“Standing on set in Paris, watching the cover come together, with Björk performing and emoting as if she were in front of an audience of thousands, I knew we were creating something that would live on in fashion history”
From the earliest conversations at Vogue Scandinavia – before we even published our very first issue – it was a dream to feature Björk on the cover. But Björk isn’t just any talent. She does things in her own way, in her own time. Now, two and a half years later, words can’t really capture how surreal it feels to be here, writing this editor’s letter. As if it weren’t magical enough to feature Björk, one of our region’s greatest icons, on our cover – incredibly, her very first Vogue cover – she’s also wearing the dress from John Galliano’s Maison Margiela Spring 2024 Haute Couture (in fact, many of the pieces in this story are Haute Couture – a rarity). It’s a dress that instantly cements itself as part of fashion history.
Standing on set in Paris, watching the cover come together (no small feat – at times there were 30-plus people fussing with the sets and the look), with Björk performing and emoting as if she were in front of an audience of thousands, I knew we were creating something that would live on in fashion history, too.
Only Björk could make such a moment. Not only is she a singular force, she’s a singular visionary, bringing together her extraordinary team of mostly-Icelandic creatives (photographer Viðar Logi, stylist Edda Gudmundsdottir and her co-creative director James Merry) to create this sort of alchemy. Plus, Galliano would only allow a handful of talents to wear this dress just weeks after it captured the fashion world’s imagination on the runway (it came to set with a couple of Margiela employees who dressed Björk and hung around for the duration of the shoot). In our story, renowned journalist Liam Hess does the impossible and captures the singularity of Björk, delving into how the tiny island of Iceland could produce such a being.
But Björk isn’t the only one-of-a-kind talent in this issue. In fact, it’s brimming with some of our region’s most unique artists. Take, for instance, Lordi, Finland’s iconic Eurovision-winning rock group of ghoulish monsters. We weren’t quite sure how Lordi would fit into the Vogue Scandinavia universe until our print editor, Allyson Shiffman, suggested we feature them as models in an accessory story. A little surprised by the offer, Lordi accepted on the condition that the handbags they hold be entirely vegan (Mr Lordi and his bandmates are longtime supporters of PETA). It only made the story more charming (and more in line with our sustainability values). You can’t make this stuff up.
From the earliest conversations at Vogue Scandinavia – before we even published our very first issue – it was a dream to feature Björk on the cover
Martina Bonnier
Also in this issue, I am so proud to publish an exclusive short story from Finnish-born, Iceland-based crime writer Satu Rämö, the author of Finland’s best-selling series, Hildur. Talk about singular talent – in the competitive genre of Nordic Noir, Rämö, who only started writing fiction very recently, is a standout success. Read the story, which details Hildur’s latest case, and you’ll understand why.
Over in Denmark, we find another unapologetic individual: Miss Fame. The fashion darling, who found their first success (and massive following) on RuPaul’s Drag Race, appears as they never have before: covered head-to-toe in (biodegradable) glitter. We are so proud to share Fame’s intimate story of finding their identity on these pages.
And in Sweden, another talent fulfilling their destiny. Novelist and podcaster Sigge Eklund, despite his extraordinary success, changes lanes and directs his debut film – something he’s dreamed of and talked about since we both lived in New York City many years ago (he’s since moved to Los Angeles to be closer to Hollywood). He’s joined by his film’s breakout actress Felicia Maxime. Remember her name – I’m confident in some years I’ll be bragging about featuring her at the cusp of her stardom.
Speaking of fulfilling destiny, Vogue Scandinavia fulfils our own destiny by moving into our forever office. Since the start of the magazine, I’ve dreamed of it living in a space that fuels creativity, furnished by the most beloved designers of our region. We don’t just write and talk about our core values – our love of nature, sustainability and respect for our region’s design heritage – we really live those values every day. In this issue, we welcome you into our forever home – a place where we look forward to making many more extraordinary issues.
Perhaps I say this in one way or another every time, but this issue is truly a pinch-me moment. I have to say thank you to Björk for making this magic with us and to my Vogue Scandinavia team for working so tirelessly to make this moment happen. And thank you, our readers, for coming along on this journey and sharing in this standout chapter.
