SÉVERINE MONSONÉGO
Swedish Life "All Terrain
Illustrator and creator of the Oelwein brand, Séverine Monsonégo lives and works in Malmö.
Séverine'screative universe, both vitaminized and sparkling, is recognizable at first glance. The Parisian illustrator, who has made freedom a real philosophy of life, has been living abroad for a few years, first in Germany, then in the south of Sweden. The geographical distance has in no way diminished her creativity, as shown by her regular collabs with Vans, My Little Day or, most recently, the illustration of a parent-child activity book for Bubble Mag (to be found this summer in Jacadi, Okaidi, Oxybul shops...).
Bar-da took advantage of one of her visits to Paris to have her tell us about her Swedish life!
Who are you? I am originally from Paris and now based in Malmö as a freelance illustrator. I first worked in an agency but also with advertisers. A few years ago, I created my own brand, Oelwein, with which I was able to create my own playful and colourful universe, with stationery, pins, totebags... Supported by my community, which has been following me for a long time, the brand has grown and has even reached 150 retailers! This allowed me to refine my style.
Today, I'm putting the brand on hold, because with the geographical distance and the arrival of a baby, I had to make choices and it is above all the creative field that interests me. I continue to work as a freelancer and clients now come to me for my world. It is really by developing Oelwein that I have gained my creative independence!
Which bag(s) do you use on a daily basis? It depends on where I am! Depending on the place, it's 2 bags, 2 atmospheres...
If I'm in Paris, I have my APC half-moon bag with a totebag for my business stuff. If I'm in Malmö, it's fanny pack and backpack. I've always loved pretty handbags and I'm pretty loyal, I like retro and simple designs.
When I arrived in Sweden, I had a beautiful vintage crocodile bag that had belonged to my grandmother. But Malmö is a bit like Brittany with 10 degrees less... it's raining, it's windy all the time, and yet we ride our bikes all the time, especially to transport our children. The Swedes have a saying that says "there is no bad weather, only bad clothes". After 2 months, my bag started to be seriously damaged, even to the point of falling apart. I had to give up and bought a banana.
Séverine's "banana
What do you take with you? I always carry the same thing whether I'm in Paris or Malmö. It's just the container that changes. I take: my sunglasses, my sketchbook, a small burgundy leather wallet that also contains my cards (the maxi wallet no thanks), my hands-free kit (absolutely essential: whether it's to make calls, which I do even more often now that I'm abroad, or to listen to podcasts or music). I also have pencils for drawing, or taking notes. I often have one of my son's toys. And I have a little token: always several tubes of lip balm and a lipstick.
Oh yes, one more thing! When I'm in Sweden, I add my hand cream and mittens.
What items do you always carry in your bag (your must-haves)? My keys, my phone, my headphones and a lip balm.
How do you find your keys? I shake my bag to find them! Anyway, between the keys to the flat, the cargo bike, the various locks and my workshop, I can easily find them!
What do you take with you on holiday? I keep the banana (I confess, I love it). I have a large Rive Droite tote bag (the week end model) which is a beautiful red. Inside, I put a"la Cerise sur le gateau" bag in which there are lots of little toys for my son Viggo. I also put in a book that I will probably not be able to read and that my son will tear up, and a camera... And for the beach, the towels, the water bottle and the sun cream. When I was looking at my bag, I recently thought to myself "this is it, I have a real mother's bag".
Do you ever go out after work, how do you handle your bag? I drop off my work stuff and often switch to a more stylish bag.
How do you reconcile your professional and personal life in your bag? The business side is separate, either in my totebag or in my backpack. I carry my computer, my 23H59 notebook (I met Anne, its creator, who gave me great advice on how to use it and I can't do without it anymore, I write down everything! My professional and personal goals, drawings and projects in progress...)
Do Parisian women have a specific relationship with their bags? Definitely. Here, French expatriates have often swapped their handbag for a more practical one, but this is not insignificant. In Paris, our bag says a lot about us, it is an accessory in its own right. It is often iconic. Typically, I live on the Left Bank and I have an APC bag. It's funny because my Sandqvist fanny pack looks the same: black and minimalist.
Swedish women are more pragmatic. Their way of life includes the presence of children almost permanently (super long maternity leave, a kid-friendly country). As a result, they are hyper-pragmatic. They all have backpacks, in this case Fjällräven backpacks. I've gone along with it too, it's more in line with the way I travel, mainly by bike. I can't stand the bag bouncing against my hips anymore! And back in Paris, I'm opting for a more chic model!
Your mantra: I would say"the only way to know is to try" ... and that's how you end up living in Sweden!
Photo: Séverine Monsonégo - OELWEIN - © Inside Closet