One month has passed - time for a giveaway!

I'm not sure if it feels like I've had this blog forever, or more like I started it yesterday. Actually, it doesn't really matter what it feels like - the calendar doesn't lie, and today, it's been exactly one month since my first post!

To celebrate this little anniversary, it's time for my very first giveaway. When I modeled for the new Johanna Vikman collection last week, I asked her to pleeeease pretty pretty please donate a dress that I could give to one of my readers. And since she's awesome, of course she said yes!

We immediately agreed on what dress to pick out - it's so gorgeous! - but we had trouble deciding between a pink, a green and a black one. Finally we came to the conclusion that the black one is without a doubt the most versatile and much less of a "only in the summer"-type dress.

The only problem is (and I know I'm so stupid who didn't think of this earlier) - I own this dress in pink, not in black. So I can't take a photo of the black dress! You'll just have to use your imagination... sorry about that. Anway, this is the lovely dress I'm giving away - but in black!

(Retail price 150 USD/100 EURO)

I figured this could be an opportunity for you guys to get to know the Johanna Vikman brand, so I asked Johanna a few questions.

How would you describe your design?

- I'd say what signifies my design is the distinct shapes. I'm using contradiction as a constant source of inspiration, building garments from various complex shapes that when linked together become something different - a timeless simple silhouette. High quality pieces to be worn again and again, only to get better with time!

What's the philosophy behind the brand?

- It's all about creating clothes to feel comfortable in. Clothes boosting your confidence, making you feel beautiful. Clothes enhancing and highlighting the female shape without being just another tight fitting dress! Versatile clothes that can easily be changed by clever fastenings - or just by wearing it backwards.

How would you describe the typical Johanna Vikman-wearer?


- She's confident, she has found her style and she's got a flair for design. Style comes easy to her. She is elegant without trying too hard, elegant like a film star from another era, but in a modern, urban way.


Who would you most love to see in a Johanna Vikman outfit?

- All women with a true passion for design! When it comes to celebrities it would be wonderful to dress Cate Blanchett, Vanessa Paradis and Erin OʼConnor, for their different and interesting types of beauty.


To be the one who'll receive a parcel with this awesome black dress inside, all you need to do is follow these three steps:

1. Become a google follower of According to Annika.


2. Click "like" on these two Facebook pages:

3. Leave a comment under this post, let me know you've entered, be sure to submit your e-mail address and what size you prefer (S/M/L, the one in the photos is a S).

All done!

UPDATE: This giveaway will be open until Sunday the 19th and residents of all countries are welcome to enter.

Please recommend this giveaway to your friends!

We'll always have Paris.

If I had to name one bad thing about my twice-a-year shoots for the Johanna Vikman collections, it's that - like with all designer lookbooks - I can't share the results with you until almost a year after the photos are taken. For someone as impatient as myself, I must admit, that's a little bit frustrating.

But! Since we've been doing these photo sessions for a few years now, at least I can show you photos from previous seasons! The ones in this post are all from our very first shoot, in June of 2008. Wow, that's quite a while ago. Photography-wise, it's probably still my favorite out of the seven we've done so far. It's exactly the kind of retro mood, colors, lighting, styling and settings I love when it comes to photos. Not to mention the name and theme of the collection: We'll always have Paris.

From the lookbook of Johanna Vikman's Spring/Summer 2009 collection We'll always have Paris. 

All photos by Camilla Lindqvist.

If I can't be a rock star, at least I can hang out back stage.

OK. So - I am officially addicted to blogging. I haven't been able to upload anything since yesterday morning and I've been going crazy! If you want to call me pathetic, be my guest, but... I've just missed you guys.

I do have a good excuse, though. I've been in Stockholm, modeling the Spring/Summer 2012 collection for the incredible designer Johanna Vikman. I've had the honor of being the face of her brand since the Spring of 2008 and twice a year, we get together to shoot the new collection. We didn't know eachother when she first booked me, but I already admired her designs so much, and it certainly didn't make me like her less when I realized that she's a wonderful person as well.

Susanne Persson of Manasi MakeUp always does such a great job, transforming me from this tired, pasty, gloomy writer in her late twenties into someone who's fresh, shiny and totally camera-ready! Plus, she has developed her own bronzer, a product that's absolutely amazing. I don't know much about beauty products, but I do know that it makes me look gorgeous - and it smells like the most delicious dessert ever! Like... orange chocolate and vanilla.

Whenever Susanne does my makeup, I keep sniffing the content of the jar like an addict, and I can barely stop myself from sticking my tounge into it. I just know it tastes as good as it smells! I just know it!

But Susanne claims the brozer is for looking shiny and pretty, not for munching on. I bet she only wants to keep it to herself, and as soon as I leave the studio, she'll eat the whole thing with a spoon. Now that's just unfair.

Mmmmmm. Here it is - the yummiest make up product ever made. I get hungry just by looking at it! Will definitely need to fix a give-away with one of these for you guys.

Johanna's new collection (in stores next Spring) is called "Strings Attached" and I'm seriously not exaggerating when I say that I wish that every single piece was hanging in my wardrobe right now. But to be honest, that's how I feel every time we shoot one of her collections. And I'm not saying this just because I like Johanna or because we work together. It's actually the other way around - I wouldn't keep working with her if I didn't think she's one of our very best designers, and that her creations are as much my style as they can get.

Ehmmm... I was pouting for my camera that Susanne was holding. I did not do that for the actual photos. Please believe me!

After shooting in the studio all day, we went outside to a park to get some outdoor shots. Oh, and this is the lovely and talented Johanna, by the way. The one with all the ideas and skills.

(These are, of course, not "real" photos. I just asked Johanna to take some pictures of my pretty braid. I can't believe how well Susanne managed to hide my bangs!)

Shooting in a bikini in a crowded park was not uncomfortable at all. No, no. Really! Not at all! Don't even sweat it, guys! I'm totally confident enough to strut my stuff in front of a hundred people on afternoon picnics in the sun. (Let's drop the sarcasm: I honestly didn't mind. Whatever, it's summer, people hang out in their bikinis in parks all the time. It's just that... they usually don't do it in front of a photographer and a huge golden reflector screen.)

Thank you to Johanna, Susanne and photographer Karin Foberg for an awesome day! Exhausting, yes. But still awesome.