logo
Inside Klättermusen's Journey to the Arctic Pride Festival

Inside Klättermusen's Journey to the Arctic Pride Festival

Forbes15-04-2025

Swedish artist Boko Yout wearing Klättermusen in Crafted for Life film series episode 1
Swedish outerwear label Klättermusen demonstrates its dedication to sustainability and storytelling with its recent series, Crafted for Life. Launched last week, the series starts with a short film that profiles the work of multidisciplinary Swedish artist Boko Yout as he enjoys stunning Swedish landscapes, performs at Svalbard Pride and discusses his creative process.
Klättermusen has been a top player in the world of Scandinavian technical apparel since its inception in the 1970s. With its birthplace nestled in the village of Åre, an area famous for its stunning mountains, the label originally focused much of its efforts on creating apparel and accessories for climbing (Klättermusen means 'the climbing mouse' in Swedish). But over the last few years, international attention toward the brand has grown significantly. This shift can easily be linked to the fact that consumer habits continue to shift toward looking for longer-lasting garments, while 'gorpcore' has many millennials and Gen Z in a chokehold across the globe. Klättermusen boasts its ethos of 'Maximum Safety, Minimum Impact', a mission that has helped the label win a number of awards over the years for its dedicated to sustainable practices including the coveted ISPO Gold award in 2020 for its 100% organic Farbaute jacket.
The Crafted for Life series sets out to explore the label's ethos by joining forces with inspiring figures who share their vision of a more sustainability-focused future. Boko Yout has been making waves in the Swedish music scene for the last few years thanks to his blended genre approach (something he defines as 'afro grunge') and lyrical storytelling. Beyond music, he also explores practices like needlework as a way to explore his identity. 'For me, it's a lot about sustainability. I want what I create to leave my mark on the world and not go to waste.' He shares. 'Of course, there are differences and similarities between the disciplines I work between. There is a lot of textile work, and there is music. They are also two different processes. I think the common ground is spontaneity and being in a flow when I create. Not judging anything too quickly and working almost on autopilot'.
Captured by filmmaker Mats Ek, the short film travels through Stockholm and Svalbard, the home of the world's northernmost pride festival, following Boko Yout as he shares his thoughts on creativity and his life-long journey of living on his own terms. The multi-hyphenate shares via voice-over, 'I've always found it difficult to exist within an institution or any kind of structured system. I don't know why that is. If someone tells me I have to do something, I instinctively resist. Even if it might be good for me. I think I've always strived for freedom and have lived with the need to be a certain kind of person in order to survive or to fit in'. Enjoy the film above or on the Klättermusen Youtube here.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The Wildest Controversies and Scandals Surrounding the Viral Labubu Dolls
The Wildest Controversies and Scandals Surrounding the Viral Labubu Dolls

Yahoo

time15 hours ago

  • Yahoo

The Wildest Controversies and Scandals Surrounding the Viral Labubu Dolls

We need to talk about Labubus. And no, Labubu isn't some off-brand kombucha or a Goop-approved fertility crystal. It's the name of those fuzzy toys with bunny ears and toothy grins that Gen Z and millenials seem to be losing their collective minds over. The buzz for Bubus has grown so loud that it even made its way to the Jenna Bush Hager-led fourth hour of the Today show this week. The Labubu was first introduced in a 2015 children's picture book created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung called The Monster Trilogy. Inspired by Nordic mythology, the Bubu are tiny elvish creatures with nine serrated teeth and pointy ears. They're also canonically female. Following the success of his book, Lung signed a deal in 2019 with Pop Mart, a Chinese-based toy company known for 'blind box' collectibles—a figurine sold in sealed packaging so that the item is unknown until opening—to create the first line of Labubu plushie charms. Since then, the toy has gone from a niche collectible item to a global sensation. While the Bubus come in many forms, from vinyl figures to pendant charms, the most popular iteration is the keychain. You can find them dangling from TikTokers luxury handbags, high schoolers backpacks, and proudly flaunted by celebrities like Rihanna, Lisa from Blackpink, and Dua Lipa. The Labubu collections are so popular that in 2024, Pop Mart generated $410 million in revenue, with its total revenue clocking in at a jaw-dropping $1.81 billion. It's so popular that some are even calling the toy 'tariff proof,' as President Donald Trump's trade war has done nothing to slow down the Bubu consumer demand. But like so many cultural obsessions that came before it, the Labubu craze hasn't been without scandal (or chaos). From full-on brawls to counterfeits to a thriving criminal underground, here are some of the wildest controversies surrounding the viral plushie that we could find. Why are people getting into fistfights over the Labubus? Well, it's thanks to a little phenomenon known as manufactured scarcity—a term for when companies create a false perception of limited availability, even when they could theoretically manufacture more products. You see, Pop Mart restocks their Labubu collections every week, from the immensely popular 'Exciting Macaron' series to the 'Fall in Wild' series. The restocks happen online on Thursdays and in stores on Fridays. But despite these weekly product drops, the Bubus often sells out in a matter of seconds. And no, that's not an over-exaggeration. Due to Bubu scarcity, people have taken to camping outside Pop Mart stores hours and sometimes days before the Friday restock. Don't believe me? Take a look at this recent video published by NBC Chicago, which shows hoards of people camping outside the Pop Mart store in anticipation of its opening. People are so desperate to get their hands on a Bubu that full on brawls have been happening at Pop Mart stores across the world. In the UK, the fights got so out of hand that the company decided, for the moment, to stop selling the toys in the region's stores. Pop Mart said they made this decision to figure out a solution to 'prevent any potential safety issues.' Typically, a single 'blind box' Labubu cost anywhere from $21 to $27, with a whole box coming in at around $167. However, thanks to the Labubu craze, resellers are jacking up the prices to an eye-boggling amount. On eBay, a limited edition Bubu is currently on the market for $9,500. On StockX, another popular online marketplace, a Labubu x Vans limited edition doll is going for almost $3,500. With the rise of Labubus came the Lafufus—fake Labubus. Although it can be hard to tell the difference between the 'real' and 'counterfeit' versions, most people find that the Lafufus have slightly off coloring, sometimes lopsided smiles, and an incorrect number of teeth. The Labubu criminal underground is thriving. Just last month, a Pop Mart shipment of Labubus in the UK containing the figure Hirono got intercepted by a group of thieves, who stole over $202,000 of product. A month before that, thieves stole around $27,000 worth of Labubu products from a store in Somerset, England. People are also getting their Bubu toys stolen right off their bags. For some, the fear of getting robbed has gotten so intense that they are now taking out insurance for their Bubus when they travel abroad. 'It might seem ridiculous to insure a toy, but it speaks volumes about how emotionally invested people are in what they pack,' Peter Klemt, chief of Australia's division of Passport Card, a travel insurance company, said to the New York Post. 'When you consider some Labubus are now selling for nearly $652 (1,000 AUD) on resale sites, it makes sense why they want to protect them,' he added. Maybe it's because the Labubu creatures look a little mischievous, but some people (religious people) are starting to believe Labubus are demonic. 'They. Are. So. Creepy,' a Bubu hater wrote on Reddit. Others in the thread agreed, with one Redditor even claiming that the doll was straight up 'evil.' On TikTok, a user posted a video talking about how they bought a Labubu at a thrift store, and immediately after, they almost got into a car accident. Then, they started experiencing health issues, which apparently only got better when they threw their Labubu out. After the demonic conspiracy theories became popular, Pop Mart uploaded a post for 'April Fools,' announcing they are recalling the Bubu toys for suspicious 'supernatural' behavior. Maybe the demon Bubus cast a spell on everyone and that's why people are so obsessed? Just some food for thought.

Taiwan YA Content Gets Boost as PTS XS, Third Culture, S11 Launch Drama Lab (EXCLUSIVE)
Taiwan YA Content Gets Boost as PTS XS, Third Culture, S11 Launch Drama Lab (EXCLUSIVE)

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

Taiwan YA Content Gets Boost as PTS XS, Third Culture, S11 Launch Drama Lab (EXCLUSIVE)

Taiwan's burgeoning youth content sector is getting a major boost as international players join forces to nurture the next generation of Chinese-language storytellers. Third Culture Content (TCC), the Los Angeles and Seoul-based production company, has partnered with Taiwan's S11 Partners and PTS XS to launch 'All Star,' a Chinese-language incubator program targeting creators of young adult content. More from Variety Middle East-Taiwan Action-Comedy 'Masala Boba' Reunites Kleos, Light House at Cannes Market (EXCLUSIVE) Taiwan's Vie Vision Pictures Boards Cross-Cultural Action Comedy 'Demon Hunters' at Cannes Market (EXCLUSIVE) Taiwan Cinema Takes Global Ambitions to Hong Kong FilMart With Diverse Features and Series The initiative, officially dubbed 'All Star: Teens Drama Development Lab,' kicks off this summer with applications opening June 4. The program represents a strategic play to capture the increasingly valuable Gen Z and Alpha generation markets through authentic local storytelling with global appeal. In a two-phase structure, 30 selected Taiwanese creators will first participate in industry-led masterclasses before four standout projects advance to a six-month development lab working alongside Hollywood veterans. Select projects could potentially move into international co-production in 2026. High-caliber Hollywood mentors include Amy Rardin (producer, Marvel's 'Strange Academy' and 'Echo'), Jessica O'Toole ('American Girl' series, 'Invisible Sister'), and BAFTA winner Debbie Moon ('Wolfblood'). The program also offers an NT$260,000 ($8,600) script development grant per selected project. 'As the YA genre continues to grow globally, it remains relatively nascent in Asia,' said Janice Chua and Sean Dulake, TCC co-founders. 'This partnership offers a unique opportunity to explore and innovate within this space, combining the rich cultural nuances of Taiwan with our expertise in creating universally relatable stories.' The lab builds on established industry relationships, as TCC's Chua and S11's Cora Yim previously collaborated on 'Emerge,' another Taiwan-based development program that incubated five TV series and six features between 2022 and 2024. 'Adolescence is a powerful threshold – full of questions, change, and possibility,' said Yim. 'We're honored to partner with PTS XS and Third Culture Content on this teen drama development lab, giving young Taiwanese storytellers the tools to shape their own teen drama narratives.' PTS XS, which launched in 2024 as Taiwan's first cross-media platform exclusively for viewers aged 3-18, views the collaboration as strategic positioning in the competitive Asian youth content market. 'We are deeply grateful to our partners at Third Culture Content and S11 for their collaboration and expertise,' said Yu Pei Hua of PTS XS. 'Their support is instrumental in bringing this vision to life.' The initiative represents the latest in a series of development programs led by the partners. Yim previously drove Fox Creative Lab in 2018, while Chua and Dulake currently serve as faculty leads for CAPCA (Canada-Asia Pacific Co-Production Accelerator), which develops TV projects for North American distribution. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival

Princess Sofia Missed a Dazzling Tiara Moment After Debuting Baby Princess Ines at Royal Event
Princess Sofia Missed a Dazzling Tiara Moment After Debuting Baby Princess Ines at Royal Event

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Yahoo

Princess Sofia Missed a Dazzling Tiara Moment After Debuting Baby Princess Ines at Royal Event

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. State banquets are always a highlight on the royal calendar, filled with pomp, ceremony, elaborate decor and, of course, tiaras. The Swedish royal family owns quite the collection of jewels, and they brought out the bling for a state banquet in honor of an Icelandic state visit on Tuesday, May 6. While King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Madeleine and her husband, Chris O'Neill, attended the glittering event, Princess Sofia was notably absent. Although 40-year-old Sofia, who is married to Prince Carl Philip, recently brought her three-month-old daughter, Princess Ines, for her first balcony appearance on April 30, she stayed home from the banquet. The Swedish princess gave birth to baby Ines on Feb. 7 and therefore is officially on maternity leave, but she did step out on the palace balcony last month as it was her father-in-law the king's birthday. Along with baby Ines, Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip are the parents of three boys: Prince Alexander, 9, Prince Gabriel, 7, and 4-year-old Prince Julian. Sofia might have skipped this week's state banquet, but her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law dazzled in heirloom family jewelry—and even sneakers—at the event. Queen Silvia kept it comfy in white trainers as she recovered from a foot surgery, pairing her sneakers with a sparkly pink gown and matching wrap. And although her footwear might have been sensible, she went big with her jewels. The Swedish queen wore a diamond tiara known as Queen Sofia's tiara, adding a massive pink topaz and diamond necklace and matching earrings. As for Crown Princess Victoria, she repeated a white gown covered in colorful floral appliqués, adding the Swedish Aquamarine Kokoshnik tiara to her look. Meanwhile, Princess Madeleine—who wore a strapless, berry-hued gown—debuted a special family diadem, wearing the King Edward VII Ruby Tiara. Per The Court Jeweller, Madeleine is the only modern royal to have worn the 120-year-old piece other than Queen Silvia.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store