INTERVIEW #180 MODEMASSAKERNA

Name: Emily Dahl a.k.a. Modemassakern

Occupation: Fashion journalist, academic and podcast profile

Based in: Stockholm

Website: Modemassakerna

Instagram + TikTok: modemassakern

We see you as a fashion truth-teller with a sustainability compass. How do you describe your mission in the fashion space?

As a journalist and fashion studies MA, I love to discuss the theories and practical implications surrounding fashion. I think, we often end up talking about either the good or the bad, but fashion is multifaceted and has a lot of different meanings. For example, if I can speak about fun new trends while also approaching the issues of consumption, that balance is my mission. 

You’re especially active on TikTok and Instagram. What makes these platforms right for the kind of content you share about fashion and sustainability?

Sustainability has gotten a bad rep lately because of overuse and corporate greenwashing. Talking about it from the point of view of the average fashion consumer gives it relevancy for many, and in the fast-paced format of TikTok and Instagram Reels, the viral potential is huge. I can write a hundred articles about fashion and sustainability in the Swedish daily newspapers, but the TikToks will always reach more people.

Would you say Modemassakern operates more as a passion project, a business, or a bit of both, and how has that shaped your decisions along the way?

It’s neither. I mean, it is part of my job because it drives me to come up with fresh takes, think outside of the box and consume many different types of media, but I don’t make money from posting. I’d say it is a tool for me to build an audience and make connections with my followers, but that’s it.

What’s surprised you most, or changed the way you think, since starting Modemassakern?

How nice people are on TikTok. I thought they would chew me up and spit me out, but 99 percent of people are super smart, cool and kind.

From your perspective, how has the definition of sustainability in fashion shifted in recent years, and what do too many people still get wrong?

At the moment, we’re seeing a backlash; people are tired of hearing about climate change, sustainability and potential greenwashing. But it’s all just temporary, we’ll be back on track soon enough. I think the biggest misconception that people still have is that politicians and corporations will “eventually do the right thing for the good of the planet”. They won’t. The only way to sway politicians and corporations is through voting and consumption habits. Money and power will always rule the world, so we have to give our money and power to the right outlets, the ones that actually care.

What gives you hope right now? Are there any sustainability trends or movements that feel especially promising?

I actually don’t feel too devoid of hope at the moment. On the contrary, I feel like the sustainable fashion movement has been forced to come to terms with a lot of things the past couple of years. We aren’t as naive as we used to be, and we are better educated than ever before. 

As someone engrossed in the analysis of the fashion system, I’m acutely aware of the fact that nothing is ever constant. Whatever is happening right now will inevitably change into the complete opposite. Right now we’re in dark times, but eventually there will be light again. And then dark, and light again. Whatever happens, this too shall pass.