"Not only do we have the honour of featuring Princess Sofia of Sweden on the occasion of her 40th birthday, we also had the surprise twist of shooting her whilst she was pregnant with her fourth child"
When I started this magazine three years ago, our earliest conversations about our dream cover stars always included members of the Scandinavian royal families. We have, in one way or another, been working towards this moment since then (that’s how long it takes!) and I’m proud to say it was worth the wait. Not only do we have the honour of featuring Princess Sofia of Sweden on the occasion of her 40th birthday, we also had the surprise twist of shooting her whilst she was pregnant with her fourth child.
Our story finds the Princess both in her home village of Älvdalen and in the Stockholm Royal Palace – a stunning depiction of the duality that makes her such a compelling and beloved figure. Our entire team felt her warmth and presence throughout these shooting days. I was particularly touched by watching her interact with her husband, Prince Carl Philip, and her children. Though we were in the Royal Palace shooting for Vogue, she really lets her kids be kids, exploring and playing and having fun. Then, to see the Princess rowing a boat in a gown – well it doesn’t get much more magical or inherently Swedish than that.
There’s a fairytale feeling throughout this issue, which fittingly comes at the most festive time of the year. On these pages, we visit the sauna-filled escape of Finnish icon Arja Saijonmaa (who’s currently experiencing a renaissance here in Sweden due to her long-awaited appearance on Så mycket bättre). Arja feels like someone who’s always existed in our culture – I remember my parents and even my grandparents thought she had the most beautiful voice (and that she was the most beautiful woman). She just turned 80 and she remains completely stunning, not to mention booked and busy.
Our earliest conversations about our dream cover stars always included members of the Scandinavian royal families. We have, in one way or another, been working towards this moment since then, and I’m proud to say it was worth the wait.
Martina Bonnier
In another too-beautiful-to-be-true setting on the west coast of Norway, we find the Flakk family, whose generation-spanning (and inspiringly sustainable) business is a celebration of Norwegian heritage and the region’s extraordinary landscape. As the fourth generation (sisters Maria Lilly and Erika June) prepares to take over the family business, we visit the Flakks at their endlessly charming family home. In speaking with the family (Maria Lilly and her mother, Line, recently visited our office here in Stockholm) I was immediately struck with the values that they share with us at Vogue Scandinavia. It’s been a true delight getting to know them through this story.
Then of course we have an ode to julbord, the traditional Christmas smorgasbord that will soon fill our dining room tables (and, inevitably, our bellies). Here, we present a minimalist, fashion-forward julbord, marked by beautiful Scandinavian design flourishes – a bit of inspiration for your upcoming Christmas celebrations.
Speaking of inspiration, there’s plenty to be found in this issue’s fashion stories, which include an ode to the cape (one of the season’s strongest trends) so deliciously cosy it will make you feel instantly better about our sub-zero temperatures. We also have a wildly good interpretation of another inescapable expression from this season’s runways: leopard print. Now I must admit, I’ve never been a leopard person myself, but this thoroughly modern interpretation has me changing my spots (or at least reconsidering them).
We hope you enjoy this issue in your own fairytale setting, gearing up for the holidays, somewhere cosy and magical.
