Photo: Bevan Davis

Emma Östergren is a gorgeous model from Sweden with a mixed heritage.  With genes from Portugal, Malaysia, India, Africa and Sweden Emma has an extraordinary look. We asked her some questions about herself and about her interesting job as a model.

Emma, how did it all started?
Wow, it’s quite a long story. The first time I approached modeling I was only 12. I had just been accepted into a modeling agency’s children division and I was booked for a TV commercial. Though a year after I was scouted by another agency and got placed in their new faces division, straight after my first test shoot for them!

Have modeling always been a dream for you?
Actually yes. Though not in the “I want to model and live a dream life” way. I’ve always been very interested in everything that’s creative and in making art. Photography is something I found appealing from a young age. I come from a very bohemic family, were no one was interested or ever talked about fashion. Still I forced my dad into buying me my first high heels when I was only 5! Also I started buying my own fashion magazines from my weekly “candy money” when I was only 11. At the same age I decided modeling was what I wanted to do.

What was it you found appealing in the modeling business?
Creating art. The whole vision, from an idea to a finished product. Something that’s suppose to inspire and make you dream away for a second – beauty. Traveling. Find your own way through life, learn about different people and different cultures.

Which is the most amazing job you have ever done and why?
A TV commercial that I recorded while being in South Africa for the first time. Everything was so new, so exciting. The TV commercial was for a big shopping mall in Dubai, a very big production that was going to run for over 2 years. The whole theme for the commercial was Alice in the underworld. It was a lot of fun.

How do you handle traveling on your own? Do you enjoy it or do you often miss home?
OMG! I’ve been homesick so many times. The first modeling trip I did my mom came with me as support, since I was only 16. That helped a lot! Otherwise Skype has become my best friend. Keeping contact with your “home” I belive is very important. Not only for comfort, but also so that you don’t lose yourself, who you are and where you come from.

Where is your favorite place in the world?
Cape Town, South Africa!!! Without a doubt.

Photo: Bevan Davis

Are you interested in fashion? If so, where do you find inspiration?
I live for fashion! Or not really “fashion”, but for beautiful pictures and things.  I find it so inspiring and kind of drifting to look at beautiful images. It’s like stills from a movie. Every photo has a different story and when you look at an image you dream away for a moment. Trying to figure out what the story behind a specific photo is. Who’s the girl, what’s on her mind, where does she come from, where is she going? I always look for inspiring pictures on the internet. Google, blogs, industry sites. I also buy a lot of fashion magazines and look at many old movies etc. And of course, the best way to get inspired is to walk down the streets – people, street style, environment!

What have you learned from modelling?
I’ve gotten to know myself. What I find right and wrong in life. When you work as a model you get in so many challenging situations each day. You really have to find a stabile ground to stand on when it comes to yourself. To be aware of your own values. I’ve learned how to take care of myself and how to approach all different kind of people. How to stand up for myself and never to take anything for granted. The importance of family.

What’s the good parts vs the bad parts in your job?
Traveling, never a dull day always something new, meeting interesting people from all over the world, creativity. This also translates into the bad parts – you almost always travel on your own, there’s no routines, you meet a lot of people but you can almost never let yourself get too attached since you or the other person might be leaving the next day and you may never see each other again.

What is you opinion on the skinny ideal we see in the modeling business?
I find it very scary when I think about this subject. Since every and I really mean almost every single girl I’ve lived with during my modeling trips has had some kind of problem with food and the way she feels about her body. I don’t find “skinniness” itself being bad, just the way people try to get there. Me, I just eat a lot but always healthy and I exercise. That’s the only way. Why risk your health for something you’ll only do for a few years. And the years that you can do modeling will get even fewer if you stop eating and end up sick on a hospital. Eat, but eat healthy – take care of yourself.

Would you recommend other young women to become models?
Try to look up as many facts as you can before you throw yourself into the business – Will you be able to handle it? This is something I think every young girl should ask herself before getting into the world of modeling. It’s not a fairytale world and it has a lot of “traps” that you can easily fall into if you don’t know what you are getting yourself into.

So if it’s really something you want to do – send simple snap shots of yourself to a few different agencies close to you and try to learn as much possible about the industry. Do test shoots to get pictures and also so that you learn how to work and get comfortable in front of the camera. Have goals and work towards them!

Photo: Niclas Brunzell

What are you up to when you’re not running for castings and standing in front of the camera?
I love to be out “discovering”, if it’s not walking the streets looking at people it’s being out in the nature walking or cycling. I like always to do “something”, I guess I’m a very productive person. I love cooking, it’s something I’ve found being a lot of fun since a young age. I paint quite often as well, oil paintings. I’m all about extremes, either or the other – if I’m not out dancing like a maniac in some club I’m sitting out in the woods talking about life with my mother.  I blog quite a bit as well, something I find a lot of fun since I can share my thoughts and things I find inspiring with those who are interested!

You are from Stockholm. Can you tell us a little bit about your city? Would you recommend our readers to visit Stockholm?
Stockholm is a beautiful place. The place I will always call home. A great mix of peaceful nature and crazy city life. Stockholm during summertime is something I wish everyone could experience at least once in their lifetime!

Final question – what is your next step in your career?
I’m back in Cape Town since September. I’m so happy! The international season over here starts up in September and runs until about May, it’s when clients from all over the world come down to shoot their magazines, catalogues and TV commercials. Why I’m super happy about this as well is because my boyfriend lives here and I soon as I got here we moved together.

If you want to read more about Emmas interesting life you should check out her blog right here.