Interview with this beautiful designer Sophia 203

Sophia Edstrand was  born in Stockholm, Sweden and lived there until she was 18. The dream of working in fashion or with something creative was always there. In that time, the Swedish fashion industry was not as strong as it is today, so she left for Paris thinking she would come back a year later to study law. She then met with her current boss, jeweler Marie Helene de Taillac who, shortly after meeting, suggested she should get into fashion. Sophia started designing numerous lines of accessories for the concept store Hot Pink in Jaipur, and while researching in the bazaars of Jaipur she stumbled upon the embroidery technique that she uses today in her work. It was something so refined, something that I had never seen before. She started experimenting while doing the “Love from Jaipur” exhibition at Le Bon Marche in 2009, which sold out in one week. At that point Sophia realized that she really wanted to continue to develop her brand.

Greatest inspirations or influences?

I love jewelry and I like to play with the classical motives that have been frequently used in jewelry. Everything looks so different once its done in the embroidery, I love playing with colors and the different techniques that we apply.

Who is the girl you have in mind when you are designing your collections?

someone that is a bit like me, who likes to dress up, who likes to play with the way that they dress, a person with an eye for detail.

Fashion icons of our time?

I can imagine that Kate Moss had an influence on trends as well as actual sales,like no one else, but I have to admit, that I am more fascinated by the ladies that were the subjects of Slim Aarons, rather than if I look in a magazine today.

Favorite boutiques around the world?

Living the way I do, you get little obsessions all over the place:

• My body oils need to be from Jaipur at Forrest Essentials,

• my stationary from Hot Pink in Jaipur,

• my files from Tokyu Hands in Tokyo,

• my vintage evening dresses from Skona Ting in Stockholm,

• my t shirts from Monki in Stockholm,

• the perfect boyfriend cardigan from Bedwin Tokyo,

• the perfect summer dress from Thierry Colson in Paris

• and the list goes on!

Best part about living.working in Jaipur?

That anything is possible, and that no day is like the previous one.

The lifestyle is amazing, my yoga teacher and masseuse come to the house several times a week. Early morning dips in the magical pool at the Narain Niwas Hotel garden, where monkeys and peacocks stroll around, is one of my favourite things..

Favorite websites/blogs/publications?

• I love Vanity Fair, the only magazine I actually read.