Reflecting on the Swedish Mannequins...

When the topic of the mannequins at the Åhlens department store in Malmö, Sweden, came up last night at the dinner table, I realized I hadn't given it much thought. Yes, of course I had seen the photo on Facebook but it somehow seemed very normal to the Swede I still am. I'm not even sure I would think twice about the mannequins walking past them, in a Swedish store that is.

The image, posted on the Women's Rights News Facebook page a week ago, has gone viral with over 62,500 likes and more than 19,000 shares. Even the Swedish media has felt obliged to pay some attention. Not so much to the mannequins themselves, but to the worldwide interest and reaction.

When asked about the mannequins by the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, a representative from Åhlens in Malmö simply answered that they use different types of mannequins in different sizes because their customers are all different. An obvious and normal way to set an example, one that most women probably can relate to, and still, why do we women not demand this from everyone, everywhere? We are all unique, individual  beauties.

Kudos to my fellow Swedes for causing a controversy and a discussion around the perception of the female body.

Original image posted to imgur.com

Sofia Talvik in Lotta Jewellery

Swedish singer/songwriter Sofia Talvik brought her 2 year tour of the US to a close in San Francisco. A chance meeting of Swedish beauties - Sofia Talvik in concert wearing Lotta Jewellery.

Listen to a track from Sofia's latest album "The Owls Are Not What They Seem":

Sofia Talvik - The Garden

Do you moustache?

Today I went to San Francisco for a business meeting and afterwards dashed in to Nordstrom's coffee shop to grab a quick cup of coffee before taking the BART back to the office.

Johan Billgren is featuring moustaches in his brand new jewelry line "by Billgren" as an homage to the current trend of moustache wearing models on the runways. Reminded me of the growing awareness of Movember.

While waiting for my cappuccino I casually looked around the counter and there, staring back at me, were a whole row of the latest Nordstrom's coffee cups with, yes, moustaches.

Made my day - brilliant design idea - don't you think?

Check out more of Johan's fun moustache jewelry and the rest of the "by Billgren" collection at www.bybillgren.com

Photo from Yohji Yamamoto's Paris Menswear show by Getty. All jewelry from "by Billgren".

by Billgren being presented in New Zealand

Our NZ distributor of by Billgren - Click Accessories - will be presenting Johan Billgren's new Spring/Summer collection at the NZ Gift Fair

March 2 -5 

Auckland, New Zealand

Showing this week in Atlanta and San Francisco...

by Billgren - stay cool my friend

New year - New beginnings - New brand

and a giveaway...

by Billgren - the Swedish jewelry brand formerly knows as Tree by Billgren

Start the new year in great fashion with the new brand from Swedish jewelry designer Johan Billgren. New stuff for both guys and girls - each one gets their own catalog so there's no confusion and no fighting over the loot.

Please visit and "like" the new by Billgren Facebook page for your chance to win your piece of the new collection. For each new 100 likes, by Billgren is giving away 10 pieces of jewelry to 10 lucky winners. Giveaway is valid for the first 500 likes, what are you waiting for....

http://www.facebook.com/pages/By-Billgren/273402369438867

Melody Gardot & Lotta Jewellery

Mutual admiration - Grammy nominated American singer, writer and musician Melody Gardot and Swedish jewelry designer Lotta Andersson of Lotta Jewellery.

Melody can be seen wearing Lotta's jewelry on her current European tour.