TALKING HATS

BONDETT sat down with Pauline Cappelen for a chat about hats, imaginative flow and style.

Pauline Cappelen, the creative soul behind two of Stockholm’s most vibrant places: luxury concept store Gazebo at Hotel Villa Dagmar, and the chic, exclusive cocktail bar Andy’s, at the Hotel Diplomat. Here's what she has to say:

ON HATS

“A hat
brings out hidden parts of a person. It might be a little bit uncomfortable at first but after daring the first necessary steps to wear it, the feeling of boldness
that it creates is immeasurable. It bears an international expression that
speaks for itself: chic, personal and confident."

ON STYLE

“My personal style? I like to think “A little bad taste is good for everyone”, and by that, I mean that everything doesn’t have to match perfectly, but rather keep it personal. I’m hopeless at following trends, I prefer to look elegant, natural, and dress in a lot of vintage. With a hat on, I would go for an easy look with a distressed pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a coat; or during the night, leather pants with a chiffon blouse. I would either match the coat or the blouse with the same color as the hat to create harmony."

ON IMAGINATIVE FLOW

“To stay creative, I try to always be curious. To me, perfect things are boring. I want to challenge the status quo by using the only resources I have, which does not necessarily have to be a lot, to give the imagination a thrill. Many attires can be redone or re-used, for example, tie a sparkly belt to an old boring coat and give it a new life. Or use any other quirky accessory to give your wardrobe a facelift. I’m very stimulated by antiques and vintage pieces. My guilty pleasure is to browse online objects from the Nordic auction house Bukowskis instead of Instagram. I think I am very driven by finding something that is unique about every piece or person that I encounter. It’s not always easy to go your own way, but when you finally do, that is where the magic happens."

ON VILLA DAGMAR & CONCEPT STORE GAZEBO

“My great-great-grandmother Dagmar is the main inspiration behind Villa Dagmar. She was a force of nature, always traveling the world and gathering small souvenirs from different exotic corners of the planet. The belongings she brought home were used to create a dream-like atmosphere in her house, her dressing room; and to feed her guests with exciting stories from her travels. That feeling is exactly how we want our hotel, the concept store Gazebo, and guests to feel. When a customer buys an item from Gazebo, they are buying something unique, the best and most creative designer pieces from Sweden. We wanted Gazebo and Villa Dagmar to feel like hidden gems in Stockholm, which is also why the huge inner courtyard is not shown off immediately, but remains a bit from the entrance.”

ON ANDY’s AT THE BAR HOTEL DIPLOMAT

“Andy’s Bar, the latest eclectic addition to Hotel Diplomat (the sister hotel of Villa Dagmar), was born out of a need to gather a diverse, cosmopolitan crowd in a small and intimate setting.
The concept is based on a vibrant cluster of people from all parts of the world. We appreciate a liberal crowd where every age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and style is welcomed. Similarly to Gazebo, we wanted to create a sort of international playground for adults, where engaging conversations between random tables create an atmosphere of open-mindedness and relaxed vibes. The perfect place to put your hat on and sip on a Dry Martini in the company of new and old friends."

BONDETT will be available at Villa Dagmar's concept store Gazebo starting 6th of May 2022.

Gazebo can be found at Nybrogatan 25-27 in Stockholm.

Open Wednesday-Friday 11.00-18.00 and Saturday 10.00-17.00.

Gazebo