Behind the camera / On stage / Backstage
Next to Paris, Milan, London and New York, Copenhagen is quickly becoming the newest cool fashion metropolis on the planet. But, what’s Danish about Danish fashion? Why is it growing in popularity? And what could the global fashion scene learn from the Danes? We asked three industry insiders to give their personal impressions from their particular perspective: a photographer, a model and a stylist. They are Danes who have gone global and have names worth knowing. They all share insights with honesty and irony. And they’re all men – a fashion trend in itself. In a business often seen as superficial, here are portraits of three professionals who reveal the reality behind the make-up, the fabric and the wide-angle egos.
Soren Mork, photographer
Born in Copenhagen, Soren Mork’s clever camera eye has taken him to New York City to work with a famous fashion photographer, to become one himself and to explore his passion and fascination with Brazil.
Soren was Captain of the Danish fencing team when he went to Paris for the first time to compete in the World Cup Tournament. A photographer friend invited him to his first fashion show, Lacroix, and Soren was blown away by the fantasy and creative universe. Until then, it was a non-existent world – except in the designer’s head. He started doing his own photography and won the prestigious Danish Politiken award. In New York, he met famous black and white fashion photographer Bruce Weber, the king of clean, who subsequently asked Soren to be his assistant. From Bruce he learned to analyze the situation, focus on what you want to capture, and go with your instinct. From Soren Bruce learned about how Danes handle tough situations – stay calm. And when in doubt, add a little humor. After three years, Soren decided to take a break and go to Brazil, a country which had always fascinated him ever since he was a child. He adores the beauty, mentality and cultural diversity. In addition to clients such as Ralph Lauren, Elle Brazil, Akademiks and City Magazine, Soren is currently pursuing a personal project – a coffee table book on Brazil, which is a work in process. We caught up with him in New York to hear his views on fashion – behind the camera lens.
Q. What’s Danish about your look / style / aesthetics / appeal?
A. I don’t put myself on a pedestal or distance myself from them. I try to be at one with them, down-to-earth, which is very Danish. What I learned from Bruce was to identify with the object and put yourself in their situation. Taking a picture should be like having a conversation through the lens.
Q. What makes Danish fashion Danish from your view behind the camera?
A. Danish fashion is very simplistic, minimalistic and always has a twist of something avant-garde. Like our architecture and design. There’s always something that takes away the pretentious part of fashion.
Q. Why do you think it’s growing in popularity and appeal?
A. The consistency in the quality, the craftsmanship, and the twist. It’s not trying to be more than it is. It’s enough in itself.
Q. As a photographer, what do you love about your work in fashion?
A. There are no borders. I was doing a photo shoot of a Russian millionaire’s daughter with my crew of nine people. Each person was from a different part of the world, all for the love of fashion and the love of the art.
Q. What could the global fashion world learn from the Danes?
A. Danish coziness. Creating a relaxed approach and atmosphere.
Q. What could the Danes learn from them?
A. To spread the word in terms of PR. Use the media, sponsorship, TV coverage, and the international press. Fashion is Denmark’s fourth largest export. Be more accessible, not clinging to what’s local and the inner circle of the same people who know the same people. Open shows to the global press and hold another for the public so everyone is invited.
Q. What’s your last piece of work and why are you proud of it?
A. I’m working on a project where I can’t give away too many details. It involves traditional ways of shooting with double exposure, trick photography and other special effects but without the computer.
Q. When you’re away from Denmark, what are three things you miss most?
A. My family who mean a lot to me. The Copenhagen vibe, especially in the summer. And the spontaneous coziness, even though it’s become so international. Copenhagen is more about having dinner with your friends than where you choose to have dinner.
Q. Off camera, how do you keep yourself amused?
A. I love to travel, watch sports, and hang out with Brazilians. Most of all, I love avant-garde, independent films. Movie makers are very visionary people, and where you often find themes for magazines.
Q. What would you love to do next?
A. Take a big road trip across the U.S. in an old El Dorado. The day after I came to the States, I went on a three-week road trip to Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and South Dakota, where I ended up at a Harley Davidson bike show with all these Hell’s Angels. I would love to go to China with my old Roleflex.
Q. Would you consider trading places, for example, being a model?
A. Been there, done that. I prefer to be behind the camera. When I look through the camera, I forget the real world. I create my own universe. Then after the click, you return back to reality - after a day trip behind the camera. www.sorenmork.com
Jesper Hentze, stylist
Stylists are finally getting into the limelight after being unsung heroes in fashion for decades. In theory, they’re known for adding to an outfit – and to the wow effect in a photo. Jesper Hentze’ approach is the opposite.
Soon after graduating high school in Hellerup, just north of Copenhagen, Jesper was spotted by the editor of a He Magazine, who was impressed with Jesper’s way of dressing and hired him as a stylist. Jesper moved on to work at Euroman, and is currently working with Creative Directors Kim Grenaa and Uffe Buchard at Style Counsel, a fashion, trend and lifestyle consultancy agency. He’s also the contributing fashion editor at DANSK, a high-end, avant-garde fashion magazine co-founded by Style Counsel. Jesper divides his time between magazine editorials, print campaigns and fashion shows. He’s worked with Jil Sander and Romain Kremer, and moonlights with a Danish music label called Crunchy Frog. Not bad for a guy who’s just 22. Even though Jesper loves clothes, he claims that he wears practically the same thing – jeans, t-shirt and leather jacket - and admits to being a hippie at heart. This probably explains his easy-breezy approach with people, and his ability to talk to anyone. Jesper sees New York as the place where everything happens, as in “sometimes it’s hot, two minutes later it’s not.” But his real love is Paris, which he sees as his next stop. We interviewed him right before flying off to Milano with his girlfriend for a mega, high-profile, paparazzi-filled fashion show.
Q. What is Danish about your look / style / aesthetics / appeal?
A. The simple things. Sometimes people like to be artsy, but I keep a low-key approach. Always. I like a white background to show off what’s already in the photo.
Q. What makes Danish fashion Danish - from your point of view?
A. The good quality, good prices. You can’t go wrong. When people buy a Gucci logo bag, it’s for the logo. To show off what they’re buying. When you buy Danish clothes, it’s for the good quality.
Q. As a stylist, what do you love about your work in fashion?
A. In fashion, you meet all these great people and end up at a dinner with famous stars who you never thought you would ever meet. When I was 16 I went to Paris and met [Hedi] Slimane. Fashion people are more loose. I met some crazy people during fashion week. They are quite confident about their bodies. They’re more fearless than most.
Q. What could the Danes learn from the global fashion world?
A. Denmark is a little too slow to go all the way. When it’s going well we wait a year or more too long before expanding the brand. We don’t take a risk until someone does it first. We don’t dare to go all the way. We wait until someone else has a success, and then we follow suit.
Q. What’s one amusing experience regarding cultural differences?
A. Whenever you’re in Paris for Fashion Week, you never know exactly where the show is or how to get there. The cab driver doesn’t know, and when you ask someone for directions they often don’t seem to care. In the U.S., everyone takes 10 minutes out to talk to you and ask you how you’re doing. In Paris, if you don’t speak French, there’s this wall. But I love Paris.
Q. What’s your last project – and why are you proud of it?
A. It was a shoot where everything went wrong. The location was cancelled the day before. The model was stuck in the airport. I had to run around the day before, find locations, and get another model. We were going to shoot at Coco Chanel’s old apartment but suddenly couldn’t get it for the day we needed it. Everything came together last minute and it turned out really nice in the editorial.
Q. When you’re away from Denmark, what are three things you miss most?
A. My Yorkshire terrier, Coco Man. Danish food like smørebrød (open sandwiches). And my girlfriend. (But not in that order.)
Q. What would you love to do next?
A. One of the great things about fashion is if you’re a stylist, you don’t have to be a stylist your whole life. There are a lot of things you could end up doing. It’s not like if you’re a lawyer you could suddenly be a vet. What’s great about fashion is that you could be someone else.
Q. Would you consider trading places, for example, to be a photographer or a model?
A. I could see myself being a photographer. And a creative director, where you’re more into the whole look of a magazine, the photos, and the graphics. I’m open to new challenges.
Mathias Lauridsen, model
The hottest must-have in fashion right now is Mathias Lauridsen, the face behind an impressive list of giga brands growing as we speak. And yet he’s grounded in reality, with a quick wit, making him all the more appealing.
Any online fan site will tell you that Mathias doesn’t buy fashion magazines. He is known to have 10 pairs of shoes but only wears three. His favorite food is mashed potatoes. And he won’t travel without his iPod and toothbrush, and has quite a down-to-earth attitude in a world known for being the absolute opposite. In fact, the first thing Mathias did with his modeling money was to buy a round of beer for his friends. Aside from his hypnotic hazel eyes and bed head, brown hair, Mathias has something else that adds to his appeal, a scar on the left side of his face. When asked, he reveals that it’s the result of a drunken argument when he was about 15 that got out of hand. It’s ironic that it would work to his advantage. At age 23, Mathias has already worked with a slew of some of the most famous aspiring brands in the business including Christian Dior, Hermes, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Perry Ellis, DKNY, Jil Sander, Lacoste, Kenzo, Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss. Most recently, he has become known as the face for Gucci Pour Homme II. Mathias shares his off-the-cuff insights from his perspective in front of the camera, from his home in Copenhagen.
Q. What is Danish about your look / style / aesthetics / appeal?
A. I’m actually often asked if any Asian blood runs in my family because of my eyes. So I’m not really sure how particularly Danish I look.
Q. What makes Danish fashion Danish - from your point of view wearing it?
A. I think what makes Danish fashion Danish is the distance it has to itself and the business. It seems Danish fashion embraces the casualness that makes you feel in control. You are wearing the clothes and not the other way around.
Q. As a model, what do you love about your work in fashion?
A. The cliché is traveling and meeting people. What is really positive about the business is that you can just remember who you like and forget about the rest. I’ve never been much of a traveling person, actually. I’m glad to have a job that is forcing me away from Copenhagen. It feels good to know that when I get older, I probably won’t have the feeling of “missing out” on seeing places. And as a bonus, I like the fact that I haven’t had to pay for a haircut in four years.
Q. What are some of the challenges from your perspective?
A. The biggest challenge would definitely have to be all the time you spend alone and all the “family, friends and so on” stuff you miss out. Another challenge is having to connect with people you meet for the first time. The business has so many players and new ones coming and going constantly, you have to present an open mind and be good at small talk. That’s probably why outsiders find it so superficial.
Q. What could the global fashion world learn from the Danes?
A. What the Danes could give is a more laid back approach to the business. It seems they always keep in mind that fashion is only fashion. And it’s not about creating your identity through fashion, but supporting you identity with fashion.
Q. What could the Danes learn from them?
A. Just to contradict myself completely, I think the Danes could also learn to be a bit more passionate about their work in fashion. The mentality here is you should be the best you can, but you can’t allow yourself to care too much, either.
Q. What’s one amusing experience regarding cultural differences?
A. I found it amusing going to Tokyo with [the film] “Lost in Translation” running in the back of my mind. Going there I found it, at least from a Western point of view, to be exactly like that. I like to be able to read a situation and figure out the proper thing to do. There I loose that ability.
Q. When you’re away from Denmark, what are three things you miss most?
A. Being able to have fun with my friends and family. Riding by bike in the streets of Copenhagen, especially in the summer time. Staying up painting while everybody else is sleeping.
Q. Off camera, how do you keep yourself amused?
A. My iPod is a very dear companion. While I listen to it I can just think of everything and nothing.
Q. Would you consider trading places, for example, to be a photographer or a stylist?
A. Probably more with the photographer than the stylist. I don’t really see myself doing either. Even though shooting summer clothes during winter I would very much love to trade places.
August 2007