Interview with Mathilda Lundin
For this months small talk we got the chance to meet the Swedish influencer & blogger Mathilda Lundin. In 2019 she gathered her friends, family and some of the biggerst Swedish inluencers to create an orange campaign together to support and raise awareness of Orange day, November 25th and UN Women. We are so inspired by her work with women’s rights and violence in homes and close relationships, and hope that her work will help other abused women to break the silence. We are so glad that we had the opportunity to meet Mathilda to learn more about the impressive work she does for women’s rights!
How would you describe your style?
I would describe my style as rather classic and timeless, I choose clothes based on material and fit rather than following trends. I have always had a feminine style and I feel most comfortable in outfits that suits my body and that makes me feel confident. Self-esteem comes from within and the clothes we wear reflects our personalities. That is why it has always been important for me to dress based on how I feel.
When did you first realize that fashion had a special meaning to you? Do you have a particular memory that you could share with us?
Fashion, textiles and materials has always been a big part of my life in many different ways. Both my studies and work experiences has taught me a lot about design and when I worked as a buyer, I was involved in developing the biggest and first online store. This is why it was a given for me to involve fashion and clothes in the campaign I did for Orange day where we all stood up for the topic in orange outfits (25th of November 2019).
We admire your work with womens rights. Tell us about your previous campaign “The Orange Day”.
In 1999 The United Nations General Assembly designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The premise of the day is to raise awareness of the fact that women around the world are subject to rape, domestic violence and other forms of violence; furthermore, one of the aims of the day is to highlight that the scale and true nature of the issue, that often is hidden.The orange day campaign was started in 2008 by the UN where they encourage the world to manifest and highlight this matter. The bright and positive color of orange represents a world free from violence against women and girls and on the 25th of November many buildings and people shine bright in orange.
The work I do for women’s rights and violence in homes and close relationships is something I started working with 6 months ago. I’m very passionate about the work I do because it is based on my own experiences and I want to help other women the same way that I was helped. For me it all started with breaking the silence and stand up for myself but also stand up for other women and for those who haven’t gotten the same opportunities that I have. I chosed to think bigger than just wearing orange on Orange day and I gathered friends, family and role models to create an orange campaign together to support and put focus on Orange day and UN Women and break the silence. I worked hard to create a viral campaign that could spread immeasurably on social media and I never knew then what kind of reach it would get and I am so thankful for the help from everyone involved. This work has given me the opportunity to meet some incredible people and organizations and I really admire UN Women for their hard work, together we can make a difference. I have also gotten to meet women with experiences of abuse and violence which is truly heartbreaking but that only gives me the strength to work even harder and hopefully make a difference in the society.
The meaning behind the orange color I take with me every day and it has become a message that leads the way for me. During my personal healing process, I meditated a lot and started to believe in myself, which lead to me realizing what a big social problem this is and how much there is you can do to help. I created a forum that today has become a foundation where I not only get to help myself, but other women get to help each other. This created a strong connection and strength between us, and a sisterhood was formed.
I realized that my voice mattered and the fact that I dared to talk about the subject gave strength to others, I broke the silence by writing about it and being vulnerable. There is so much prejudice against this subject about how a “typical abused women” looks and I wanted to erase that and show that this can happen to anyone. Today I use my scars to spread awareness and knowledge, I hold lectures. I´m also in the beginning of writing a book and work on the foundation to build a safe network for women. Our foundation works towards strengthening the help where the authorities can’t fully help. For example, having safe homes for women that want to start over after living at a protected facility or for women and their kids wanting to get out of a violent relationship. We think a lot about the next generation, and it is very important for kids not to grow up in an abusive environment. We also work a lot with different lawyers specialized in the subject and we will also have health project as the mental health is a big part of our work. I have big visions for the future about making a difference in society, helping women and minimizing the violence for generations to come.
Who are the female role models inspiring you in your style and career?
I don’t think I have had that many close role models in my life, in one way I can miss that but that has also made me the person I am today. Although Grace Kelly is my role model when it comes to fashion, her simple yet beautiful style. She managed to highlight the feminine strength and the personality in her style by having a simple, feminine and dressed look. She wore the clothes; the clothes didn’t wear her.
“I think it is important to see the person first and the clothes afterwards” – Grace Kelly
Stella McCartney has been a role model when it comes to her involvement in different charities and the environment. When I was in LA a couple of years ago, I got the opportunity to attend her charity event and that day has inspired me in my daily work and the vision I have for charity galas in the future.
Last but not least: which are your 3 favorite designers on seezona.com and what do you love the most about them?
Simonett is one of my favorites, classical and timeless pieces with a twist that makes the clothes more fun & unique. I love Mykke Hoffman, feminine with an attitude. I could wear their whole collection. I also love Viktoria Chan with her fabulous suits, timeless pieces with nice silhouettes.
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