• photography Sandra Myhrberg
    fahion & makeup Nike Ortiz Dahl
    blouse Nygårdsanna
    trousers Annaedsta
    shoes Asos Design
    earrings Charlotte Vasberg

    An Interview with Mimi Bay

    Written by Decirée Josefsson by Sandra Myhrberg

    The 20-year-old Mimi Bergman aka Mimi Bay conveys feelings into words writing about personal experiences and memories. With over a quarter of a million subscribers on YouTube, she writes and properly produces, making her multidimensional as an artist. The impenetrable walls of the royals are falling to pieces when Mimi Bay's pleasant tunes are playing creating a space for everyone to be able to intimately connect. Her last single
    Pick me up is the third to be released in 2021 and comprise a part of her newest EP release
    Far from home.

    Is there a specific story behind the name Mimi Bay?
    The history of the name is rather simple and occurred naturally when I followed a more firm step in my artistry. When I initially started, I operated frequently on different channels like SoundCloud and YouTube. When I, later on, decided to carefully gather everything on a mutual channel it became natural to as well separate Mimi Bergman from Mimi Bay. It has not so much to typically do with the name itself, however more to safely separate and secure my personal life.

    How would you describe your critical thinking towards your composed music?
    I think that in time as my musical knowledge develops I become kinder and more trustable in my instinct of what’s good. Critical thinking, however, makes me able to perform and achieve beyond my expectations.

    What represents your ideal place to reload and increase creative energy?
    I genuinely love to read outside in the woods. It helps me to remind myself about the present time. To pause from complex reality and sense when not to trust the anxious state of the conscious mind.

    Whom are you writing for?
    I think that my writing has inevitably been a process of my thoughts and feelings. Anger, fear, grief, and joy become the fuel for the words in my rhymes. I do not think frequently about whom I’m typically writing for. Alternatively, there’s a way for me to gently remind myself that emotions are not permanent and to heal or properly speak through them instead of allowing them to direct me. There's rightfully no social right or wrong in how much of your thoughts you should share with others. If I never try to listen to my inner voice, I will never know how it feels to be true to myself.

    Describe your earliest music memory?
    I’m constantly looking for gentle melodies, melodic vocals, and poetic lyrics that can get me from a state of mind emotionally to another. Even if that means watching Disney or listening to the tones of Frank Ocean and SZA I want it to feel real. It’s the chemical reaction from within that makes me interested in wanting to keep on listening.

    What would you like to say to the younger Mimi?
    The frequency of life is going to differ, and you will be forced to accept and believe that there’s a time for everything.

    What’s on the horizon?
    I’ve been working on my upcoming project Far from home since 2019 and it’s about trying to find a home when your safe place becomes your parents' house. It’s been mine for so long and I can’t wait to share it with the world.

    blouse Nygårdsanna
    trousers Tommy Hilfiger
    earrings Charlott Vasberg
    dress & shoes Asos Design
    earrings Charlotte Vasberg

    blouse Cornelia Ferm
    trousers Vans
    shoes Asos Design
    earrings Iameleni
  • photography Olov Karlsson
    fashion Calle Wahlin & Olivia Bohman
    blazer BLK DNM
    ring Yasar Aydin

    An interview with Charlie Gustafsson

    Written by Valeria Bartocci by Sandra Myhrberg

    Charlie Gustafsson started his acting career at a young age. Discovered as a child playing happily in a park in Enskede, with no clue where life would take him.
    After getting his big breakthrough in the hit tv-series ”The Restaurant '' and filming four seasons, Charlie has been moving on to other great things. He is now living his dream of acting even if he thought that dream was unattainable for a while.


    After your successful series ”The Restaurant” what is the next step for you?
    I have just worked on a Danish film “Smagen af sult” as it is called in Danish, and “A taste of hunger” internationally. Acting in this movie has been a great journey to be a part of and it will finally be in cinemas soon.
    I have also played in a role for the Swedish TV series Odd Weeks which you can watch on Discovery +.
    After doing “The Restaurant” I find it very pleasing to do roles that are different from Calle, although I loved playing him. I have a lot to give and think exploring different roles helps me to develop in how I act but also in how I see myself as a person.
    My next step is to continue doing what I love which means keep working with film, television, and theater.

    Have you ever felt that something has drastically affected your life, it can be a person too?
    I have always worked with film, but something that has affected my life very much is when I got my role in” The Restaurant”. It was completely different from everything I had done before. We filmed four seasons and I had a character that I had to age with during that time. I learned a lot from it, what it is like to be consumed by a role, but also I learned what I like in my way of being and creating.

    When do you think it's the most fun to be an actor?
    That's when the director and I have the same taste. When we both understand each other and can work together on how we want a scene to be. Then I feel that acting becomes more than just following a character and reading lines, it gives me a deeper connection to the role and I think that is very fun.
    Another thing I love that can be a little bit weird is that I love to do stunts. It makes my soul warm when I am reminded of what it was like when I was little. One of the funniest stunts I have done is when I fought in the series ”The Restaurant” when Kalle ends up in a fight with Nina's husband Erik.

    Three things you most want to do when the pandemic subsides?
    ” It’s easy, a strong number one, two, and three are to go to see Bajen's (Hammarby ed. Note) football game in action.”

    As a public figure, do you feel that you have a responsibility that you would not otherwise have taken? Especially in the time we live in now with social media?
    I expressed my views and where I stood on major issues more before starting to film ’The Restaurant'.
    As I became more famous, I felt the pressure that came with being more recognized. I do not think that it was or is my job to spread my opinions publicly and that is something I still stick to. Since I'm a little allergic to the media itself, I do not like the media asking celebrities about things they have no expertise in. Unfortunately, there are many who listen blindly to things that big influencers or famous people say and sometimes their facts are not true.
    What I think politics does not always have to be the truth and therefore I have chosen to take more distance so that I do not have to explain myself with everything I think and stand for but also because I feel that what I work with must be free from politics.

    How often or does it even happen that you enter a role in everyday life?
    “ I guess we all in some way walk around and play roles for each other all the time. You have so many parts of yourself and in some contexts, I can pick out different versions of my reality. ”


    Do you feel that your life has been affected by the fact that you have been a child actor?
    I started acting when I was seven years old when I was discovered in a park in Enskede by Maggie Widstrand. Being a child actor when I was young was a very small world so I got many roles but luckily for me none of the things I did as a child became huge like Tzatziki or Emil in Lönneberga (famous Swedish children movies ed. note). What I mean by luckily, is that I think if you as a child become very famous for a role, it is difficult later on to wash it away from the rest of the world's eyes.
    So when I then turned seventeen or eighteen and wanted to get more understanding of what I wanted with acting, I did not have to re-brand myself at the same time and had the advantage of having a lot of experience in the field.

    Are you an optimistic or pessimistic person according to yourself?
    In general, I see myself as an optimistic person and have always been.
    But it's hard sometimes to always be that, especially in these times. I have felt quite pessimistic lately but I hope that it will turn around and that the power to be positive will return.

    What is your major source of inspiration when you are stuck in a black hole?
    When it's so dark, it's incredibly difficult to find inspiration, but I get inspired by a lot like my loved ones and by Bajen when they are good, when they are bad, I’m not a damn inspired. Film, theater, and art I also find my great inspirations in, for example, films Terrence Malick’s has directed which are poetic, The Tree of Life are one of them.
    I am very broad in everything that has to do with creation and I can think that different things can come as inspiration in different moments of my life.

    Have you ever had a dream other than becoming an actor?
    I have probably always felt that deep connection with acting and in my heart, I always knew that acting is the path I wanted to take, but when I started high school, it turned around for a short while. I applied to a social science program with a focus on media because I saw acting as something else than a full time job, it was something I loved to do on the side but I did not want it as a career. I also did not come from that world of creators and I may not have had the tools that I needed to enter the acting industry. Also, I barely knew that there were high schools like Södra Latin or Viktor Rydberg that had a theater program.
    Then my dream came back when I got a small role in a very nice film called Glowing Stars. Lisa Siwe, who directed the film, took me seriously and I had to work more nuanced which made me think about the question, what could I do to continue in that industry professionally.

    You are a lot in the kitchen in “The Restaurant”, can you cook and if so, what is your signature dish?
    Before I started to play my role Kalle the chef in tv series The Restaurant, I could hardly cook at all, I had to learn a lot there and realized that it is quite fun to be in a kitchen. Kalle's signature dish is the raw rakes and I have to say that I do them very well in real life. My friend Adrian taught me one of my favorite pasta, salsiccia pasta.


    vest These Glory Days
    shirt Wera
    kilt Adnym Atelier
    socks & shoes Talent's Own
    ring Yasar Aydin
    blazer & pants BLK DNM
    scarf Adnym Atelier
    ring Yasar Aydin
    blazer & pants Adnym Atelier
    shoes BLK DNM
    scarf Martin Bergström
    ring Yasar Aydin
    blazer & pants Adnym Atelier
    scarf Martin Bergström

    photography Olov Karlsson
    fashion Calle Wahlin & Olivia Bohman
    makeup Jennie Jonsson
    photographer’s assistant Victor Celis
    thank you to Bio Rio

    vest These Glory Days

    shirt Wera
    ring Yasar Aydin
    vest These Glory Days
    shirt Wera
    kilt Adnym Atelier
    socks & shoes Talent's Own
    ring Yasar Aydin
  • Interview with Innisfree, the No. #1 beauty brand in Korea, for their European launch

    Interview with Innisfree, the No. #1 beauty brand in Korea, for their European launch

    Written by Yasmine by Elva Ahlbin

    One of the most popular skincare brands has arrived in Europe. The brand was the first natural beauty brand from Korea and has one of the largest followings in Asia, with multiple stores for skincare and beauty enthusiasts to the everyday women and men who simply want great skincare for an affordable price.

    My own experience with the brand started during my time living in Hong Kong, I noticed stores named Innisfree in almost every corner decorated with nature inspirations - always packed with people of all ages.

    I never went into the store until my last day at the airport going home to Europe. I thought it’s now or never, and I purchased the Green Tea Seed moisturizer at the Tax Free. I clearly remember trying the moisturizer on the airplane (since it was a 9 hour flight, hydration is key) - the refreshing scent of green tea, the soft texture, long lasting hydration. This was the start of my Korean skincare enthusiasm and I never looked at skincare the same.

    To my surprise and sadness, getting off the plane back in Europe, Innisfree was nowhere to be found. Not in the U.K, France, Germany absolutely nowhere (not officially anyway) - the time I stepped my foot off that airplane the possibility of a refill of my newly found lovely cream was gone. Until now. Innisfree has finally launched at Sephora in Europe.

    The brand story is fascinating. Innisfree was created by Hu Shu, whose mother used to make her own skincare at home with natural ingredients from Korea. With fascination, Hu Shu created a brand which is unique in the world. Why, you may ask? A minimum of 80% of its ingredients are natural and come from one place, Jeju Island. Located off the coast of South Korea, the island was formed by repeated volcanic eruptions. At the pristine Jeju, they discovered 12 ingredients from the island’s land, sea, and water that are the baseline of the product lines.

    Having the opportunity to talk to Innisfree representatives is almost like talking to Serena Williams' trainer about Tennis. So, for the European launch, let’s talk about skincare with the forefront of not only Korean beauty but skincare as a whole.

    Welcome to Europe, it has been a long wait!

    - Yes, we are super excited. It has been a long time! We have been preparing and preparing, on how to implement the brand and to see how Europe will react. Our plan was to launch during last year with Sephora, but we all know what happend. So we waited one more year, just to make sure Europe was ready for Innisfree!

    If I am new to the brand, what product is the first go-to?

    - The products to try if you are new to the brand is the star product Green Tea Seed serum, it's our best-seller. It boosts your skin with hydration the second you apply it. It works for every skin type as well - oily, combination and dry skin.

    Listening to Anne-Lise and Nadin, the representatives talking about the brand  - I couldn’t agree more, the serum is a great start to get introduced to the brand, since it works for all skin types. Personally, I would also have you try one of their face masks as well - that have one for each skin type to fit you, which are all popular.

    What’s your own favorite Innisfree product?

    Anne-Lise: My favorite product is the green tea moisturiser, since I have dry skin, and I am sensitive. I love to apply the cream at night and it's definitely my best product. The scent is amazing, a light scent of green tea and since I love matcha, it works perfectly.

    Nadin: I also prefer the Green Tea line, I usually apply it on a daily basis but I also love the Green Tea Serum and the Green Tea night mask which I use at night when I am dry.

    Working with a korean brand that are in the forefront, tell me about a skincare hack you have learned from Korea?

    N: So, they love to apply toner in layers. Before and after serum.
    Applying serum before toner, gives you that extra hydration boost and intensifies the hydration. As we instead in Europe are used to applying a toner before serum as an extra cleansing step to remove extensions of make up. They simply use it as a hydration tool. The Green Tea Toner would be the example, using first the Green Tea Serum followed by 3-4 layers of toner. Try it!

    Regarding the Green Tea Seed line, I heard you grow your own Green Tea? How does that work?

    - The Green Tea Seed is at the very center of the brand. We grow our own Green Tea at Jeju Island, and is also actually the third largest producer of Green Tea in the world. The island with its clear fresh air and the right climate is perfect to grow green tea. It’s nourished for 3 years from the soil in the territory of Seo-Gwang Tea Field that was created by Innisfree on the ashes of the volcano.


    Regarding the Volcano line, which includes one of the most popular skincare products in Korean Beauty, the Super Volcano Mask, tell me a bit more about using real volcano leftovers from Jeju Island?

    N: The Juji Island is created on volcanoes. Innisfree's Volcanic Line products use volcanic ash, which is one form of ejecta. And we use those ingredients to create our Volcano products with clusters that remove sebum clogging the pores on the inside as well as dead skin on the outside. Important to say is that volcanic ash can only be collected in certain permitted areas.

    So after our conversation, I had to try the new Super Volcanic Clay Mousse Mask 2X, learning that their ingredients are from the island. However, I was a bit nervous about using it since I have sensitive skin. But it worked, I woke up a bit red on my cheeks but my skin was glowing. It is very purifying formulated with Jeju Volcanic Clusters & Spheres™, which helps remove excess oil and cleanse the pores. The texture of the clay mousse is incredible, it's almost therapeutic applying it over your face.

    I know Koreans are careful around their eyes, what do you think of eye care? What’s the difference in eye care between when you are 25 years old, and when you are 45 years old?

    A: I would say that when you are in your late twenties, use more hydrating eye care, and at 45 years old use richer products that help both with hydration and nourishment. For example Green Tea Seed eye roller is nice since it massages your skin when you apply it - and you feel energized. Compared to the Cherry Blossom cream that has very rich ingredients that’s good for the more mature skin.

    What do you think differs Innisfree from other skincare brands?
    -
    A: It’s not because of the origin being a korean brand. It’s because of the ingredients, and the technology behind it. With all ingredients coming from Jeju island. And every product has a minimum of 80% natural ingredients coming from the same place.

    N: Not all brands have the opportunity to grow their own ingredients in their own farms. So that’s something we are really proud of, being so close to the farmers and producers on the island making sure everything is produced well.

    Have you noticed anything prior to your launch in Europe?

    A: Only four years ago, korean beauty was still a small market in Europe, but today I think it’s the perfect timing for the launch in Europe.

    N: We see the korean hype and how korean beauty is being more accessible and wanted in Europe with all social media. Personally I think Koreans have an immense knowledge and beauty secrets, which I personally want to learn all about. They are definitely the leading. It’s just growing and growing.

    How many products are launching at Sephora?

    A: 24 products will launch at Sephora. From the Green Tea Seed line, Cherry Blossom, 4 different sheet masks, as well as the Volcano and Baja line which is created for sensitive skin and acne-pro skin.


    After an influential talk with the two representatives, we ended up discussing some upcoming secrets of the future of Innisfree that I can’t tell you - but are very excited about.

    My next step in my Innisfree journey is to get my hands on their eye creams they talked about well, as well as their new Soybean sheet masks, which have a three step function for extra hydration. Not to mention, I am definitely trying the new skincare secret - applying my toner after the serum. Once again, you learn that Korean skincare is already in the future. I am heading straight to the Sephora online store, to purchase, it may be a review on those as well!

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