Author name: Jahwanna Berglund

Opiates

Havaianas Returns to Its Roots

Havaianas Returns to Its Roots In a moment when fashion increasingly looks back to its origins, Havaianas finds its essence in TRADI, the original flip-flop that defined the brand back in 1962. But this is more than a flip-flop; it’s a journey into the poetry of everyday life in Brazil, now reimagined for a global audience. The instantly recognizable silhouette reflects a subtle meeting of two worlds: Brazil’s vibrant culture and the minimalist soul of Nordic design. From the textured sole to the simple straps, every detail is a quiet celebration of function, clarity, and timelessness. There is no excess here, only pure form and comfort. Born from sun, sand, and urban life in Brazil, it now steps into a new context – a global conversation where Latin American expression meets Scandinavian minimalism. It’s a dialogue between warmth and simplicity, between expressive culture and refined aesthetics. The most enduring design ideas are often the simplest. Here, history and the present coexist, tradition and reinvention intertwined, all within a single pair of flip-flops.

News

Rörstrand x Zoégas – Timeless Craft, Inspired by Women

Rörstrand x Zoégas – Timeless Craft, Inspired by Women Rörstrand, one of Europe’s oldest porcelain manufacturers, is celebrating an extraordinary 300-year anniversary. Throughout the year, the brand is reviving some of its most beloved classics, reimagining them in new forms and, in some cases, through collaborations with equally iconic partners. One of the most talked-about collaborations right now is Rörstrand x Zoégas. This partnership unites not only two historic Swedish brands but also the enduring legacies of two pioneering and inspiring women whose influence continues to resonate across generations. As Zoégas celebrates its 140th anniversary this year, the collaboration thus embodies a remarkable 440 years of combined heritage. In an exclusive collaboration celebrating Rörstrand’s 300th and Zoégas’ 140th anniversaries, two historic Swedish brands unite, with taste, craftsmanship, design, and female entrepreneurship taking center stage. A limited-edition coffee, visually defined by Rörstrand’s iconic Mon Amie pattern, has been launched. This 2026 anniversary edition is the result of a close collaboration between the two brands – a meeting of Swedish cultural heritage rooted in a shared passion for craftsmanship, quality, and innovation. At the heart of the collaboration are Marianne Westman and Maria Zoéga, two pioneering women of their time. In different industries but with a shared determination, they challenged conventions, shaped their respective fields, and built legacies that continue to define the brands today. Porcelain and coffee naturally converge around the table, a space for gathering, sharing moments, and elevating everyday experiences through taste and design. This collaboration harmonizes aesthetics and flavor, enriching the ritual of coffee. Mon Amie – Timeless Design for Meaningful Moments Mon Amie, one of Rörstrand’s most beloved collections, is a symbol of friendship, warmth, and togetherness. Designed by Marianne Westman during a rainy Midsummer’s Eve, when she was in her early twenties, and launched in 1952, the name, which means “my friend” in French, captures its essence perfectly. Mon Amie is a tribute to relationships and everyday rituals. It imbues every moment, from intimate gatherings to celebratory occasions, with beauty and lasting memories. In the shared pioneering spirit of Marianne Westman and Maria Zoéga, Rörstrand and Zoégas are also supporting female entrepreneurship in Colombia. Today, women remain underrepresented in coffee farming. This initiative aims to increase their participation by introducing flower corridors for pollinators, which not only improve crop yields but also create new opportunities for women farmers to diversify their income. Since the launch of the coffee tin featuring Rörstrand’s classic Mon Amie pattern, the response has been overwhelming. Originally created to celebrate Rörstrand’s 300-year anniversary, the tin has captured hearts and sparked renewed interest in the iconic design. While Rörstrand and Zoégas are yet to announce when or where additional editions will be available, the enthusiasm has inspired the brands to explore the possibility of creating a version that could become a lasting part of their collection. It’s a reminder that timeless design, thoughtful collaboration, and shared heritage continue to resonate and that even small moments, like enjoying a cup of coffee, can carry a piece of history with them.www.zoegas.se

Design, Uncategorized

Meet Leo: Your New Favorite Statement Lamp

Meet Leo: Your New Favorite Statement Lamp After the incredible success of Styrka, a collection that truly made itself at home in countless Swedish houses, Markslöjd, Filippa Rådin, and Anja Pärson are back with a brand new design that isn’t afraid to command attention. Leo isn’t just a lamp; it’s a declaration of style. Where Styrka was all about balance and timeless grace, Leo takes a more expressive path. It’s bold yet welcoming, sculptural yet soft – crafted to catch your eye and become the heart of any room. This is lighting that does more than just brighten a space; it completely transforms it.   The collaboration behind Leo is built on a shared vision of thoughtful design and effortless elegance. Filippa Rådin and Anja Pärson have once again poured their signature sense of harmony into this piece, where color, form, and atmosphere blend together seamlessly. The result is a lamp that feels both utterly contemporary and deeply personal. Whether it’s hanging above your dining table, casting a warm glow in your living room, or adding intimacy to a quiet nook, Leo adapts beautifully while still standing out. It brings a quiet confidence to any area – an understated boldness that elevates your entire interior. Launched earlier this month, Leo reflects an evolution of the ideas that inspired Styrka. What once symbolized strength and stability has blossomed into something more dynamic – a celebration of movement, creativity, and the courage to explore fresh expressions.

Opiates

Falling in Love Again with Chanel’s 25

Falling in Love Again with Chanel’s 25 You know that peculiar feeling when a song you have not heard in years suddenly drifts back into your mind and refuses to leave? That quiet persistence, equal parts nostalgia and emotion, is exactly what Chanel’s latest campaign for the 25 handbag evokes. It lingers, softly but unmistakably. Directed by Michel Gondry, the campaign unfolds less like a traditional advertisement and more like a cinematic daydream. At its center is Margot Robbie, actor, producer, and longtime ambassador of the house, moving through a Parisian street that feels both familiar and slightly unreal. Set to the hypnotic rhythm of Come Into My World, the film bends reality in subtle, poetic ways. Robbie encounters different versions of herself along the way, each carrying a variation of the Chanel 25 bag. The effect is playful, surreal, and deeply human. There is a personal thread woven into the narrative. The film gently nods to Kylie Minogue’s iconic 2002 music video for Come Into My World, a piece of pop culture Robbie has long admired. Two decades later, Gondry revisits that looping, layered concept, reimagining it through Chanel’s lens. And in a moment that feels both unexpected and quietly perfect, Kylie Minogue herself appears. It is like recognizing a familiar face in a dream you did not realize you were having. The emotional undercurrent of the soundtrack deepens this story. Originally released on Minogue’s 2001 album Fever, Come Into My World is a dance pop plea for love, an invitation to step into someone’s life and be lifted by connection. In Chanel’s interpretation, that longing transforms into something more intimate and unexpected. It begins to feel as though Robbie is not only moving through versions of herself, but also falling in love with the Chanel 25 again and again. Each encounter reveals a new expression of the bag, in different colors, sizes, and moods, mirroring the many ways affection and desire can evolve over time. Beyond the film, the campaign extends into a series of striking images captured by photographer Craig McDean. In them, Robbie is never quite the same. In one frame, she is polished and composed. In another, she is relaxed and entirely off duty. The Chanel 25 bag moves seamlessly through each version of her, never overpowering, always adapting. That adaptability is the essence of the Chanel 25. Introduced in 2025, the bag represents more than a new design. It is an exploration of duality and motion. It carries the house’s signature elements, quilted leather, interlaced chain, the unmistakable double C, but softens them into something more fluid and modern. Its relaxed, hobo inspired silhouette and practical detailing make it feel designed not just for style, but for life in motion. Available in a range of sizes, colors, and materials, the Chanel 25 shifts as easily as the person carrying it. Bold or understated, structured or effortless, it responds to mood, to rhythm, to the ever changing pace of a day. In the end, the campaign leaves behind a simple yet resonant idea. We are never just one version of ourselves. And perhaps the most meaningful things we carry, a memory, a melody, even a handbag, are the ones that evolve alongside us.

Fashion Articles

Kappahl Celebrates Modern Families with a Fresh Take on “We Are Family”

Kappahl Celebrates Modern Families with a Fresh Take on “We Are Family” What does “family” look like today? For Kappahl, the answer is that it does not have just one shape. In its new spring campaign, the Swedish fashion brand turns its focus to the many ways people define family in modern life, whether that is through blood, friendship, or the bonds we choose along the way. It is a natural evolution for a company that has spent more than 70 years dressing generations, but this time, the storytelling feels more personal than ever. At the heart of the campaign is a reimagined version of the iconic “We Are Family,” performed by the Swedish “dream pop duo” Genom Natten. The new rendition keeps the warmth and familiarity of the original while introducing a softer, contemporary tone, mirroring the campaign’s message that while the idea of family endures, its expression continues to evolve. Visually, the campaign plays with contrast. Classic family portrait setups are reinterpreted to include blended families, close knit friends, single parents, siblings, and chosen communities. The effect is both nostalgic and quietly progressive, an acknowledgment that tradition and change can coexist.   “For us, family is not about what it looks like, but what it means,” says Andrea Stenhamre, Kappahl’s Marketing Director. “It is about the relationships that shape us, and those are the ones we dress.” That philosophy carries through to the collection itself. The Spring 2026 line leans into versatility, with timeless silhouettes, easy layering pieces, and durable materials designed for everyday life. These are not statement pieces meant for a single moment. They are clothes meant to live in, to share, and perhaps even to pass on. While Kappahl has long focused on practicality, clothing entire families across generations, the brand now places equal weight on identity and self expression. The goal is to create garments that feel relevant not just to individuals, but to the relationships that define their lives. “In a changing world, we want to stand for something that feels safe, human, and inclusive,” Stenhamre adds. “The collection is designed to work in real lives and real relationships, no matter what a family looks like.” With this campaign, Kappahl is not just showcasing clothes. It is telling a story many people recognize. Family is not a fixed idea. It is something we create, nurture, and carry with us, in all its forms.

Opiates

CAIA Introduces the “59 Seconds Look”

CAIA Introduces the “59 Seconds Look” CAIA Cosmetics unveils the 59 Seconds Look, a streamlined beauty routine built around two of the brand’s best-selling products, designed for everyday moments when time is limited. At the center of the concept are Wake Me Up Cream, which instantly revives and hydrates the skin, and Bare Glow Perfecting Skin Tint, formulated to even out skin tone while delivering a naturally fresh finish. The idea is simple: two products, under one minute. A quick routine that promises glowing, perfected skin without the need for a full makeup regimen. www.caiacosmetics.se

Fashion Articles

The Caterpillar and the Butterfly: Matthieu Blazy’s Masterful Reconstruction of Chanel

The Caterpillar and the Butterfly: Matthieu Blazy’s Masterful Reconstruction of Chanel Under the glass vault of the Grand Palais, something extraordinary unfolds. The runway stretches across a shimmering holographic floor, reflecting light like liquid metal. Above it, towering construction cranes painted in bold primary colors rise into the cavernous space. The message is unmistakable: the house of Chanel is under construction. And the architect at the helm is Matthieu Blazy. For those of us who have been waiting with bated breath, the Chanel Fall/Winter 2026 show titled La Conversation – Part Two was the moment we knew our patience had paid off. Blazy, the visionary designer who brought such tactile magic to Bottega Veneta, has arrived at Rue Cambon. And he is not here merely to preserve a monument. He is here to build a living, breathing future. The Second Meeting This collection marks the second meeting between Matthieu and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. If his debut was about laying the foundation, this season is about raising the scaffolding. Blazy dug deep into the archives, finding resonance in a quote Gabrielle Chanel gave to Le Figaro in 1955: “Fashion is both caterpillar and butterfly. Be a caterpillar by day and a butterfly by night. There is nothing more comfortable than a caterpillar and nothing more made for love than a butterfly. We need dresses that crawl and dresses that fly. The butterfly doesn’t go to the market, and the caterpillar doesn’t go to the ball.” This paradox, the tension between function and fantasy, the sensible and the seductive, forms the beating heart of the FW26 collection. Blazy embraces this duality, creating a canvas for women to be unapologetically themselves, whether navigating the demands of the day or taking flight into the night. A Masterclass in Metamorphosis The setting, the casting, the clothes, and the designer aligned in a perfect storm of creative energy. The show opened with a trio of sporty, understated takes on the suit in merino wool and silk, grounded by backless heeled mules. It was the caterpillar: practical, comfortable, yet undeniably chic. But as the show progressed, the metamorphosis began. The rigid strictness of the traditional Chanel tweed suit dissolved. Blazy reimagined it through new textiles and constructions. Bouclé tweeds blended with technical fibers. Knitted suits rendered surprisingly light. Jackets drifting closer to blousons. Waistlines shifted into a drop-waist silhouette that Coco herself favored in the 1920s, bringing a fresh, relaxed energy to the runway. The craftsmanship on display was nothing short of breathtaking. Blazy collaborated with Chanel’s legendary métiers d’art houses: embroiderers Montex and Lesage, and feather experts Lemarié. Together they pushed the boundaries of fabrication. Black and yellow paillettes shimmered across dresses. Rubber and silk appeared on delicate cotton gauze. Suits looked as though they had been subjected to bursts of “action painting,” putting Jackson Pollock to shame. As day turned to night, the papillon de nuit emerged. The collection shifted toward the luminous and fluid. A standout moment featured tweed printed onto chainmail, inspired by an Edwardian bag Coco Chanel once favored. The fabric shimmered with iridescent light as it floated through the Palais. Streamlined coats and dresses in sylphlike silhouettes cascaded down the runway, designed for movement and nocturnal flight. Accessories continued this dialogue between reality and illusion. Like an iridescent Impressionist painting, the opalescent set was echoed in color-saturated enamel and resin jewelry, artificially tinted mother-of-pearl pieces, and second-skin cap-toed boots in supple pastel leathers. The bags ranged from practical to playful. There was the essential suede flap bag featuring the divan matelassé quilting inspired by Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment sofa, and the extravagant pomegranate minaudière with its subtly poisoned iridescence. A House at Work What makes Blazy’s Chanel so compelling is his understanding of the women who wear it. The casting, which included mature models such as Stéphanie Cavalli, signaled that Blazy is not selling fantasies of youthful beauty, but visions of ageless elegance. He is designing for women who live practical lives within a rarefied universe. Women who need clothes that transition effortlessly from boardroom to ballet. The frenzy in Paris boutiques following the show is already a testament to his instinct. Editors, executives, and loyal clients alike are lining up, suggesting that Blazy may have cracked the elusive Chanel code. He has managed to create a unified aesthetic that speaks to multiple generations of clients simply through the styling of each piece. As the neon-lit cranes inside the Grand Palais suggested, Matthieu Blazy is still building. He is lifting, reworking, and reassembling the elements that have long formed Chanel’s language. It is careful recalibration. An act of reconstruction that honors the past while confidently stepping into the future. Matthieu, we Chanel lovers have been waiting for you. And what a spectacular metamorphosis it is.

Opiates

The romance in bubbles: Chanel’s love letter to Valentine’s Day

The romance in bubbles: Chanel’s love letter to Valentine’s Day This Valentine’s Day, Chanel invites you to celebrate love in its most beautiful form. Not quietly or cautiously, but wholeheartedly. For Chanel, love is generous, joyful, and meant to be felt deeply. It is the spark you feel at first glance and the warmth that stays with you long after. With a new expression of Chance, simple daily rituals become small, meaningful gestures of affection. The Chance fragrances Eau Splendide, Eau Tendre, and Eau Fraîche are now available in three new formats that make gifting, or self-gifting, even more special: liquid soap, moisturizing lotion, and body oil. Each one turns an everyday moment into something a little more indulgent and a lot more personal. The ritual can begin with the liquid soap. The luminous gel melts into a soft foam that gently perfumes the skin. Whether you are drawn to the vibrant energy of Eau Splendide, the delicate softness of Eau Tendre, or the crisp freshness of Eau Fraîche, each wash feels like a small reminder to enjoy the moment and the person you share it with. Then comes the moisturizing lotion, in a generous 400 ml bottle designed to be enjoyed daily. The texture is light and silky, leaving the skin soft, glowing, and beautifully scented. Each fragrance brings its own mood, from playful and radiant to tender and comforting, letting you choose the feeling you want to carry with you. Finally, the ritual finishes with the body oil in the iconic Chance bottle. Its satiny touch nourishes both skin and hair, adding shine and a lingering scent. It is that last detail before heading out the door or before a quiet evening in, a subtle way to keep the feeling of romance close. This Valentine’s Day is a gentle reminder that love lives in the little things: a scent you recognize on someone you care about, a shared routine, a thoughtful gift. With Chance, each bubble, each touch, each fragrance becomes a small love letter, written just for you.

Design, Uncategorized

Nordic Nest Brings Design History and Future Visions to Stockholm Design Days

Nordic Nest Brings Design History and Future Visions to Stockholm Design Days As part of the new Stockholm Design Days initiative, Nordic Nest steps outside the boundaries of traditional retail to present two curated public showcases exploring Scandinavian design from legacy to next generation. The focal point is a tribute to Verner Panton, one of modern design’s most influential voices, honored on his 100th anniversary with an exhibition of licensed works still in production today. Founded in 2002, Nordic Nest has steadily grown into a global destination for Scandinavian interiors, now reaching customers in more than 70 countries. What feels different this year is the company’s clear shift toward storytelling. Design is not only displayed, but framed in a broader cultural context, while remaining immediately accessible to those who wish to bring these pieces into their own homes. Celebrating Verner Panton at 100 Walking through the Verner Panton 100 showcase at Gallery Existens, it becomes evident how radical Panton’s vision once was and how current it still feels. His fearless exploration of color, form and materials helped define a new visual language in 20th century design. Decades later, his work continues to feel alive rather than archival. The exhibition gathers licensed pieces still in production through brands such as Montana, Louis Poulsen and &Tradition. There is something powerful about seeing designs that have not only survived but remained relevant enough to stay in production. It quietly reinforces the idea that true icons do not belong to a single era. Visitors can also access these pieces directly through Nordic Nest’s platform, allowing admiration to turn into ownership without friction. Icons of Today and Tomorrow Running alongside the Panton tribute is Icons of Today and Tomorrow, a showcase that asks an interesting question: how does a future classic begin? Featuring Montana, Louis Poulsen, &Tradition, Ferm Living and Flos, the exhibition pairs 2026 novelties with established designs across lighting, furniture and objects. The curation avoids the language of trends and instead focuses on longevity, material exploration and cultural relevance. Previewing upcoming collections in the same space as enduring pieces invites reflection on what makes a design last. It is less about what is new and more about what will matter. A New Format for Experiencing Design Nordic Nest refers to these spaces as editorial environments rather than retail settings, and that description feels accurate. They encourage conversation and contemplation, not just consumption. This approach follows a year of notable steps for the company, including a design dinner at Stockholm’s Nationalmuseum and the opening of its first physical store in Hamburg. What emerges is a brand positioning itself somewhere between curator, retailer and cultural mediator. As the Verner Panton 100 celebration illustrates, looking back at design history can be just as forward-looking as launching something new. Scandinavian design, in this context, feels less like a style and more like an evolving dialogue between past and future. Image Courtesy of Grand Relations

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