I had the great pleasure to meet with Caroline over lunch in Stockholm. She is one happy and fantastic woman who has achieved a lot in her life. Sitting there listening to where she has been and what she has done to end up where she is now was a great experience. I walked away having more inspiration than I had before I met her.

Caroline, you work at the newspaper Metro in Stockholm, with their monthly fashion supplement Metro Mode magazine, their daily trends and all their online articles, blogs and news. How did it all start for you, your creative thinking and ambitions?

It all started when my grandma passed away and I inherited her sewing machine. I have never really put much effort in to what I wear. I have a simple and comfortable style. Jeans and t-shirt most of the times. what I did with this new machine of mine was starting something that I still love, creating stuff. I did not only created my own clothes, accessories and bags. I altered everything I bought and made it my own. I think my dream of becoming a designer started with that machine.

Where did you study and how did you end up working at Metro mode?

After spending 6 months in Barcelona I got accepted to Gothenburg’s University and studied media and communication. Which was a journalist/writing based education. I studied there for two years before New York entered my life. The want for adventure and something new, living a life totally different from the one in my home town Gothenburg, made me move to New York for a year. I ended up studying Fashion marketing management at Berkeley College. To be honest, I was not there for the school, I was there for the Life!

When my New York year was over I got accepted to both London Collage of Fashion and Tillskärarakademin in Gothenburg. Both creative educations. But I decided to go for the later. After a year abroad I felt like Sweden would be a great option. (Tillskärarakademin is Sweden’s most sought after education in tailoring, cutting, sewing and pattern design)

During my two years as Tillskärarakademin I got the opportunity to be part of a online web tv show called Stylisterna (The Stylists). It’s not really Me to be part of something like that, but I saw it as a practise alongside my studies. And I am thankful I did it, as one of the teachers recommended me to the Metro team. I got a call, an interview and then a job!

What is your position and what are your responsibilities?

My positions at Metro Mode are web editor and fashion reporter. As a web editor I am responsible for all the blogs, all the news and all the other content coming up on the online Metromode.se page. And as a fashion reporter I help create about 50% of the content that you see in the monthly Metro Mode edition. I do about 8 pages. Plus all the daily trend reports going in to the daily Metro newspaper.

What is the best part with working in creative writing and fashion at a news paper?

I absolutely love all the fashion shoots for the magazine. This is where I feel free and can work with clothes I would never wear myself but are nevertheless amazing. I love styling!

Then of course I am so lucky, that I get to meet all these amazing great people in the business for meetings and interviews. I remember one of my first interviews I had here at Metro Mode that was with Johan Lindeberg (you know the Swedish amazing designer), and he was so cool and fun!

Do you ever get to go to fashion weeks?

Yes! I always go together with Petra from my team to as many shows as we possibly can go to during Stockholm Fashion Week. It is a busy time as we have to finish content for the magazine/newspaper sometimes the same days. But so much fun to see all these shows and meet cool people.

Way out west, a Swedish festival, is coming up this weekend. Will you be there for work or pleasure?

I will go there for Metro Mode. But it is all of course great pleasure. We get to meet all the cool celebrities, interview people, take photos and listen to great music. We will create content for our Web TV, for the daily newspaper Metro, for Metro Mode online and Metro Mode magazine. Can’t wait.

How do you see your career changing the coming years?

Sometimes I have to pinch myself to realise I got a fantastic job at a great newspaper/magazine. Which is a dream and so much fun! But I, of course, have goals and dreams. I hope to be able to work with bigger names in the magazine business as a well hired stylist in the future. I also have a dream that I one day will create my own brand with cool accessories.  I will see where life takes me… I will only do things that feel good. I would never do things just because I should.

If you would give a style advice to all my readers, what would it be?

Don’t try too much. The most important thing is to feel comfortable and feel good in what you are wearing! But that is not really a style tip.. So I would say a jacket. A great jacket can make any outfit even better! Even if you, like me only wear jeans and t-shirt, that jacket can make it fun and exciting.

So what is your favourite jacket?

During my trip to Berlin, I found a motorbike shop where I found one amazing leather jacket. In the style of Balenciaga.. but not with the same price tag. I love it!

So which brands are your favourite ones?

I Love Proenza Schouler and think all their collections are amazing. Would love to be able to afford their collection… another brand I really like is Maison Martin Margiela. They use only amazing fabrics, with great texture and simple design. I love working with texture in otherwise simple and classic outfits.

What do you think about the collaboration between Margiela and H&M?

I hope it will be great. But I am a bit worried, as Margiela stands for great quality, cuts and fabrics. And H&M would not be able to afford that. So I hope for the simple fabrics such as cotton and silk. And then maybe, if it looks great, then I will be in the line on the release date!

One last questions. If you could change your career totally, to something you have never done before, what would it be?

Veterinary! I have always loved animals.. grown up with dogs, cats, mouses and guinea-pigs I am a sucker for anything furry. I would have loved to helping animals in need every day. I think I would have set up a rescue center. My favourite TV channels are discovery, wild life, animal planet and all their shows about rescue and animals!