Vice Fashion – Swedish Girls Who Don’t Look “Swedish”

I’m half French, half Sinhalese, and when I look at contemporary fashion shoots I can’t relate at all. Plus I used to model a bit when I was younger, and the only work I could get was sitting in lotus position in an “ethnic” shoot.

I wanted to take these photos so I could show some girls who live in Sweden but who don’t look at all like what we think Swedish girls “should” look like. All the girls who took their clothes off for me had completely different origins. Maria is half Moldovan, half Cuban, Hedvig is half Trini, half Swedish, Olga is half Italian, half Polish, Naomi is half Barbadian, half Swedish, Signe is German-Senegalese and Swedish-Norwegian, and Haddy’s parents are from Gambia.

Photographer’s assistant: Patricia Reyes; hair & makeup: Nina Belkhir / Mikas; models: Hedvig, Olga, Yana/Elite, Haddy
F/Stockholmsgruppen, Maria D/Stockholmsgruppen, Naomi, Signe.
Thank you Patricia, Sebastian and los Reyes!

Cosabella underwear, Coming Soon by Yohji Yamamoto socks, Tanja Malo necklace

MARIA, 19
Vice: Where did you grow up?

Maria: How did you feel about your looks as a kid? What did you want to look like?

Tanja Malo bracelet

HADDY, 26
Vice: Were you ever teased about your looks as a kid?

Haddy: How do you feel about your looks today? Do you think people get affected when one look is overrepresented in mainstream fashion, or are we all smart enough to make up our own minds about important stuff like that?

Cosabella bra

HEDVIG, 25
Vice: What did you think of your looks growing up?

Hedvig: What about racism? But does it exist at all? How do you feel about your looks today? Do you feel like you’re stuck in between, for having mixed origins? What kind of guys hit on you?

NOM*d dressing gown, Bijules NYC necklace

OLGA, 23
Vice: How did you feel about your looks growing up?

Olga: What’s your favorite thing about how you look? How about racism, have you seen any of that? Is there ever a clash between your two origins? Is beauty an advantage?

Agent Provocateur bra and socks, Fafafa necklaces

SIGNE, 19
Vice: How did you feel about your looks as a kid?

Signe: How do you feel about your looks today? Do you ever wish you were white? What’s your favorite thing about your look? Do you have any beauty tips for us?

Bernhard Willhelm shorts, Fafafa bracelet

NAOMI, 24
Vice: Where are you from?

Naomi: Would you ever get teased about your looks?

What do you think of racism in Sweden? In what way do you encounter it? Who were the people writing that shit?