DHL has afforded Veldskoen a moment to show the globe the talent, creativity, and manufacturing ability that Africa has to offer. We have produced a high fashion shoe, while every stage of the development process and every link in the supply chain has been carefully considered from a sustainability point of view.

    365 pairs of bespoke, handmade, DHL x Veldskoen ‘Dear Everyone’ shoes will be produced and sold via a shoe drop lottery system. The shoe will be officially unveiled in London on Thursday 17th March which will mark the opening of the shoe drop lottery system.
    Visit DHLxVeldskoen.com for more information.

  • Hotell Kung Carl

    Written by Fashion Tales

    It’s been a long time since the entertainment scene was up and running. The restaurants, hotels and bars are now finally back to life . Hotel Kung Carl steps in to a new era and welcomes the new ”Belle epoque”. The hotel has now opened a new cocktail bar and bistro, la Belle epoque. They also opened a new wine bar, jazz club and a new fresh party floor for private events.

    La Belle epoque, the bistro you can find in the heart of the hotel, serves north french cuisine. Here you can make an ordinary day a little bit more fancy and have some champagne if you like. Hotel Kung Carl are also known for their jazz evenings. It is a concept that will marry together with the inauguration and be brought to the next level. There’s a back door entrance to ”Bakfickan '' where events, jazz club and jazz brunch are held.

    Hotel Kung Carl is an active part of Stockholm's music scene for live music with jazz bands, DJ bookings, and various artists. There’s a grand entrance that will lead the guests directly into the hotel's cocktail bar. They have a very ambitious cocktail menu inspired from the 20’s. The bar has a wonderful atmosfear that will let the guests relax and enjoy themself.

    Hotel Kung Carl have decided to revitalize the classic Swedish Punch by incorporating the alcoholic liqueur in various cocktails while pairing every drink with quirky and exciting anecdotes from the era. The Hotel relaunches its own punch “Hotel Kung Carl’s punsch”, with origins and original etiquette from the 19th century. The Savor and history have merged in classic cocktails that have acquired a balanced twist and a creative design.

    As early as 1866 Hotel Kung Carl was founded and was the first to use the word restaurant in Sweden. has retained its spirit at the turn of the Swedish century, an era influenced by France. During the ’20s, it became one of Stockholm's most popular haunts for the cultural elite, where Karl Gerhard, August Strindberg, and Hjalmar Söderberg stayed at “Kungen” as they used to call it. The iconic movie star Greta Garbo also frequently used to stay at the hotel during the 30s in room 204. There are many exciting stories about this Stockholm treasure that will be breathed life into - in new ways. Dust off your finest coat, enjoy live music, treat yourself to something extra on an ordinaryTuesday. Let's enjoy a new era!

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