“The story was a collaborative process with Princess Madeleine, whose genuine interest in fashion makes her right at home on a Vogue Scandinavia cover”
As I stepped into the Royal Stable, a hidden oasis in the centre of Stockholm, to shoot this cover story with Princess Madeleine, I knew it was going to be something special. It was here that the Princess developed her lifelong love of horses (a passion that was introduced to her by her father and that she’s since passed on to her daughters), and so she felt completely at ease. We got to know Princess Madeleine as a private person – spontaneous and funny, effortless and charming. To see her ride the royal horse Hero around the arena with such elegance was a sight to behold.
The story was a collaborative process with Princess Madeleine, whose genuine interest in fashion makes her right at home on a Vogue Scandinavia cover. While we often see her in more restrained or austere looks while performing her royal duties, this shoot gave her the opportunity to explore an edgier side, wearing the emerging Swedish designers she’s long admired. It was a joy to work with her and see her embrace this new look, relaxed beachy waves included.
After shooting at the stables, we headed to Djurgården, the lush island belonging to the King, to capture the cover. There we met the King’s sheep, who were wrangled by a shepherd and a couple of talented dogs to stand perfectly in place as we got the shot. It was quite a magical moment, not to mention the first time we had dogs helping out on the photo team. The shoot day was a true reflection of Swedish summer. The weather did it all: sunshine, thunderstorms and even hail. At the end of the day, when the skies cleared, we headed to a pond for a final set-up when a double rainbow appeared – a rare sign of good luck.
While we often see her in more restrained or austere looks while performing her royal duties, this shoot gave her the opportunity to explore an edgier side, wearing the emerging Swedish designers she’s long admired
Martina Bonnier
There’s another reason why this issue is so special: it marks the five-year anniversary of Vogue Scandinavia. It’s a true full-circle moment. Our very first issue introduced us as a magazine obsessed with nature and sustainability, showcasing Greta Thunberg in the forest alongside an Icelandic horse. Now, we commemorate this milestone with the iconic Princess Madeleine in another nature-heavy story, also including not one but several horses.
I couldn’t help but reflect on all we’ve accomplished these past five years over 31 issues. And so, I gathered the editorial team at the kitchen table at our office to flip through our archive, reminiscing about our most memorable moments. The result is our massive anniversary story, which compiles our most iconic images in one place. To see it all together makes me immensely proud. Many of these images are true works of art, honouring the culture, lifestyle heritage and, yes, fashion of the Nordics.
This story also reveals the way in which Vogue Scandinavia has developed a signature lens that highlights nature (specifically natural light) and spotlights the sometimes overlooked details that make our region so special.
For our one-year anniversary, we worked with legendary Swedish design house Svenskt Tenn on a collectable box featuring a print by Josef Frank (I still get requests for the box all the time, but of course they’ve been sold out for years). Now, we return to Svenskt Tenn for another covetable casing, this time featuring one of their most beloved modern prints: the colourful Anacapri stripes by designer Lars Nilsson. It was a fitting choice, given that before he got into art and interiors, Lars was one of the most renowned fashion designers from our region. In fact, when he was creative director at Nina Ricci, I visited him in his Paris atelier, where he fit me for the very first couture gala dress I ever wore! Meeting with Lars to reminisce about three decades of fashion memories was a special treat.
On these pages, we also look to the future. From our very first issue, we’ve showcased the rising superstars of our region. This time around, we feature Norwegian actor Herbert Nordrum, who’s set for international stardom by way of his upcoming role in Sense and Sensibility. Also in the mix, a deep dive into our region’s collective obsession with (and belief in) trolls, just the latest of our recurring explorations of the phenomenon of the Nordics. On the fashion side, we celebrate another milestone, the 20th anniversary of Copenhagen Fashion Week, via an all-Danish editorial.
I must take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped to bring our stories to life over the past five years – not to mention you, our readers. Looking towards the past, I feel ever more excited for our future.
Sincerely,
