Inside Matilda Djerf’s comeback: How her loyal community – and a new corduroy vest – is shaping the next chapter

Matilda Djerf is staging a considered comeback. First, there was the Djerf Avenue pop-up in New York last month, which could be accessed via sign-up (gone are the mile-long queues to get a glimpse of the feather-haired influencer, though the demand was certainly there; hundreds of fans applied for access). Then there was the Glamour interview, in which she tentatively addressed the allegations that precipitated the need for a comeback in the first place. It’s been nearly a year since Djerf’s girl-next-door persona was rocked by accusations of workplace bullying by several former employees and she’s ready, it seems, to move forward.

The latest stop in her comeback tour took place on home turf, in Stockholm (the city in which this whole media circus kicked off). Two years ago, fans of Djerf – who identify as her Angels – entered a contest to design their very own Djerf Avenue garment. Of the 4,822 applications, Aimé Louise Regner, a 27-year-old from Germany who’s been following Djerf since 2017, was randomly selected as the winner. Tomorrow, her design – a versatile puffy cream corduroy vest – will finally be launched, with all proceeds going to Regner herself. To celebrate, Regner and her friends travelled to Stockholm for an intimate dinner with Djerf and her team.

This project fits neatly into Djerf Avenue’s community-first approach – a model that has been in place since the brand launched in 2019. “Djerf Avenue is a brand that started in my DMs – it was born from the conversations I had with my community. From day one, we knew that our main focus would always be our community,” says Djerf. “Djerf Avenue simply wouldn’t exist without them, and we’re constantly finding ways to celebrate, support, and lift them up.”

While much has been said about Djerf over the past year, her DMs have remained a “special little place” for the content creator and her supporters. “Ever since I started my Instagram, that’s where I’ve had the most meaningful conversations – everything from career advice and mental health talks to styling tips and travel recommendations,” she says. “We’ve always shared honest, intimate conversations, and many times it feels like we’re walking hand in hand through the different chapters of life together.”

Related: Ride a mechanical bull down memory lane with Matilda Djerf

Regner was first drawn to Djerf for the “effortless aesthetic and vibe of her photos”. But it was Djerf’s willingness to share both the good and the bad in an unfiltered way that set her apart from other influencers. “She’s never shied away from showing both the beautiful and the difficult sides of life online, and that vulnerability made her feel incredibly real – and, in a way, approachable,” says Regner. “Especially when I was younger, that was so important: seeing that not everything online is perfect, and that even the people you look up to might be navigating the same insecurities and struggles you are.”

Djerf’s followers, it seems, never expected her to be perfect. Her flaws only add to her allure – her big-sister relatability. It’s a status that, at best, might encourage others to learn from her mistakes.

What has Djerf learned? “To show up as the best version of myself in every space I’m in, I’ve learned that I need to take time for myself,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to grow, to evolve, and to understand myself better, which is something I’ve been working on since I was a teenager. Mental health has always been close to my heart. I’ve always thought about it the same way as going to the gym – you need to set aside time to take care of your mental health too.”

Moving forward, Djerf’s day-to-day as Chief Creative Officer and Founder of Djerf Avenue will be focused on the creative and the big-picture. “I focus on setting the tone for how the brand expresses itself – visually, emotionally, and culturally – across everything we do,” she says. She imagines campaigns (many of which star her Angels), the storytelling behind collections and discusses long-term brand strategy. “While I don’t manage internal teams directly, I work closely with key functions to guide and inspire creative decisions – from partnerships and product concepts to the look and feel of our larger brand moments,” she says.

Djerf would be the first to admit that when she launched her brand, she didn’t know it all. “When I started Djerf Avenue, I was new to the business world, which was both a blessing and a challenge. That fresh perspective allowed me to dream big and trust my instincts, but it also taught me how much I had to learn,” she says. “Asking questions and seeking advice from people with more experience has been incredibly valuable. Staying open to learning and evolving is key.”

When it comes to engaging her community, however, Djerf continues to get it right. For Regner, celebrating the launch of her very own Djerf Avenue vest (a piece she describes as “an all-rounder for city life and adventures”) in Stockholm with her friends and Djerf herself is a total pinch-me moment. “Djerf Avenue has always embodied a sense of community for me, so being able to share this moment with the Stockholm team and my ‘real-life community’ feels incredibly special,” she says. “I’m so grateful for this entire experience – it honestly feels like something out of a movie.”

Meanwhile, this past year hasn’t been without excitement for Djerf; in July she announced her engagement to long-time boyfriend (and Djerf Avenue co-founder) Rasmus Johansson. As with the next steps for Djerf Avenue, she’s taking the wedding planning slowly and with great consideration. “We wanted to take time to really enjoy the engagement so we haven’t started with the real planning just yet but I have so many ideas and I’m really excited to kick it off soon,” says Djerf. “I just don’t want to rush things – I really want the planning to be fun and stress free.”