Robyn
We figured it was high-time to get back to the motherland for some serious Swedish partying. And what better occasion to celebrate than the 10th anniversary of one of our fave reads: Bon Magazine. So celebrate, we did. As well as drink copious amounts of Cucumber Lemonades. And dance the night away in a 19th Century villa with some of Stockholm's chicest fashion peeps (not to mention the amazing surprise guests that turned up during the night--you'll have to read on to find out who). We chatted with the magazine's editor-at-large, Madelaine Levy, to get the lowdown on the night filled with fabulous friends, an air of decadence, and great cocktails. Yeah, the Swedes definitely know how to do it.
Kanon Vodka: How would you describe Bon Magazine?
Madelaine Levy: Bon is a fashion and arts magazine with its own simple, elegant, direct, insouciant aesthetic. We publish really in-depth articles and interviews on the state of fashion and creativity, so I like to think of us as a fashion magazine with a brain.
KV: Where was the party?
ML: In Villa Ludvigsberg, an amazing 19th-century villa with original interiors, period furniture and a view over Stockholm that had never hosted this kind of party before.
KV: Who was there?
ML: Bon's 300 closest friends... A great mix of artists and creatives, including many of Sweden's most successful fashion designers, and other people who have supported us throughout the years. It was also great to see all the fantastic Bon collaborators, especially those that came from Paris, London and NYC.
KV: What happened at the party?
ML: We hadn't told anyone about what was going to happen, and against all odds, managed to keep things secret, so the guests got a long string of surprises. Early on, Frida Hyvönen performed alone by the grand piano in one of the salons. She made some of my friends cry. Then we served an indulgent black-and-white marzipan and cream birthday cake. At 10:30 PM or so, the Cullberg Ballet Company suddenly turned up on the dancefloor, dressed in Yohji Yamamoto. And then, the incomparable Robyn did a mini-gig. Robyn also played Bon's 4-year anniversary, so we were honored and thrilled to have her back. The Misshapes – who'd flown in for the event from NYC – were our DJs for the night. It should also be said that Bon's founders/owners Michael and Krister also did a short guest appearance at the decks.
KV: How would you describe the party in one sentence?
ML: Ever seen the video for the Pet Shop Boy's Being Boring?
KV: What were your top three happenings at the party?
ML: 1. Elisabeth Toll, Sweden's Photographer of the Year 2011, documented the whole night in a hyper-fast version of a real photo shoot with lights, assistants and the works. So much more than your usual party snapshots.
2. Robyn performed a fantastic version of her old hit Show Me Love, which shows how much she's grown as an artist since then, without ever changing the core of who she is.
3. At 2 AM, the clocks turned forward. The party was supposed to have ended half an hour before that, but more and more people took to the already hot and heavy dance floor – so the Misshapes just held back the night by cranking it up one more notch.
KV: Favorite Kanon cocktail of the night?
ML: Close call. I have a faiblesse for cucumber drinks so could say the Cucumber Lemonade, but I took a fancy to the mix of grapefruit and flavored salt in the Paloma, so it’ll have to be that one.
KV: What did you wear?
ML: I was in a racing green Burberry dress, Rag & Bone jacket, which I got rid of quite early on and a pair of super-high Miu Miu shoes that ended up in my hand after a few hours of dancing. Cornelia Webb, who is one of my favorite jewelery designers, made a really long amazing gold necklace that I wrapped several times around my arm into a bracelet.
KV: Was there a dress code?
ML: Not really, but the RSVP microsite provided plenty of sartorial inspiration. Swedes are sometimes said to be uniform and held-back in what they wear, but no one could have blamed them for anything like that on this occasion. Wherever I turned there were dramatic evening dresses, sculptural creations, up-dos, super-sexy mini-skirts, gold lamé, inventive ties, bow-ties, even a few tuxedos – on both men and women.
KV: What’s next for Bon Magazine?
ML: We're working hard on both the Swedish Summer 2012 edition and Bon International A/W 2012, the latter of which will be out just in time for the next round of fashion weeks. See our daily updates on bon.se for more and follow us on Twitter.
Photos by Malin Ekman and Erika Helin
