Nine to Know Now: Copenhagen

NameOliver Fussing
Age24
Occupation Stylist
@Oliverfussing

What do you daydream about?
Food.

What social media app has helped your work the most?
Instagram. Like most people, I get really tired of it sometimes. But I also find a lot of great images and inspiration on it.

What is your fashion sense inspired by?
So many different things, people, places and photographs, not only fashion. But there is a Will McBride story from AnOther Magazine that is really special to me. I never get tired of it.

What are you most looking forward to in 2017?
I hope to travel a lot.

NameEzra Shami
Age28
OccupationModel Stylist
@Elzkershami

What do you daydream about?
I daydream about a lot of things. My mind is always going in different directions, whether it’s friends, men, work, or life in general.

How does your sexuality/gender identity influence your work?
I work in fashion, so I would not say my sexuality or gender has anything to do with my work.

What’s your fashion sense inspired by?
I’m inspired by a lot of things, mainly my friends, the streets of Copenhagen, and going out.

Do you think social media has had a positive or negative impact on your practice?
I think it has a positive impact on my line of work. When I share my work on social media, it gets around, and you get an instant reaction. Also, a lot of clients depend on social media when it comes to a fresh point of view.

How important is a sense of community to you?
To me, it’s very important. My community gives me a sense of being and belonging. I’m very social and I love meeting new people.

Do you think creative work is underfunded?
A lot of times people don’t understand how demanding my line of work is. At times my work is not as acknowledged when it comes to payments. It’s hard at times, but it’s getting better.

What’s your favorite party to go out to?
I like going to dark techno parties. You’ll find the best party at Fast Forward in Copenhagen.

What social media app has helped your work the most?
A finance app called Dinero.

What are you most looking forward to in 2017?
Taking one thing at a time. To be happy.

NameLukas Højlund
Age25
OccupationGraphic Designer and party organizer/promoter
@l00k_ass

How does your sexuality/gender identity influence your work?
Although I’m cis-male, I grew up in an environment where differences between people, such as gender, sexuality, or ethnicity, did not come between anyone. We all stood together and fought against the system and people that tried to fuck with us. I didn’t go out to mainstream clubs or bars. I was always at this big old squad in the center of Nørrebro. They had strict guidelines that did not tolerate any form of racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia. Those values stuck with me, and continue to be the most important factor in all my work.

What’s your fashion sense inspired by?
It’s inspired by the things that surround me: Music, graphics, parties, leftovers, trash, high-end fashion, a cheap discovery at a second hand store, random Instagram accounts, the punk environment I grew up in, and the rave scene I’m in now.

Do you think social media has had a positive or negative impact on your practice?
At the moment, I work with graphic design and I’m part of a crew organizing and promoting raves and concerts, so I use social media a lot as a platform for communication. It works in a positive way because it makes it easy to reach a lot of different people and we end up getting a more diverse crowd at our parties.

How important is a sense of community to you?
Without my community, friends, and allies, I would not be able to do my work. I do underground raves, and it would not be possible without all the people helping out all the time.

Do you think creative work is underfunded?
Yes and no. I used to work for some big magazines for free doing graphic design and layout because I thought it would give me some good connections or maybe they would hire me for some paid jobs. But they never did. I don’t think they needed more money, but there are so many people standing in line to work for free to get those connections that not many will end up getting hired. I learned the most from doing the work I liked to do with people I liked. And I still do. And now I know that we made our own connections. And those are good enough.

Who are your top three most inspiring creatives?
Performance artist and art student Casper-Malthe Augusta, electronic avant garde music producer Hari Kishore aka DJ Hvad (or simply just HVAD), and clothing designer Shila Gaonkar.

What’s your favorite party to go out to?
As I organize parties at least once a month, I almost don’t go out anymore. I know it sounds boring. But I really liked the last Herrensauna party I attended in Berlin. It was amazing and had a next level energy you don’t see often in Copenhagen.

What kind of music inspires you?
Mostly electronic music, but it really depends on my mood. The record i think i like the most from 2016 has to be Yves Tumor’s “Serpent Music”. It’s the perfect mood for me.

What social media app has helped your work the most?
Instagram and Facebook. Easy for connecting my graphic work with the promoting of parties and so on.

What are you most looking forward to in 2017?
Looking forward to seeing where Fast Forward Productions will take us. We only started one year ago and we’re already working with people from Berlin, Stockholm, London, and Leipzig, and we’re talking with someone about doing stuff on the other side of the Atlantic.

NameOliver Skov Haase
Age25
OccupationStudent
@Oliroed

What do you daydream about?
I daydream about a lot of projects I want to do, and I wish I had the energy and time to do more of them.

What’s your fashion sense inspired by?
Whatever I see. The music scene. My friends.

Do you think social media has had a positive or negative impact on your practice?
I see our generation as very self-promoting. We’re the social media generation. Everything is about how you present yourself, not necessarily how you are, but your image. I know I have this feeling when I’ve been browsing Instagram and suddenly need to stop, because I start feeling bad about myself. We have to remember that what we see is never the whole truth. Yes, social media has brought us closer together, but at the same time we’re as far away as ever. In my case, I have to consume it in small doses.

How important is a sense of community to you?
I have two close friends and I really hang out a lot with them. For me, it’s important to belong, but I try to care as little as I can.

What are your top three most inspiring creatives?
It changes every day, but I’ve always been very fond of Marilyn Manson.

Do you ever run into homophobic trolls online?
Don’t really read it, just delete them from my feed if I ever see it.

What’s your favorite party to go out to?
It could be anything from clubs to a party at a friend’s place, as long as the vibe is there.

What kind of music inspires you?
Black metal, techno, punk, hardcore, 80’s, but I listen to literally anything.

What are you most looking forward to in 2017?
Having a less turbulent year hopefully. Less stress, less problems.

NameVictor Nimb
Age21
@P_ussy

What do you daydream about?
Making a living without having to tone my appearance down.

How does your sexuality/gender identity influence your work?
I just got a job at a bar, and was told I couldn’t wear makeup or heels, because it apparently weakens my authority.

What’s your fashion sense inspired by?
1920’s and 80’s are a big inspiration. I love the playful attitudes towards gender.

Do you think social media has had a positive or negative impact on your practice?
Social media definitely has had a positive impact on me, especially seeing alternative looking people on Instagram daring to do their thing.

How important is a sense of community to you?
I haven’t really thought about my relationship to my communities.

Do you think creative work is underfunded?
No, I don’t think creative work is underfunded. Creative people have always found a way of surviving. The best art and fashion is produced due to troubled times.

What are your top three most inspiring creatives?
Claude Cahun, Iris Apfel, Cruella de Vil.

Do you ever run into homophobic trolls online?
Homophobic trolls online are rare for me. Sometimes guys mistake me for a woman, but they are polite most of the time.

What’s your favorite party to go out to?
I mostly go to Vernissages, but private parties or techno parties are a big hit as well.

What social media app has helped your work the most?
Instagram. It’s so easy to use and you can just scroll through the pics.

What are you most looking forward to in 2017?
In 2017 I’m really looking forward to giving less fucks.

NameEsben Weile Kjær
Age23
OccupationArtist
@Esbenweile

What do you daydream about?
Living with as much freedom as possible.

How does your sexuality/gender identity influence your work?
Both gender and sexuality issues are very important in my practice. I hate the idea that many straight people have that if you are a queer person all your work is about that. I’m not own sexuality is super important for my work. I think that sexuality and gender is important in a more general perspective. It’s more on a theoretical level. I’m trying to understand different issues and situations from a queer perspective. Club culture, sub vs. mainstream culture and so on.

What’s your fashion sense inspired by?
The 18th century.

Do you think social media has had a positive or negative impact on your practice?
It’s really positive. It’s so easy to get access to info that’s both visual and textual. I don’t think that online and offline exist any more. We are online all the time and the virtual part of your identity is as real as the opposite. Of course, there is also a lot of problematic bullshit and oppressive structures on social media as there is in the physical world.

What are your top three most inspiring creatives?
Mark Fisher, my sister, and Mark Leckey.

What’s your favorite party to go out to?
Parties where I’m playing. I’m kind of a control freak.

What are you most looking forward to in 2017?
The revolution.

NameCeline Marguerite Pedersen
Age20
OccupationWaitress Stylist Assistant
@celineqt

What do you daydream about?
I daydream about the day where the standards of gender performance for trans people aren’t so high. I also dream about drinking cocktails from a coconut in Hawaii with a gorgeous man.

How does your sexuality/gender identity influence your work?
I’m very conscious about me passing as a woman when I’m at work, and it’s exhausting. I constantly think about my voice, my manly facial features, etc. But only when I’m around customers and when I’m with my colleagues I don’t care. It would be nice to not be that self-conscious every time I’m at work.

What’s your fashion sense inspired by?
Underground party scene In Copenhagen and celebs from abroad. Sometimes I like to walk by all the high end stores and just look at the clothing that are displayed in the windows, and then I’ll find something that reminds me of the displayed clothes in a vintage shop.

Do you think creative work is underfunded?
Yes!!! I meet and see so many amazing creative people with good ideas, but with no funding or investors because no one gives a fuck about creativity anymore unless there is money in it.

Do you ever run into homophobic trolls online?
Homophobic, transphobic, racist trolls are everywhere, but only on social media platforms where you can be anonymous. I have been an Internet user for almost 11 years, and within the last four years, trolls are less common. I don’t know if it’s because I am good at avoiding them or maybe they’ve just grown the fuck up.

What’s your favorite party to go out to?
Underground parties where sexuality, gender, color ,or whatever doesn’t matter. You come to dance and have fun.

What are you most looking forward to in 2017?
I’m looking forward to traveling, getting a nose job, meeting new and exciting people, and also finding new and positives sides about myself and my friends.

NameKarl Gustav Brøndum Østergaard
Age20
Occupation“clubkid” i guess lol
@Karl.gustav

What do you daydream about?
White helium balloons on grey beaches at sunset.

What’s your fashion sense inspired by?
I’m kinda of a minimalist whether I like it or not. What inspires/seduces me are often the materials and fabrics, mostly really synthetic ones. And then I just try integrate it into my wardrobe. Fashions tendencies comes and go, but this love for “nasty” materials seems to hang on to me. If I was to pick a muse, it would be Clara Deshayes before the whole Vetements era.

How important is a sense of community to you?
It makes feel safe. I really see that I’m a part of something when traveling. Don’t know if it’s good or bad, but people tend to judge from much more values when outside Copenhagen.

What are your top three most inspiring creatives?
Loke Rahbek, Anne Sofie Madsen, and Haruki Murakami.

What’s your favorite party to go out to?
I really enjoy Fast Forward, Herrensauna, and Esben’s Mainstream Parties.

What kind of music inspires you?
I really enjoy Croatian Amor, Cremation Lily, and Slowdive at the moment. Been listening to Croatian Amor’s “The World” constantly for nine months. “LA Hills Burn at the Peak of Winter” has made me cry more than once.

What are you most looking forward to in 2017?
I’m currently traveling for two months, so maybe that will be eventful.

NameIvy September Rosenauer
Age26
OccupationMarketing Student, Model
@ivyrosenauer

What do you daydream about?
I daydream about walking on the streets and feel like I own the spot I’m given in this world. Being accepted as a transgender woman without any questions asked.

How does your sexuality/gender identity influence your work?
It is definitely harder in my position as a transgender person getting accepted. I feel like I have to work 10 times harder to prove myself. I feel like coming from any minority you are instantly categorized for gender/sexuality rather than for who you actually are.

What’s your fashion sense inspired by?
I am inspired by the social movements and roles models in this society. I dress after my mood. The 1920’s is my favorite fashion period.

Do you think social media has had a positive or negative impact on your practice?
I think social media is positive in the sense of that people can connect and you can get updated with things that you did not have a clue existed a few years ago. The negative is that people forget get to live.

How important is a sense of community to you?
I think everybody needs to somehow feel included. It is healthy to surround yourself with like-minded people.

Do you think creative work is underfunded?
I think we have lost focus on the actual talents of this world. The world should slow down from this fast pace movement and praise the people that work hard and have something to say rather than just showing off.

What are your top three most inspiring creatives?
I appreciate a lot. I do not really pay attention to specifics.

Do you ever run into homophobic trolls online?
When I lived as a homosexual man, I never experienced any injustice online. Coming out and living as a transgender woman is another story.

What’s your favorite party to go out to?
I like a good private party with good friends and music.

What kind of music inspires you?
Music with feeling and music that touches me, as well as making my own.

What social media app has helped your work the most?
Facebook without a doubt!

What are you most looking forward to in 2017?
To release my first track and arrange the first unicorn-transgender wagon at Copenhagen Pride. as well as having my VICE magazine documentary out. In general, I hope to see less pressure in people’s eyes, and that they remember the core of things that really matters. A lot of healing to be done in the world.