What does balance mean to you?

Balance for me is resting in oneself, making independent choices, and not thinking too much about societal norms. It's definitely easier said than done.

When I finished high school, the fashion industry wasn't the obvious choice. I briefly considered studying law. I had the grades and at that time, I wanted to specialize in trademarks and patents. That way, I could work with design. Fortunately, I quickly dropped that idea and was lucky to get a job as a fashion assistant at "ALT for damerne". There, I felt the passion for a profession. That's been the case ever since.

Certainly, it's my parents' everlasting love and support that have given me the peace and strength to choose as I have throughout my life and career. They have always said: 'Do what makes you happy,' and that 'money is just paper.' Of course, you can't always do what makes you happy, and money is also just paper when you don't lack it, but the underlying idea is good and has given me the self-belief I've needed.

Two other things I associate with balance in relation to my work life are the balance between work and leisure and time with my family and friends.

When I'm passionate about something, I can work really hard and for many hours on end. I can skip meals and sleep and forget the world outside. It's both a strength and a weakness. Living like that for an extended period is impossible. It's been difficult for me to separate work and leisure since I also see my work as my hobby. Over the past years, I've gotten better at prioritizing myself. I've realized that taking time off and thinking about anything other than work strengthens my work life.

I do that with my family and friends, among other things. I'm a real creature of comfort. I'm very close to my family and friends. I've made friends through my work, as one does, but it's always been super important for me to nurture my "old" friends. Those who know my family and have known me forever. They've been there for me in tough times. They know my background and know me in a way others don't. My old friends and family don't know much about my industry, but they try to understand it, and that's invaluable.

What does balance in the world mean to you?

Balance is a big word, and I believe the concept varies depending on where you are in the world. It can seem absurd that I'm talking about balancing my work life and leisure, while others can't afford to feed their children.

I also think that's why many get tangled up in issues of gender equality and diversity. It's almost natural that many in Denmark find it impossible to understand what others are going through because we haven't experienced it ourselves. In Denmark, women fight for equal pay, while in other parts of the world, women need permission from a male guardian to travel, work outside the home, or get divorced.

Ultimate balance in the world is almost impossible because it would require something I don't know what is. Therefore, balance must lie in immersing oneself in the world and ensuring to investigate and try to understand what others are going through.