IN AN ATTEMPT TO CONNECT AND CREATE, I’LL BE TALKING TO WOMXN ALL OVER THE WORLD ABOUT HOW THEIR LIVES HAVE CHANGED DURING QUARANTINE…
In Dubai, more and more of us are venturing back out into the world. Whereas our UK sisters are still very much isolating at home [unless they are protesting the streets in the name of BLACK LIVES MATTER]. However, even though we can now leave the house, here in the UAE, we still are mindful of others, keeping our distance, and being socially responsible.
Kristin Nyström is the founder and creative director of GARDNER AND THE GANG – a children’s clothing brand – as well as working on STUDIO K, her freelance photography, creative direction, design and production work. We met at the beginning of this year, working on a creative project, and have kept in touch during quarantine through Instagram – if you’ve yet to see her quirky videos that fuse fashion and family in an effortless manner, go do so.
Kristin has been isolating in her villa in Dubai with her two daughters and husband, and tells me that her life looks very different now, post-Covid: “workwise it has affected me tremendously. No shoots for two months and very little sales for my brand. Familywise, it has been good in many ways. No rushing around, less agitation, more quality time… I feel we are more harmonious now.” What she found most difficult was not being able to run outside freely, although she managed to make sure she did a 30min HIIT workout each day before home school, and yoga before dinner.
Although Kristin misses her friends, and family in Sweden most, along with travelling, she has her children who have been keeping her sane [she reveals that they also make her feel insane at times too], as well as online shopping, of course. What about fashion though? Has her relationship with the industry changed? “I still think of fashion the same way fundamentally, but I also have come to a greater realisation in how there is such little purpose buying clothes and other things if you have no one to share them with or somewhere to wear them,” she explains. “I have [also] promised myself to invest more wisely and think more “eco-friendly” from now on.”
In an attempt to stay creative during her downtime, Kristen turned to creating content, even resorting to TikTok, she laughs. Many times, her fun, light film clips feature the aforementioned fashion purchases, although she wouldn’t say social media has helped her through this pandemic, however “I think it is one way to pass time when needed. I have surely enjoyed creating content [some days more than others], but I would not say it has been a ‘lifeline’.
Follow Kristin on INSTAGRAM.
