We sat down with Swedish Director and Producer Teodora Berglund. To talk about her latest project about modern women and what that means for both of us for equality and fashion. 

Your currently working on the development of a feature film and the series + 1, a series about modern women and the next level of equality. Please tell me more what a modern women means to you.

A modern woman for me is someone who realises the evolving woman in her, and finds ways to push the limits and borders of her time to make the world progress in positive directions. This woman assumes her age and learns from her previous ages as much as she strides into her coming age in elegance and force.

She is someone who decides to inspire with her own strength and achievements and who helps other women, and men to rise with her, because she knows that she will grow when others rise with her. She is someone who manages to wear many hats at the same time; A hard working woman, a lady boss, a loving person, friend and mother. She does not deny her female powers but she uses them to restructure the unequal gender balance that her ancestors have struggled with.

She takes it upon her shoulders to be a role model and inspire previous generations, her own, and coming generation to see women and men as a delicious plate of gender characteristics that enriched the world instead of boxing those in with unjust human rights.

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion is a strong tool of expression, statement and empowerment. If it is used in the right way, with awareness of the signals and connotations it sends out, I believe it is a very important ingredient in a woman’s strive to be the best version of herself. It’s like a costume, you choose how you want people to look at you and then you assume it, then become it.

When you direct, what's your go to outfit?

For shoots: Jeans, t-shirt, Nike sneakers, leather jacket.
(Comfy with attitude to sum it up)

For meetings, same but with slightly sharper fashion twist.
(Inspire and assure to sum it up)
 

I think the modern woman / the modern consumer is someone that doesn't compromise on ethics and values, taking into account where the material is sourced from, how it is produced and who is involved in the process. Someone that wants to invest in the future. Do you agree?

I fully agree and I think it is becoming a very important topic in conscious living. We need to be aware that fast fashion is extremely destructive and that it is only harming us, not making us prettier. I am not saying fashion should not be accessible but we need to see it as a long term thing and make style the centre of our choices. We need to think it through and dress in line with our being, values and aspirations. Looks reflect choices and I fully believe that goes for ethic choices as well.

What does sustainability mean to you? Is it something you include in your everyday life already or is it something bigger you are working on like, maybe the next movie? Or not at all?

I try as best as I can to integrate sustainable thinking in my everyday life, although I still feel ashamed of how I don't do enough. It feels like it’s never enough, there is so much to bring back to life, of what mankind has abused and destroyed. I'm trying and educating myself and trying to live better. I have not yet come to find a way to integrate it in a next movie or project but maybe you just planted an idea : )

You recently became a mum, congratulations. Has this affected the way you live your life to live in a more sustainable way - for the next generation ? 

I think having a kid is the major wake up call for a human being in this day of age to question the way you live and push u to be better be better. I am grateful of what the next generation is teaching me and I always strive to learn more from them so I can give back more.

Whats your go to sustainable tips.

I'm sadly not the best one to answer because I live in London, where recycling really still is terrible. But I would say, in short what I try to focus on is.

1. Donate trees whenever I fly.
2. Bike and walk anytime before the car if possible.
3. Think through my actual needs when I consume, don’t get the unnecessary.
4. Know who you’re shopping from.
5. Recycle as much as your country of residence allows you too. The goal should also be. If it’s bad, try to do more.

Whats your go to brands and why. 

I have the joy to be surrounded by great creatives and designers that I wear with joy. Barbara Cassasola is one of them for classy allday and evening wear. Her Ethos is very intact as well. I do wear a lot of Nike. I wear a lot of Nike too. Apart from the fact that I love their aesthetics, their social impact is something I stand by and support. I am also reviving my love for vintage and try to shop jeans and jackets there more now. Then I mix it all up.

Whats your favourite movie character and how has she/him inspired you.

Don’t have a favourite movie character but I do have a favourite movie icon, David Lynch, cause he does whatever he wants and its always deep and insanely badass.

What is the all time movie we non movie people (me) should watch that has changed your life?

I find that question eternally hard to answer because we are all not all the same in taste and different things gets us going. But here are a few ones that I find has that timeless quality, artistic sophistication and human depth that just somehow will move us all and set marks in the history of cinema:

• Persona (Bergman)

• Inception (Nolan)

• Lost in Translation (Coppola, Sofia)

• Moonlight (Jenkins)

• Force Majeur (Östlund)

• Call Me By Your Name (Guadagnino)

• Whiplash (Chazelle)

• Mulholland Drive (Lynch)

• Parasite (Ki-woo)

• Shoplisfters (Kore-eda)

As Told to Isabella Broden
Photography by Valter Franco @Uique
Read more about her projects here. 
Teodora is wearing the Nomade Suit in the Swedish countryside outside Torekov.