Purple drinks and tattoos: Inside Maria Nilsdotter’s ‘Fairy Rave’ to celebrate her new NK space

In Stockholm’s NK, a portal into the Maria Nilsdotter universe has opened. Located just within the front doors of the historic department store, the new shop-in-shop has all the hallmarks of a Maria Nilsdotter space: dark, romantic atmosphere, mystical touches and, of course, covetable jewellery. Yesterday evening, at an after-opening-hours cocktail party, it had another Nilsdotter signature: hip, attractive guests decked out in her designs.

For Nilsdotter, it’s a full-circle moment; in 2008, NK became the first “proper store” in Stockholm that stocked her designs. “To me, NK is a place of timeless elegance, you can feel the history in the walls of the house,” she says, noting that her earliest NK memory is turning up to see the Christmas window displays. “Oh, and I love NK mints,” she adds. “The best chocolate in the world.”

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The space sees a return to the designer’s most treasured theme: “the fairy rave forest”. It’s a place Nilsdotter describes as “magical, dark and weird”. “You’re not sure if you are actually still on earth,” she says. “The store is meant to be an experience – a place where you step into another dimension.” Otherworldly, iridescent flowers – slightly decayed – spring from the floor. Elsewhere, in lieu of benches or chairs, a massive tree trunk lays fallen across the space.

Now open to customers, the shop-in-shop offers a first pick of the brand’s new Zodiac collection. A fitting followup to her beloved tarot pieces, the collection allows Nilsdotter enthusiasts to wear their sign on their neck.

As for the opening soiree, it was befitting of the space, with artist Pontus Djanaieff behind the decks spinning fairy rave-appropriate tunes. “Pontus fit the vibe perfectly,” notes Nilsdotter. Guests sipped on custom purple fairy cocktails by Aeris. But the finishing touch for that rave energy? Free tattoos.

See all the photos below.