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Nils

Portrait photo taken from the waist up. The bearded person is looking seriously into the camera. He is wearing a grey and black peacoat with a pin on either lapel. Underneath, he is wearing a black shirt with blue lettering.

For Nils (he/him), clothing is more than just what he wears— it’s part of who he is. Raised by his costume designing mom, Ingrid, Nils grew up wearing handmade clothes that no one else had. While other kids went shopping at the mall, his outfits were sewn at home, just for him.

He didn’t always have great style, though, and his earliest memories are of wearing all-red outfits that made him look like a crayon. Over time, Nils developed his own sense of style, guided by instinct, comfort, and meaning, not trends.


Enjoy this video with a transcript (EN).

A black tank top hanging on a black hanger. There is a white text on the front reading Blink-182. Below the text is graphic of a laurel wreath framing a cartoon rabbit wearing black boots.

Nils’ Blink-182 tank top, 2025. Select the image to learn more.

Movies are a big part of his life, and his love for film shows in his style. He picks up bits of fashion and merchandise from characters and movies he connects with and even notices costume mistakes in movies— something he learned from his mom.

Nils still wears many pieces made by Ingrid, like a blue leather jacket with his name stitched on the back and a striped “Beetlejuice” housecoat. He also wears secondhand finds, like a Blink-182 band shirt he turned into a tank top.

A foot is resting on a light wooden chair. The foot is clad in brown boat shoes. The person is wearing purple jeans, that he has cuffed to show his red socks, covered in cartoon guillotines. The hand cuffing the pant leg has silver rings and a silver bracelet.

Nils’ guillotine-patterned socks, 2025. Select the image to learn more.

A dark blue leather jacket on a white hanger. The jacket is slightly open, revealing a colourful pattern underneath.

Nils’ custom-made leather jacket, 2025. Select the image to learn more.

As a gay man with pressure from within the queer community to look a certain way, Nils’ changing body sizes and self-image used to affect how he shopped. Now, he chooses what fits and feels right. Nils believes that feeling good in your clothing changes your confidence and how you carry yourself, and strives to always look and feel his best.

To Nils, style is about identity, comfort, and being yourself. Every piece he wears tells part of his story. His advice? Enjoy what you wear, and wear it freely.


Enjoy this video with a transcript (EN).

Play his full interview with English subtitles (External link – French currently auto-translated).

Lena How will you express yourself through clothing?