The Graduates
Vilma Sjöberg
Since 2013, Models.com’s The Graduates series has been a visual check-in with the models of the moment who have risen through the ranks of the Hot List to the top working models in the world. Cementing themselves in editorials, advertisements, lookbooks, and on the runway, these global muses have consistently locked down luxury clients. Shot in New York before fashion week by photographer Myles Loftin, this year’s list stands as a testament to the fashion industry’s tenacity and forward expansion.
Visit her Models.com page and click or tap the Lists button to favorite Vilma and keep track of her work.
Photography by Myles Loftin for Models.com
Styling – Roberto Johnson
Hair – Ro Morgan
Makeup – Tyron Machhausen
Nails – Jazz Style
Model – Vilma Sjöberg
Photographer Assistant – Andrew Espinal | Stylist Assistant – Alexa Levine | Hair Assistant – Kristen Lynet
Sittings Editor & interview by Irene Ojo-Felix
Production – Sasha Grinblat
Associate Editor – Anire Ikomi | Social Media Coordinator – River Rodriguez
On Vilma above: Bra, blazer, and pants – Aya Muse | Jewelry – Jennifer Fisher
Seeing Vilma Sjöberg carve time for our The Graduates shoot at the beginning of a demanding fashion month and then darting into her Paris agency at the end of a successful season was like watching a masterclass in fashion month stamina. There wasn’t a major show where Sjöberg didn’t make her mark in New York, Milan, and Paris walking for Proenza Schouler, Marni, Versace, Jil Sander, Coperni, and Sacai, to name an impressive few. Yet, it all started with Saint Laurent for Sjöberg, who walked this season and nabbed an exclusive debut spot back in 2019. “I remember being worried I might trip in the heels,” Sjöberg laughs as she recalls the super-long Saint Laurent runway at her first show. “Once I walked out on the runway, my head went totally blank, I just went for it, and it felt great. I was so honored and filled with adrenaline during and after the show.”
The Swedish model was discovered early when family friends urged her parents to send in pictures to her mother agency for a few children’s jobs when she was 9 years old. Work was initially scarce, but around 14-15 years old, she started to work significantly locally. For Sjöberg, what made her realize she was on another level was when she walked past herself on a Saint Laurent billboard in Soho. “It was very strange to see yourself that way in such a large format for such an amazing campaign,” she describes the surreal experience. “I had walked by it a couple of times already but never really looked up and realized what it was. It was my first week in New York ever, so my attention had only been on my phone and maps, trying to figure out where I was going.” She looks up to fashion players like photographer Gray Sorrenti, whom she shot another Saint Laurent campaign with, in awe of their shared age. “I’ve worked with her father before,” she recalls. “It’s so impressive to be that young and talented. I loved shooting with someone my age. It’s relatable and fun.
When she’s not working, the Nordic beauty seeks the solitude of nature to unplug from the madness. “We would spend a lot of time in the north of Sweden, mostly during the summers, where we had no electricity,” she remembers. “I still love to disconnect in nature and clear my head from all daily connection that is now our normal.“ In the future, she hopes for what stands as the ultimate level as a working model, a lucrative, long-term contract. “Beauty, fragrance, jewelry, clothing, shoes – you name it,” she declares. “To me, it would be a dream and an honor to be the face of a brand in the long run. Work and build with them creatively. Front face them as me, Vilma.”
