We chatted with Karoliina Bärlund, the Creative Director of ASK Scandinavia.
Hi Karo, the time has come to interview you for our blog! You are one of the three original founders. Why did you want to create a bag and accessories brand? Being a fashion photographer I’ve always worked with bags and accessories but never really planned to work on this side of the business, it kind of happened without too much planning but now feels natural.
That is very cool. Would you care to tell our readers: what is it that do you do at ASK? I’m the Creative Director so I’m responsible for the visual identity and photography. I also source the materials which I find really interesting now that we are slowly changing to recycled fabrics.
We are in love with the photos that you’ve snapped for our brand! What is the story behind the brand? We couldn’t find good looking changing bags which were not high-end designer ones, and that’s how we thought of filling the gap in the market.
And has the brand changed along the way? A lot, changing bags are now just a small part of our collection and as mentioned we are now changing into recycled fabrics, which is very exciting and we believe also the only right way to go.
So, what will ASK look like in 5 years? A well known sustainable bag and accessories brand recognized for its values and aesthetics.
You’ve been a Londoner for a while now. We love London! How did you end up moving there? I came here 14 years ago to study photography and ended up staying. We have now 3 children and I’m sure we will move back to Helsinki one day, but this is home now.
What do you love about the city? What are your favorite places there? There is so much to see and do. Although life has changed a bit in the last 4 years since having kids, we still try to experience as much as we can.
What inspires you this spring? Positive and kind people, art and films that leave good thoughts and brands that think creatively to achieve sustainable goals.