Power of Friendship
Introducing Modström's latest campaign, the Power of Friendship, where Modström spent a day in the city with different duos and spoke with them about what makes their friendship special. Modström celebrates joy with the mantra, the Power of Joy, this time celebrating the Power of Friendship. While wearing their favourite styles from the newest Modström collection, the campaign gets up close and personal with each of the duos and the power and joy of their friendship.
Jolien & Chiara
What does your friendship mean to you?
Our friendship is a cherished connection that brings comfort, inspiration, and unwavering support. For Jolien, it's about having an uplifting presence in my life, where even though we may not see each other frequently, our bond feels like coming home. Knowing that Chiara is there, day or night, provides a sense of security and reassurance. Similarly, for Chiara, our friendship represents a valuable anchor in my small circle of trusted individuals. I find solace in knowing that Jolien will always be there to lend a listening ear and help in times of need. Our shared experiences have enriched our lives and provided countless moments of joy and laughter, reinforcing the depth of our friendship.
How did you meet, and how was your first impression of one another?
Our paths crossed during our previous job at a jewelry company in Amsterdam, where our professional roles initially kept us in separate spheres. Chiara's captivating presence as a model for e-commerce images left a lasting impression. Jolien was struck by Chiara's natural beauty, confidence, and kindness, finding her to be a beacon of warmth and authenticity.
Conversely, Jolien's unwavering confidence and proactive approach to her work drew me to her admirable qualities. Despite the demands of our respective roles, our genuine connection began to grow, and I quickly recognized Jolien as a sweet and wonderful woman, embodying qualities that resonated deeply with her.
If your friendship was a recipe, what would the ingredients be?
It's a funny question. It would be Pasta aglio e olio -simple, strong, clean, and direct. We can share everything; sometimes, no words are needed, and both of us have a very strong (bad) sense of humor, haha! Oh wait, I would like to add an ingredient: a bottle of wine - it goes with everything!
How has your friendship developed over time?
Our bond has only strengthened over time, particularly since we embraced motherhood around the same period. Sharing this experience has deepened our friendship on another level. We've shared joys and triumphs and supported each other through the challenges and struggles that come with being mothers. Our shared understanding of these feelings and experiences means that sometimes, mere glances are enough to convey our thoughts and emotions. Whenever we reunite, it's a moment we cherish, knowing it's our time to reconnect and reaffirm our special bond.
Do you have any rituals or traditions that strengthen your relationship?
We'll go out the door occasionally without the kids, so we can just throw everything on the table and listen to each other when something happens in our lives.
What do you think would happen if you could shift personalities for one day?
If we swap personalities for a day, I would likely embrace Chiara's natural confidence and approachable nature. Additionally, her ability to assert strong boundaries is admirable and contributes to her strength as a woman.
Conversely, Chiara humorously remarks I would benefit from adopting Jolien's quick decision-making abilities. Her tendency to make swift judgments contrasts with my more thoughtful approach, offering us opportunities for personal growth and learning from each other's strengths.
Where do you think your friendship will be in 10 years?
In 10 years, we will still enjoy our lives and experience many more fun things together. One thing is for sure: our conversations, jokes, and experiences will always be exciting! ;-)
JANA & LILY
What does your friendship mean to you?
Oh, it means the world! It's the type of friendship where I feel like I want to do life with her. Let's do groceries. Yes! Go on a little trip? Yes. Matcha and chat for five hours? Yes. We enjoy all the small and big things we do together, which we're not taking for granted. Lily is such a beautiful person inside out, full of creative ideas, and someone who brightens up your day with even just her presence.
How did you meet, and how was your first impression of one another?
We met last year at the university we both go to. We started the minor fashion & visual culture and were placed together in these "buddy" groups. We were obsessed with each other's energy and cute style, which unfolded into hour-long coffee dates at Yusu every day we were at school.
If your friendship was a recipe, what would the ingredients be?
Trying new food places, lifting each other, long conversations over matcha, dressing up, couch hanging & taking a lot of cute pictures
How has your friendship developed over time?
It has grown stronger, especially since I moved to Amsterdam. Lily has made me feel right at home here, for which I cannot thank her enough. I love that, over time, we're getting more comfortable with each other; I feel like I can be myself around her. We have only been friends for over six months, but I'm confident our friendship will continue to thrive in the years ahead. We're immensely grateful for our friendship and everything we've already been able to experience!
Do you have any rituals or traditions that strengthen your relationship?
Now that Jana is doing an internship and we have opposite schedules, we make time for each other on the weekends or have cute dinner dates during the week. We take each other to hang out with friends or just chill at home for a little bit. It's not necessarily ritual or tradition, but we think just prioritizing making time for each other now and then and doing what we enjoy strengthens our bond.
What do you think would happen if you could shift personalities for one day?
Jana: I would hop on a flight to Mallorca and run in the neighborhood where her family lives. I can't run for my life, but if I were Lily for a day, I would romanticize that run to the absolute max.
Where do you think your friendship will be in 10 years?
Probably long distance, haha. We both have big dreams to move to London, NYC, Paris, you name it. But who knows, we might end up in the same city. We know that in 10 years, wherever we are, we'll plan the most exciting trips to visit each other and always support each other in every decision. We're very excited to see our friendship develop over the upcoming years; it'll be anything but boring :)
Olivia Hobel & Katarina Krebs
What does The Power of Friendship mean to you?
In our friendship, it's crucial that we can count on each other, with the assurance that the other person will be there when we need them! And to create a safe space where we can talk about things we need to discuss - and of course, to have a lot of fun :D
How did you meet, and what were your first impressions of each other?
Katarina: We met for the first time at a shooting event in Aarhus in 2020, where we were staying at the same hotel. Without having met each other before, I asked Olivia if we should have some wine after the shooting, and we hit it off really well. I thought Olivia was really funny and just exuded good energy. Since then, we were both signed to the same agency and have been hanging out ever since.
If your friendship were a recipe, what would the ingredients be?
A large portion of laughter, a pinch of adventure, a spoonful of WTF, a cup of good advice and a lot of honesty. The dish should simmer and be seasoned with unlimited amounts of white wine. Finally, it's served with a side of love and garnished with spaciousness. With Katarina, there's always room to change plans, an understanding of being busy, inviting others along, or anything else without any hard feelings. That's so attractive in a friendship and one of my favorite dishes.
Do you have any rituals or traditions that strengthen your friendship?
When we have dinner events or other gatherings, we usually meet beforehand and have a glass of wine together, while we have the opportunity to discuss everything and nothing. We're aware that once we're at the event, we won't have much time to talk, so this way we stay updated on the deeper things. Katarina is an expert at leading projects and plans where and when we'll meet. Besides that, we have a tradition of always sitting outside, preferably under a heat lamp.
Nikoline Le Schmidt & Josephine Mai
If your friendship were a recipe, what would the ingredients be?
It would be trust, helpfulness, honesty, support, sharing, laughter, spontaneity and respect.
How has your friendship evolved over time?
We've known each other for 7 years, but made an active decision to become closer. Both of us have become mothers in recent years. So, from toasting at a fashion week party, we now also meet at the playground with messy hair and a cup of coffee. Since our work is very much a "one-man show," we've felt a tremendous strength in creating content together as we share many of the same visions and aesthetics. We now see ourselves as both friends and work partners. We enjoy being creative and love creating content together.
Do you have any rituals or traditions that strengthen your friendship?
We always start by discussing our personal lives before talking about work. Whether it's been a rough morning, a lovely vacation or a new wine to taste. Our strength is that we never compare ourselves to each other, but we find strength in being together in something. We're good at complimenting each other.
How do you think your friendship will be in 10 years, and what adventures do you imagine sharing?
Our close friendship is relatively new, but at the rate it's going, we could easily be neighbors in 10 years, with lots of children running in and out of each other's houses. The dream is that we work together much more, both on photoshoots and content. We imagine being a huge part of each other's lives, having gone on many lovely trips together, and having drunk plenty of beer at festivals.
Tanja Ahou & Rodrigue
How did you meet, and what were your first impressions of each other?
Tanja: The first time we met was at a mutual friend's house. The first thing Rod said to me was "I love your jacket." From the first minute, the energy between us was really good. My first impression of Rod was that he had the nicest smile and the cutest laugh. He was really open and curious about me.
Rod: I was drawn to Tanja's energy from the first moment! I thought she was the sweetest and most welcoming. I felt comfortable and was able to be myself from the beginning.
What does The power of friendship mean to you?
The power of friendship to us means that we have each other's backs no matter what. We are honest with each other. We call each other out on both the good and the bad. We celebrate each other's successes. My success is his success, and vice versa. We never fall out. While we may have differing perspectives, our ability to embrace each other's viewpoints and engage in effective communication ensures that disagreements never escalate into major arguments.
How has your friendship evolved over time?
Our friendship started with us often going out and partying on weekends. As we got to know each other better, we found out that we have many things in common. We both are interested in fashion, so we started meeting up to take outfit pictures for Instagram. We bonded not only over fashion but also over the way we see life. We have many of the same future plans, and we inspire and motivate each other to be better.
How do you think your friendship will be in 10 years, and what adventures do you imagine sharing?
In 10 years, we still encourage each other to buy things we don't need. Hopefully, we both have started our own families, which can merge into one big family, where we imagine going on trips together and experiencing the world. We look forward to supporting each other in some of the important decisions we'll have to make in the next 10 years.
Christel Winther & Hanni Gohr
How did you meet, and what were your first impressions of each other?
Christel: The first time we met was during fashion weeks in Copenhagen where we were both walking shows. I thought Hanni was SUPER cool and wanted to dress like her and be like her. She was also kind of intimidating because she was so perfect in my eyes. Over time, as the years went by, we slowly started to become part of the same friendship circles, and I realized that not only was Hanni a role model, but she was also an extremely good person, just as childish as me (if not more), had the perfect sense of humor, and was someone I really wanted to spend a lot more time with. Today I wouldn't want to be without her.
Hanni: I don't have a specific date when I met Christel. She was goddess-like beautiful (and still is) when she entered the modeling industry, but back then, in my eyes, she was a baby (she's significantly younger than me), and at this point, I was already living abroad and flying around the world as a model, thinking I was a grown-up who knew it all. Our friendship emerged later because every time we met, there were sparks between us. It was evenings with wine and girlfriends that turned into deep conversations and led to a very loving friendship.
If your friendship were a recipe, what would the ingredients be?
Hanni: The base is a lot of laughter and a lot of tears, both are equally essential for the recipe, but we also throw in a shared ex-boyfriend because it's silly, and we're both goofballs. BUT not forgetting the important spice called each other's indispensable support.
Christel: Humor, security, and accepting each other for our differences. Curry, cinnamon and carnival sprinkles.
Do you have any rituals or traditions that strengthen your friendship?
Hanni: We're both huge mess heads, to the annoyance of EVERYONE around us, and we find a lot of support in sending each other videos of our mess. Every time I send a video of mess at my place, she can show the same. It's incredibly liberating to have a friend who shows exactly the same imperfect side, which no one else really is a fan of. That's what our friendship is ultimately about, being able to be your imperfect self. In the mess, which is life.
Christel: We send videos to each other where our apartment is at its messiest. That way, we help each other accept that we're both completely messed up.
How do you think your friendship will be in 10 years, and what adventures do you imagine sharing?
Christel: We've made millions from the ingredients we just shared about what the perfect friendship entails and therefore are sitting in the Bahamas celebrating it with a glass of cold white wine.
Hanni: The next adventure will be Christel's wedding, where I'll organize the most embarrassing bachelorette party for her. Nah, just kidding (or am I...?)
