Hot Smart Rich with Maggie Sellers Reum - Matilda Djerf: What Really Happened at Djerf Avenue (how I protected a $36M brand as it went public)

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Starting point is 00:00:30 spreadsheets. Yes? Good. This is for you. Because on Spotify, there's an audience that's different. Locked in. Loyal, invested. They're called fans. Fans don't just listen to music. They feel seen by it, like it belongs to them. So when your brand shows up on Spotify, that's who you're talking to. And you're right next to artists like me, Lizzo. So, are you ready to talk to fans? Spotify advertising. You're among fans. You were the first person that Haley Bieber and rode ever. collaborated with. How did that come to be? I was on my DMs. Healy reached out to me.

Starting point is 00:01:04 It was like, it would be so fun to do something like this collab, y'all yada. I freaked out. You're one of the most Pinterested girls. Like, you were setting trends across everything that you were doing with your life and also Gryffe Avenue and gathered. Growing up in a small town, I did not have exposure to allowing yourself to dream big. Was there a moment that you realized? This is not just like me sharing my life. I have chills listening to you say that.

Starting point is 00:01:30 modeling jobs. I remember one job they had edited me, probably three sizes smaller. Even my neck was skinnier. I did not know you could even edit a neck skinnier. And I just felt like I can create a brand that makes people feel good. Did it take you a long time to get there? Yeah, it did. No, I told not a full sentence. I went through a really difficult time when that article came out, but also I'm a business owner, so I had to show up. December 2024. What happens that day? This is new information. Okay, you've done a collab with both, Sophia Richie Grange and Haley Bieber. Who is next on your list? In case you missed it,

Starting point is 00:02:11 you're allowed to be hot, smart, and rich. So let's get into it. Matel DeJarf. Are you ready to get hot smart rich? So ready. So I need to know if my team was just hyping me up. They told me that you sometimes listen to the show. Is that true? Yes. Love that. Are you a podcast early? When I fly, it's the only thing I do. Okay. I take my little sleeping pills and then I listen to an episode and then I have to re-listen to it like five times. Well, I was so excited to have you on. I even did my hair in an updo because I knew that I could not rival the iconic blowout that you have today. How does it feel to essentially have taught an entire generation of women how to do their hair? Honestly, it feels really good because the hair is like such a big part of how you show up

Starting point is 00:02:58 for yourself in your everyday life. And I think that like we talk about makeup, we talk about clothes, but I just think about like, you know, taking care of your hair and doing like hairstyles in your everyday life. talked about enough. It's really not. And even from an investing perspective, like watching what's happening in Sephora, obviously we did like beauty, skin care, now there's fragrance. But like, I feel like we're just getting into the hair category where it's being talked about. Growing up, was your mom really into her hair? Did you just learn that through different exposures? Honestly, my mom is the coolest woman on planet Earth. She's blonde, like naturally blonde. And then, you know, like skin and even hair like goes a little gray when you get older. And

Starting point is 00:03:38 older is like when you're 30 it goes a little bit gray and sweet and I feel like maybe not for everyone but for a lot of people so my mom started coloring her hair like she's done red orange blue and now she's had pink hair for like ever but growing up she didn't have pink hair but I think that like her way of like expressing herself has always really inspired me and with hair I think it was just like I've always had a lot of hair so I've always had to like style it and take care of it so I think it just kind of snuck up on me so we have one more year because basically until you have gray hair as a 30-year-olds. Oh my God, yes. I need to know if you in high school were voted most likely to. Do you think it would be related to hair, bringing people together,

Starting point is 00:04:21 or fashion design? That is such a good question. Honestly, like, looking at myself in high school, I don't think any of those probably. What would you have been voted most likely to? Maybe like most likely to like travel world, something like that, something with traveling, I feel like. When did you start to develop this relationship with beauty and with hair that felt really intentional then? I feel like with fashion, it started at a very young age. I've always loved clothing, like styling. I've always been like the stylist in my family. So with fashion, basically like 12 or 11 or something like that, probably even like younger.

Starting point is 00:04:56 But with makeup, makeup has never been my thing. I've never really been good at makeup. Like today I had a makeup artist do my makeup because I'm like, same girl. I don't know how to put on an eye shadow for the life of me. me, I don't know how to apply eye shadow. When I turn 30, I need to know that. But I don't know that today, which is very unfortunate. So I think with like hair, I think maybe it got a little bit more intentional at like when I was 20. And this is post you living in the United States. So you did a little bit of a two year living in California. Yeah. What were you like being the foreign girl

Starting point is 00:05:31 that was moving to California as a youth and trying to fit in not speaking the language? I mean, I was so young. I was like eight, nine. I didn't know the language when I moved here. My mom could be with me for 20 minutes in school, which was really scary. I just remember crying. I was like bawling my eyes out the first days of school. But then I think it was like two weeks in because at that age you're such a little like sponge and you just like learn everything. So after two weeks, I got the basics down. I started like speaking. But I mean, it wasn't a military school. But a lot of kids had military family. So I feel like it was very mixed. So I feel like me being from Sweden wasn't like a wow. kind of thing. So were your parents in the military? My dad was in the military. So you were only here for two years. Yeah. What was it like moving from Sweden into a place where like you didn't know anyone, you didn't speak the language, you're making friends, and then moving back to your hometown and trying to reintegrate yourself as a youth? Honestly, really strange because I think that like those two years, it was only two years, but at that age, like those two years felt like an eternity. And also it brought our, you know, our family together.

Starting point is 00:06:37 And then moving back, I think all of the sudden I saw the world in a new kind of, in a new way, like the town that I come from, that's very difficult to pronounce. Want to try? Brusta. No. I would just make shit up, met all that. Okay? You have to know that I'm not. I was like, close enough.

Starting point is 00:06:56 Burros. Yeah. Okay. Low-key Swedish. Okay. Okay. Here we go. Next language.

Starting point is 00:07:01 Literally. No. So when I moved from Burros to Monterey, Boros is like a very small town. down in the sense of like everybody kind of stays in their own lane like you're not allowed to do something that other people haven't done if you do that like people kind of frown upon it so like dreaming big wasn't really it wasn't familiar for me and then moving to monterey where like you know kind of like the mindset of americans it's way more you know like the american dream people dream big you kind of feel like you can achieve anything coming back with that mindset to a really small town was really strange extremely difficult and i don't think i really understood it growing up But now that I look back, so much of what I went through, I'm like, oh, that also plays into it. When I was doing research about you, this is one of the things I was so curious about because I think a lot of people when they achieve fame or notoriety or entrepreneurship, they think they have to move to an urban city. Like they have to move to New York. They have to move to L.A. specifically.

Starting point is 00:07:58 And I'm so fascinated that you have chosen not to do that. What is it about your home country that keeps you there? My family. Was there ever, like a, I need to be in L.A.? Absolutely. I've had those moments where I've been like, I mean, I signed with an L.A. agency. I was with that agency for a little bit, then signed with another one that was based in L.A. in New York. And both times I was like, dang it.

Starting point is 00:08:23 I just, you know, I should move there. But then, like, I just kind of felt like, but I can also do this from Sweden. But, I mean, I do have the privilege of being able to travel. So, I mean, I can jump in and out of. you know, the U.S. when I kind of have time for it and when it works for me. But absolutely. But I just also am such a family person. So I'm like, what do you mean? Like how would I know? You know, my grandparents are still alive and I'm so grateful. And I just, you know, I can't not not see them for that long. But that mindset that you were just talking about, right? Like this small town,

Starting point is 00:08:57 don't dream big, quiet yourself down. Do you feel like that exists where you currently live when you're not in L.A. or New York? I mean, in some ways. yes, but I also feel like it's up to me to go against it or to kind of like lean into it. And I feel like if I look at myself and my personality and how I like move through life, I don't let it get to me. I just know that, you know, I can do bigger things. I can be bigger if I want to. I can, you know, I can achieve whatever I want to even though the mindset here is a bit more low key and, you know, like make yourself smaller. What motivates you out to get out of bed when you get an invitation to something and you're like, oof, this is really good. I'm going to get on a plane and go and do it.

Starting point is 00:09:37 It's so funny that you ask. Not much. But the Hannah Montana, like, anniversary premiere, I told my team, I was like, guys, I think I'm going to, like, take a plane. Like, I'm going to go L.A. I'm going to do, like, the 14-hour plane just for, like, that anniversary, like, the premiere. And they were, like, you're insane, Matilda. What do you mean? Because I'm really scared of flying. Oh. So I like, I hate flying. So for me, Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus. That was like the biggest thing. Yeah. I wouldn't have done that. I didn't do it, though. So you're here in LA because you just started something called gathered. Yeah. What inspired you to start gathered? Well, for me, gathered kind of came from the same womped as starting Djerf Avenue. Like I wanted to bring our customers and our community into the world that we're building. I'm invited to all these fun things and like these, you know, great events and dinner. And it's when I get to meet so many cool and inspiring people.

Starting point is 00:10:31 And they're all over the world. So it more came so from a place where I was like, I just want to gather people that inspire me. And then I want to write a substack about it and make sure that my community can read about it. The most important thing is just that you can get the knowledge out to so many more people. And I think that when you put a small amount of people around a table, conversations just go deeper. And I like that deeper perspective.

Starting point is 00:10:57 and I also like making sure that as many people as possible can kind of get that information and get that knowledge. I'm going to Harvard and I'm doing a gathered with students at Harvard. And I'm really, like, I'm really, really excited about that one. I think why I love having you in this chair is like you've seen such an evolution of the creator economy. Yeah. You started so many years ago just like going on trips and funding it and getting hotel rooms and getting a bikini here and there. do you think that the relationship that we've had with creators in social media has gone deep and then maybe gotten a little bit more shallow and now we're going back into getting like the real relationships and dynamics with the people that we have these relationships with online? When I started, I think that everything was very, you know, perfect and edited and curated.

Starting point is 00:11:45 And I think that's kind of like the perspective that I came with that I was a little bit more like scaled back. I came from the perspective like sharing the ups and the downs. And then with like TikTok, everything became very like you just shared everything and everything. And now everybody's talking about, you know, you have to share a different point of view. You have to like bring something to the table. And I think that yes, while that is true, I also think that the space right now that we're in, the human connection, like that's what people want. So yes, like people want to know who's behind the screen. They want to get to know you.

Starting point is 00:12:19 They want to form a relationship with you. And I think that you can obviously do that in different ways. But yes, I think that people do crave that kind of deep relationship and like the need to just get to know people a little bit more. Yeah. Do you have boundaries with that, though? You're like, I'm willing to go all in on these parts of my life, but this part of my life is just totally off base. Yeah, I have boundaries. I didn't have boundaries before starting out.

Starting point is 00:12:44 And I think that I have gotten better. But I also think that I kind of got to the point where I felt like I was giving away so much of myself at all times that I never had anything just for myself. So yeah, I do like with my family, with Rasmus, like I do keep things a little bit more private while also sharing the things that, you know, I know that my community enjoys. Hi, Angels. Did you know that subscribing to our channel is free? And it's the simplest way that you can support our show and help us grow. If you do this, we can bring you even more of the content and the guests that you love. All you have to do is just hit the subscribe button below.

Starting point is 00:13:20 So please. If you wouldn't mind, subscribe to the channel and thank you. You to me became a household name. And I don't really remember what year that was, but I just remember being like Matilda Jirf. And it wasn't just the hair. It wasn't just the style. Like you were setting trends across everything that you were doing with your life. Was there a moment that you realized?

Starting point is 00:13:44 Like, this is not just like me sharing my life. This is maybe not in your mind becoming a household name. but like building a brand that is living beyond a specific niche. I don't know. So much of what I do just comes from pure passion and I love it so much. And I just genuinely enjoy what I get to do every day. And like, you know, the setting trends and all of those things. I just, I've never really thought about it that way.

Starting point is 00:14:09 But absolutely like after the pandemic, I remember traveling to L.A. And we did our first pop up here. And I think that was like the first time that I was like, what is this? Like, what the actual? Like, because I, you know, I was driving down. I can't remember what street we were on, but it was in like West Hollywood where the pop-up was. And I was so nervous. I was like, nobody's going to show up.

Starting point is 00:14:29 Who's going to show up? Because also we had been, you know, in Sweden through all the pandemic. My mom was in the high-risk group. So I was like social distancing, like practicing all of those things. So I hadn't really, you know, I hadn't met customers. And then being in L.A. and doing that pop-up and seeing everybody show up, that was very, like, what is this? How many people do you think came? I don't even know, but it was insane.

Starting point is 00:14:51 Like, it was the best time. And I also think it was right after the pandemic. I think we were all just like craving that human connection and like meeting in real life. And like people were lining up in their blazers and like midsummer. It was so hot outside. And we had a Blue Stone Lane at the corner of like that street. And it's sweet because now we work a lot with Blue Stone Lane. But that was like the first time I interact with that brand.

Starting point is 00:15:16 And you know, like everybody was buying coffee from them. And I'm like coffee cups all over the street. And I was so nervous. I'm like, oh my God, we're literally. Like, what do we do? We have to clean up. And I was so, like, everything was just so new. And it was the first time doing something at that scale.

Starting point is 00:15:30 And I was just like the craziest thing. Do you think that's because it was like part this Scandinavian lifestyle that you had birthed into like more main street culture? Yeah. How would you describe Scandinavian lifestyle? Intentional. Okay. Slow? in the sense that I think that we prioritize our well-being and our health and setting boundaries

Starting point is 00:15:55 in a way that like, you know, some other cultures maybe don't because it's very like go, go, go. I mean, I can't speak for all Scandinavians, but if I look at the ones that are like close to me, like nature, you know, like, yeah, intentional, slow boundaries, nature, gratitude. It's so funny because when I started eating my husband, I had this saying that was like, I live a slow life in a fast-paced world. And it's so hard to do that in practice in a place like L.A. or New York. I feel like when I look at your Instagram on a Saturday morning, it's like everything I dream of. Yeah. What is a day in the life living a slow life in a fast-paced world, like Monday to Friday? A lot of times also people ask me like, what's the like how do you balance it? And I want to start off by saying I haven't found the perfect balance of it. I work a lot. And I think that on my social media, like I think sometimes maybe it comes off as me just having full control of my balanced life. I really don't. But for me, balance is like also making sure to prioritize myself. So it's, I wake up early. I'm a morning person. So preferably at five, you know, drink my morning coffee. I do that like in the stillness and the

Starting point is 00:17:06 quietness. It's just I'm the only one awake. Rosmas and Rufus, they're like dead asleep. They're not even like, they don't know that I'm awake. I love doing my little like journal. that for me is such a huge part of like keeping a balanced lifestyle. But then, you know, yeah, I'm at the office eight or nine. I'm there until six. And then like throughout the work hours, I try to, you know, like, because I have Rufus, I do my lunchwalk with him. I try to get air whenever I can.

Starting point is 00:17:32 I try to move around. It's just setting time for myself. With this Scandy life, I feel like you really did popularize it. Like I had not really seen it. You're one of the most Pinterested girls. roles with this aesthetic. What did it start to feel like when you saw this Scandy lifestyle expand like other people that were doing stuff? Very similar to you. You always want to go back to being authentic to yourself. And I think there's always ways to be inspired by things, but then making

Starting point is 00:18:00 it to your own thing. Like let's say you're a brand in the U.S. and like you like the Scandinavian lifestyle. You know, like doing that in an American way is also so exciting and fun to watch as a Scandinavian. So I think it's, you know, how it's always just a like you want to be inspired, but you also want to make it to your own thing. I'm happy that I inspired people. I never thought I would. But growing up, no. Why? I've always been very much like my own person. Like I've always known what I want. I've always been very like, like, I had my own style when everybody else was wearing, you know, I don't know, like a floral dress. I was like my mom. I was in like jeans and t-shirts and boots or like when we live in the U.S., everybody wore

Starting point is 00:18:36 their, you know, whatever they were wearing. And I went to Target. I got my little like healed boot and I wore that with my like purple lace tank top and like bracelets all up my arm. So I think that I've always been very like I'm myself. I am who I am and I won't apologize for it. This also kind goes back to like growing up in Sweden. So in Sweden we have this thing called Jentman's Logue. Jentemann's log. Yeah. It's essentially like everybody's worth the same. Like we're all the same. Like you're not allowed to be a little bit more successful. You're not allowed to, you know, be a little bit more than somebody else. So I think that growing up in Sweden, that is very much, like, instilled in you. Like, everybody's always just, like, talked about it. And again, like, growing up in a small town,

Starting point is 00:19:18 if you're doing a little bit more than everybody else, you're kind of reminded of that kind of social code. So I think that, you know, when I started, even like social media, and then when I did get on the Forbes 30 on a 30 European list, I didn't really celebrate it enough. And looking back at, like, the early years of Jurf, I also wish that I celebrated more. Like, I wish that I would have like applauded myself a little bit louder and just been like, fuck yeah, you did that, Matilda. But it's like you said, I think that also like success is such a, in Sweden it can kind of like be like a word that you don't want to touch because everybody else kind of shames you if you touched it because you're not allowed to be better than anybody else.

Starting point is 00:19:59 And I think that like the recent years I've kind of more been so that I'm like, but I did this. Like I did this. So yes, I'm allowed to be really proud of myself. I'm allowed to celebrate it. and I'm also allowed to be loud about it. Where are you at as 29-year-old Matilda in terms of like owning what you've been able to build? Because it's incredible.

Starting point is 00:20:19 Honestly, right now, I'm very much like, I did this, period. And I'm really proud of what I built. And I'm really proud of what Rasmus and I have built together. And I'm really proud of what our team has accomplished. And being able to do all of these things while still being in Sweden and being a fairly like small brand in terms of, of everything really, but still being able to have such an impact, it is something that I'm

Starting point is 00:20:44 really, really proud of. I want to hold sounds for that for a second because I can actually feel it inside of you. And there's a difference with just like saying it. Yeah. And there's a difference with like feeling that energy in the room. And I really want people that are listening to this to like absorb that I have like chills listening to you say that. Did it take you a long time to get there? Yeah.

Starting point is 00:21:05 It did. Period. No, Matilda, it's not a full sentence. We're going to go there. What do you think you had to do to get to a place where you were proud? Honestly, I think I also had to own all of like the hurdles that I've been through. I think I have to like own so much of myself and everything that I've been through all the highs and all the lows and all the work that I've done all myself and, you know, with myself. And I think like being able to sit with myself has really gone me to the place that I'm so proud of everything that I've been through. done. I really believe in working on yourself. Like I see my therapist every week. I love my therapist. I love sitting down with her every week. And some people are like, what do you even have to say every week? Girl, so much. There's always things to talk about. And I always want to just be a better version of myself. I always want to evolve. And if I ever get to a place where I stop evolving, that's not. That's not

Starting point is 00:22:01 where I want to be. And the mission that I'm constantly on is making sure that everybody feels good about themselves and making sure that, you know, if I just look at like running my company and our customers, putting the customer front and center, making sure that they feel good in what they're wearing and in, you know, how they're showing up and in what they're seeing around in the world, period. Again. That is a full sentence. I feel like that really was a long sentence.

Starting point is 00:22:27 It's perfect. Okay. So it's 2019. Yeah. You're Matilda Djerf. You're about to launch a brand. Why? So I came from a background of.

Starting point is 00:22:37 working with Instagram and doing modeling jobs and also doing design collaborations for other brands. And I loved it. I thought it was the most fun thing in the entire world. I didn't love modeling. That was more kind of a thing that I did to make money and to be able to fund my trips. Because when I did the modeling jobs, I started doing them when I was in Bali with Rasmus and we were traveling. And then I got back home to Sweden and this company, like one of the bigger Swedish like e-com companies booked me. And I was like, okay. It was so fun because that chemistry. campaign was with Rocky Barnes. Love. And at that time, that was like, I mean, I would have been like, I don't know, 19 or 20. And I was like, oh my God, Rocky Barnes, like, what do you mean? Like, I was, that for me felt so huge. I had never modeled before, really. Like, I didn't know what I was doing, but I was like, yeah, I'll do it. And that's kind of been my mentality always. Like, I don't have, you know, education. Like, I went to high school, but after that, no more education. I haven't had any, like, proper, you know, real jobs. quotation marks, but I've always just been like, of course I can do it. Like if I set my mind to it,

Starting point is 00:23:41 I can do it. So I was like, I'll do the modeling jobs. And then when I got the design collaboration requests with different brands, I was like, yeah, of course I'm going to do this. Because again, I always like, always loved the stylist in my family. I would always like style my friends. So it's just my way of expressing myself. But then through all of these things, there were so many things that I saw that didn't really align with what I believed in and what I thought was important. Things like, you know, heavy editing. Like, I remember doing one job in Italy. That was also, mind you, the worst job I've ever done.

Starting point is 00:24:14 It was being a photographer. The photographer was so sweet, but we were shooting for this brand. And I think we shot like, I don't know, like 60 looks on location in Positano. And we were like running up and down all the stairs. It was awful. It was so hot. And then when I saw the photos, they had edited me probably like three sizes smaller. like even my neck was skinnier and I was like I did not know that you could even like edit a neck skinnier

Starting point is 00:24:38 I didn't know that was the thing and I just remember seeing those photos and I came from a background of an eating disorder and I remember seeing those photos and I was like this feels horrible I felt so bad I felt so bad about myself I felt like I wasn't good enough and when you're at that age of like 1920 like you're just kind of like entering the adult world and for me I was just seeing so many things that I that it's didn't sit right with me. Like it didn't make me feel good. Same with like, you know, when I started with like the influencer parts, I was like, why are we not inviting the customers into the room? Like, why are, why am I invited to everything? But why aren't the customers invited? Like, are we asking the customers what they think about this? All of these things kind of like formed the why for me.

Starting point is 00:25:23 And I kind of just felt like, I think that I can create a brand that makes people feel good and that makes, you know, that puts the customer in the center of the room. Like, how do we make, sure the customers always seen, always celebrated, and how to make sure they're always in the room. And it wasn't about, you know, because everybody talks about like the gap in the market, you know, you need to find a gap in the market. There's not a gap in the market for the fashion, like in the fashion industry. There's so many brands. So it was never about finding a gap in the market for me. It was more so about like really believing that we could bring something new to the table where the customer was front and center of every decision that we took.

Starting point is 00:25:59 But it's really hard to separate yourself from that, right? Because it feels like I can see the energy. It's like that's Matilda as much as as as much as it's Driff Avenue. In your mind, was there always a segregation or were they always interlinked? They were always interlinked. Drift Avenue is, it's me. Like, it's an extension of myself and my values and what I believe in and what I want for the fashion industry. And I think that even like when we started 2019 and even more so today, consumers also want founders to be shown. Like they want to get to know the people behind the brand. And I think like looking at myself and my shopping kind of, you know, habits,

Starting point is 00:26:36 like I go on a website. And I hate when I can't find information about like materials or factories or like sizing. So like for Girf, it's always like we link to the factories. We do interview with like with the people who work at the factory. We talk about how to take care of the materials. We, you know, we tell people this is where we found the yarn. This is, you know, where the fabric is from. This is how the fit is. Like you'll find photos from extra extra small. to triple extra large on each of our products. And when I shop, that's what I want. Because I think that consumers also deserve all of that information.

Starting point is 00:27:10 They deserve to know. I even like when I can see the founder, like when I see a brand and I don't know who the founder is, and I'm like, who created this brand? What is their why? It brings me back to like when we were kids and you learn that Victoria's Secret is owned by a bunch of men. Like it has actually nothing to do with women in the corporate workspace or like anything to actually do with what they're selling to.

Starting point is 00:27:31 So even for me, I like to see who is behind this brand. Obviously, there's risks to that. There's like, you're so tied to your brand. Was there and is there a plan where you can like start to separate yourself from the brand a little bit more where it can like live on without you one day? For me, it's like, yeah, I want your family to stand on its own two legs. But I am the founder and I am like the chief creative officer. I think that I just like our community and our customers, they want to see me involved. But also, I mean, we have a lot of people who don't know who I am.

Starting point is 00:28:09 And that makes me happy. Like when, you know, when we do a pop up and I help someone and they're like, okay, like do you work here. And I'm like, yeah, I work here. Like, I'll help you with the sizing or somebody like comments are like, oh, who's the model? And I'm like, oh, it's me. Like, I love that. That gets me really excited because that means that people have found your Favon, not through me, but through another, you know, like.

Starting point is 00:28:29 well, somewhere else. So I think it's, it's a question that gets me really excited, but also it's such a big question. And I feel like so many people are tackling it right now. Yeah. Even Haley Bieber, to a certain extent, is so tied to road. Like, although that it is separate, it's also not a thousand percent completely separate. You were the first person that rode ever collaborated with. Yeah. How did that come to be? That was so fun. By the way, like that was such a fun collab. Healy reached out to me. She sent me a DM. Did you freak out, first of all, when she reached out to you? Yeah. I was in a board meeting, and I, like, usually I don't check my phone when I'm in meetings, but I don't know. I think we had, like, a break or something.

Starting point is 00:29:11 And I was on my DMs. I'm always in my DMs. And I was in my DMs, and I was like, Haley, and I was like, oh, what's this? And I just, it was like, oh, you know, like, we da-da-da, like it would be so fun to do something, like this collab, yada-y-y-da. And I was like, also I was in a board meetings. I couldn't, like, the people around the table. like if I told them, they would have been like, okay, what do you mean? I just wanted to be in a room where I could tell people who like understood. But also it's like you don't tell people at that stage because you don't know if it's going to happen and it's everything is like so secretive. But yeah, I freaked out. Of course I did. I mean, this must have been like 2022 maybe like fall 2022. And then it came out winter 2024. So it was a long time in the making. It was really fun. The team like Lauren Kelsey Taylor, they're all the best. And they're all the best. they just made the experience really fun. And obviously Haley's amazing, like, working with her was really special. So it was just such a fun collab.

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Starting point is 00:31:19 Why I really love Road and why I really loved working with them, because they also really prioritize every single detail. Like they go into the nitty-gritty, like nothing is left to coincidence. Like everything is so thought out. And I think that really makes the difference when there's a sea of just like skincare brands and beauty brands and fashion brands.

Starting point is 00:31:38 So I really love their attention to details and how perfect and, you know, immaculate everything is. Even, you know, like the campaign that we did that was like, you know, kind of like the Christmas vibe and like the hair and the colors and how that tied into like the PR box that we, did. Like, every single detail was just so perfect. And I love brands that really pay attention to details. That shoot will forever be ingrained in my head. It was like so iconic. How is it working

Starting point is 00:32:09 with two creatives? Like, you obviously have such a creative vision. Haley has such a creative vision. How do two creatives like that collaborate so successfully? I think it's successful when you let, you know, the other person be creative and when you kind of like, play with it. I think that when you trust the person that you're doing something with, that's when a collaboration becomes really beautiful and really successful. Because you have to have that mutual trust and that mutual confidence in each other. When you did a collab with Sophia Ritchie Grange, how did that come to be? So we have a mutual friend and I believe, I don't know why, but I think that me and my mutual

Starting point is 00:32:49 friend, we were like talking about Sophia's love for PJs. And I started, I sent her Jurfed PJs and she loved them. And my our mutual friend, she reached out. She was like, she want new PJs. I'm like, yeah, I'll send her whatever she wants. She got the new PJs. She loved them. And then it was actually Rasmus, my business partner and fiance, he was like, we should really do a collab with her. And I was like, yeah, do you think it's possible? He's like, yeah, of course it is. Like, we can do this? So I reach out to her mutual friend and ask her like, can I ever contact information? And then we just asked her and we made it happen. It was a really short, like the turnaround. I think we must have reached out to her in like May and the collab came out in like November. So it was very quick and it was so much fun.

Starting point is 00:33:33 It was like that we did a holiday party here in LA and the party was so beautiful. Like again, the attention of detail. Like we had a dessert table and we had this like big gingerbread house that was a copy of the house that we had rented for the party. And it was just like so magical. And the drop went so successful. How do you know if a drop is going to be successful with a certain person? You kind of like see it right away. Like you start teasing and then you see the feedback from the consumers right away and that's how you know if it's going to be, you know, a good drop or not. It's even like the same. Like I always wear like jerf samples and I always, you know, because I wear jerf all the time and then I'll post it in my stories. And if I get a question, like I wore this

Starting point is 00:34:13 carding on the other day and I posted it and people were DMing me like, where's the carding I'm from? Then I'm like, yes. Because then it's Jurf and then I know that people like it. But then it's almost too late because if you're only waiting and totally, have you ever done a collab with someone where you put all of this money R&D into it and then it drops and it doesn't go anywhere? No. The Tavdii collabs that's coming to mind right now for Jurf, that was definitely like Frankie's Bikini, Sophia and then M-A-J. And all of those went really, really well. And I think that when we do collapse, it's usually from like a gut feeling.

Starting point is 00:34:45 but I also always say that a gut feeling is collect the data throughout like previous experiences that I've had and like through different things that I've seen and like the DMs and everything. So I feel like gut feeling is also data. You know what word I love to use for that? Momentum. Like I truly feel like when I've looked at brands and studied them, the ones that are just like they just have this momentum about them that is like you can look at it qualitatively and quantitatively and be like, oh, this is like something. something that's coming up. Yeah. Are there a few people and or brands that you're watching right now that you're like, those brands or people have momentum? Recently just got back on TikTok. I deleted the app for a very long time because I was just like, I can't do it. Now my TikTok, I'm just seeing a lot of,

Starting point is 00:35:32 Chrissy was on your podcast the other week, the other month. I love her, by the way. No, same. She's an absolute icon. And she is so incredibly sweet. Like we've had, we've actually never met, but we have a really like we've texted back and forth like when I've gone through things like I've been able to text her like she's so incredibly supportive and I really feel like they're having this like moment right now where I see them all over my TikTok and I'm like living for it. I'm like yes girl. Are we going to manifest a jerk half any times otter clav? How cute would that be? Like imagine a pair of just like like a little summer berries tiny tiny micro sport bra. I'd die. I would be the first to sign up for that and I don't even live for this like drop model.

Starting point is 00:36:11 like I've never been that girl that's like 9 a.m. I'm purchasing stuff. But like I would 9 a.m. be purchasing that. I would make sure that you would have a home. So you wouldn't have to. But yes. Thank you so much. With Chrissy, this woman, I can tell you, everything you think she is online. She is 10x like that offline. Like she is texting me just like when Haley Bieber reposted Hot Smart Rich in her stories the other day, she's like, yes, girl, get this. Like, this is you. And I'm just like, There are people that you meet that are such girls, girl. And I got to say, she is one. I've met quite a few of them actually on this podcast. One of my favorites is Valeria Lipavetsky. Oh, yeah. And I love when we talked about this on the show, she talked about celebrating her

Starting point is 00:36:57 failure of her clothing brand, Valeria Inc. She was like, it just wasn't for me. I realized, like, my sweet spot is content. I popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate the closure of my brand. And I think it was so brave and so honest. And it did make me really think about the brand that, like, have had so much success. And then the ones that just, like, don't work as someone who has this successful brand and also the content arm, what do you think separates the ones that end up working from the ones that, like, could work but just don't? Honestly, I think it's like kind of like the why and the purpose and the passion behind it. And I think that obviously, like, you start a company for so many different reasons. And, you know, some will start a company just to make money.

Starting point is 00:37:44 Some will start a company because they want to change the industry, like, whatever it is. But I really do think that, like, if I look at the space where, you know, that we're in, not the fashion space, but more so, like, the founder-led brands and, like, in the social media space, I really do think it's the brands that make it are the brands with, like, the really strong why and the really strong purpose. Which brings me to what I was going to ask you. you have a why and you know how I know that because you've been through some shit yeah and you are still here and I'm actually not going to call it the elephant in the room because you came on here today and you were willing to talk about that and I think that says so fucking much about you and I respect it can we talk about December 2024 yes take me back this goes out to the news where are you how did you feel I am in a rented house in Sweden. I'm trying to figure out

Starting point is 00:38:37 the name of the place, but I can't because I was very I was like, we were actually driving on like the highway and like the intersection like where you drive off the other I think it was like a year ago now. And I was like this is actually really traumatizing for me to see this. But now I'm, it's not traumatizing anymore. So, but yeah, I was in a house and I called it the glass house. Okay. Because the house was just like glass. It was like I could see out and there was a lake and there was the woods and I obviously did not feel

Starting point is 00:39:05 good, but I knew it was coming. I had known since August. You did know it was coming? Yes. How does you know that? Employees and former employees reached out. And said, I did this? No, they said a journalist has reached out to me and they're writing an article, just so you know. So a lot of former employees and a lot of employees reached out. So you had some time to kind of like come to terms with this. Oh yeah. And we were in contact with the journalist. Like we were speaking to her. This is new information. Okay. So you're in December, but you've known about this since August. Yeah. Okay. So what happens that day? I mean, I was logged off. I was with my people. I was with people that I trust. And then, you know, we had a team who worked with everything. But I was very much, like, logged off that day. did you have like a few months of just like that pit feeling and then it was kind of over once it came out? Or how did you like actually feel when you knew that it was out to the public? Obviously it was very difficult. But we had been, because we knew that the article was coming out, I had had time to sit with myself and to sit with it and to sit with, you know, the team members. Like everybody in the company knew the article was going up.

Starting point is 00:40:26 Everybody was informed. Like we had informed everyone months ahead. So we had already had those conversations. So more so when the article came out, like, yes, I am a human being and I went through a really difficult time like when that came out. But also I'm a founder and I'm a business owner. So I had to show up. So the article came out on a Friday.

Starting point is 00:40:48 I was in the office on like Monday or Tuesday. I can't remember the exact day. For us, like for Rasmus and I, the number one priority was just everybody within the company. how do we make sure we take care of them? How do we make sure they feel good about where we're at right now? And how do we make sure they feel good about going on Christmas, like the holiday vacation? Because that was coming up. Was it helpful to have Rasmus as your partner in life, like going through that experience?

Starting point is 00:41:15 Both yes and no. One aspect of it was like we're founders together. So we both have to go into this like founder mode. And when the article went live, when everything happened, like he was in the founder mode. Like he was not, he didn't have time to be. I mean, I would have wished for him to be at home with me at that time, obviously. Because at that time, I was just this small girl. Like, it felt like I was a tiny little kid.

Starting point is 00:41:38 But I also, as a founder, I also wanted him to be at the office with everyone. So yes and no. I wish that he could have been with me, of course, because I was going through a really difficult time. But more so, I really wanted him to be at the office. When you were in that moment and I'm sure your head is going like a million different places, is how did you re-center your brain? Again, like I've done so much work on myself throughout the years. Like, I started seeing a therapist when I was a teenager and I was going through my eating

Starting point is 00:42:06 disorder and my self-harm. And then I had a period where I didn't see a therapist. And then I started seeing a therapist again. And I, like I said, I see my therapist every week. I did sell that fall as well. And I think I just got a lot of tools from her. And she said one thing that really stuck with me. and I'm trying to translate it into English now.

Starting point is 00:42:26 It's like in crisis comes development. I always say in crisis there's tons of opportunity. Yeah. So it's kind of the same. And for me, that saying really stuck with me. And kind of like when those spiraling thoughts came and, you know, when I was like really deep in it, I just always told myself that. And it honestly like it's still like one of those things that I say to myself today. But I really, really like I find so much strength in it.

Starting point is 00:42:54 I feel like even dealing with my own situations, and as any 30-year-old, I think in your life, whether it's work-related or friend-related or whatever, you're going to deal with situations where, like, there's contact and nuance that's needed to, like, every single situation. Has there been parts that you feel like haven't been given context to your story as, like, now the 29-year-old Matilda Jerf? I mean, absolutely, yes. but I think it's also like I don't think people are very interested in context like I don't think that's I mean people have you know you'll always be a different version to the people you meet

Starting point is 00:43:32 like I will be a version of myself to one person that I meet and another version because people reflect what they think and what they're going through on you so I think that yes absolutely I mean I was on this other podcast and I was talking about the 2020 I went through an octopic pregnancy and looking back that was like it was in the middle of summer we weren't a big team at the time. I don't know. Maybe we were like six or something and, you know, it was like peak everything. Like, you know, we had just started the brand. No, we weren't even six. We were like, I think we were four people, including Rasmus and I. And I just remember going through the autopic pregnancy. And I remember afterwards, and I, it was awful and, you know, for so many

Starting point is 00:44:10 different reasons. And looking back, I really wish I allowed myself time to heal. But again, like, the business owner and the founder in me just kind of like took the front seat. And, and you And, like, I didn't allow myself to heal. And there were so many things that happened that has happened in my life. Like, I remember a year, I think this was, like, 2022. And 2022 was our massive growth year. But that year, my grandpa ended up in the hospital. And my grandpa is one of my, like, best friends.

Starting point is 00:44:38 And I remember I was in a meeting. He, my mom calls me and she said, like, it's very, very bad. He's in the hospital. And I remember taking it. I was like, okay, I'll drive down to my hometown. It's like a four-hour drive. but I continued the meeting. I continued my day instead of just like knowing to set those boundaries and to be like,

Starting point is 00:44:57 okay, Matilda, you're allowed to go home. Like you don't have to show up every single minute of every single day. And if you can't show up as the version that you want to show up as, like maybe it's better to just go home. Like at a time like that when I'm so sad, obviously would have been better to go home, but I stayed. And like there's been times of things that I've gone through when I look back and I'm like, dang, I really wish. I showed myself more grace. And I wish I was just kinder to myself. Do you think that being the leader that you are today, you had to have gone through what happened to become the Matilda Djerf that you are as a leader today? Yes, but I never, like, I never want anybody to feel bad.

Starting point is 00:45:37 Your response felt very intentional. Was there, and this is funny coming from me because, like, I am such a protector. Like, I can already tell when the first video comes out where there's a difference out of the story, like, my reaction is like immediately to like protect and defend. And like, it's going to be hard for me to like sit in something else and sit in other people's experiences and be able to listen to that. I feel like it takes real restraint to come out with like a very intentional and very like honest response like you did. where did that come from? Wanting to show up for my community. And I don't think, like, looking back,

Starting point is 00:46:27 I think I could have done it a million other ways. But at that time, I was just like, how do I reach my community here and now? Like, how do I make sure that I'm still showing up for them? How did you do that? I continue to just push through. Like, I continue to show up at the office.

Starting point is 00:46:44 I continue to show up on my, like, Instagram. Yes, I stopped with TikTok at the time, Because for me, like TikTok or any sort, like any form of media that I do, I do need to enjoy it. Because if I don't enjoy it, it's not worth it for me. So with TikTok, I was just like, this is not fun. So I just didn't really want to do it. TikTok has never been my like form of content. I've never been a TikTok early.

Starting point is 00:47:07 Yeah. I'm very much more like Instagram. Yeah. But yeah. So for me, it was more like I'm going to continue to show up for them. I'm going to continue to reply to my DMs, which I've always done. I'm going to continue to post for the people that I do want to see. see it and like I'm going to continue to go to the office so you'll show up for our team members. I'm

Starting point is 00:47:23 going to continue to work on myself. Like I would I just felt like I'm going to continue. I'm going to continue to push through. That is honestly like something that like takes so much strength. Like I don't, when things are going on in my personal life that are like hard for me to deal with, to even show up online when it has like nothing to do with my personal life is actually very hard for me. Is that something you think that was like innately in you or that is something where you were like, I have to do this and learn this as I'm going? Yeah, I think I have to do this and learn it as I'm going. Because for me, sometimes I'll wake up and I'll be like, dang, I really wish I wasn't a part-time influencer. Like, I wish I wasn't a founder-led brand. Like, I wish that I could just kind of wake up and not share

Starting point is 00:48:08 every part of my life or even like bits of my life. But I've kind of just, you know, I've decided, it's my own decision that I'm working with what I'm doing. And I love my job, like I said. So I'm going to continue to show up. And I think that also like showing up, it'll look different throughout my years and a half look different throughout the years. And it'll continue to look different. But I'm going to continue to show up. How do you feel about the situation now? I mean, I feel really good about it. I feel really, I feel very secure in myself. And I feel very secure and, you know, how I, lead and how I show up at the office. And again, like, it comes back to me setting those boundaries. And also it comes back to me knowing that I'm not perfect. I'm really not. And I probably will never be perfect. And like I said, I always want to continue to be a better version of myself. But I think that being a leader, you can't be expected to be perfect. You know, I will continue to show up and I will continue to learn as I go. But I do think that so much of what I've gone through has

Starting point is 00:49:13 definitely made me a better leader. Also in terms of just like knowing, I think that I found more so a confidence in what a good leader looks like for me. What is that leader like? That leader is, so just to give some context, like before I really thought being a good leader, man, you know, like, I need to be available at all times. I need to like, no matter what I'm going through, I need to show up at the office, I need to be the first one there, the last one to leave. I need to, you know, if somebody calls me in the middle of the night, like I have to pick up. I have to know everything. So if anybody wants help, I need to be able to jump in.

Starting point is 00:49:48 And being a hands-on person is not equivalent to being a good leader. And I think that throughout the years of running the company, I have learned that for me, being a good leader means that I'm available when people need me to be, but not at all times. Being a leader means a lot of different things. But that's a very short answer. Did you have exposure to entrepreneurs like when you were growing up? Are you like the first entrepreneur of your family? Yeah, I am. I did not have exposure to it.

Starting point is 00:50:20 And I did not have exposure to any sort of like running a business or, you know, like, self-funding a business or even like allowing yourself to dream that big. Sometimes my mom will be like, how did dad and I like create you? Like, how did you become all that you are today? And I mean, I give so much credit to them because they've always allowed me to beat myself. And they've always allowed me to be a little bit. you know, bigger and dream a little bit bigger. And I really think that their confidence in me has really given me the confidence to feel like I can do anything. So you and Rasmus run Jurf Avenue. Yeah. Like describe the Jirf Avenue employee to me. Like, is this like the cool girl that's from Sweden?

Starting point is 00:51:07 Is she like moving from a small town in Europe to work for you? Like, is she a fan? Is she someone who actually doesn't know who you are. Like, who stands out and who works in this office? That's like, that is the Jirp Avenue girl or guy. In the beginning when we started hiring, we hired very young. Like from like 2021 to probably like 2023, I think the like the age, like what's it called like the medium? Yeah, yeah, the median age.

Starting point is 00:51:31 Yeah. Was probably like 21. Wow. So we were a very young company. Like not only in the terms of like how many years we've actually had the business, but also like in the terms of like the people at the company. And at that time, it was very, like, very young. Everybody was, like, their first job straight out of school.

Starting point is 00:51:48 And today it's a little bit more. And then we have, I will say, we also had a period where we, like, started hiring a lot more senior people in terms of, like, experience, but also in terms of age. And I think that now we have a really sweet spot of having a good mix of, like, some people are younger and they have more of that, like, Jurf Avenue, like, essence in them, like, this style and their way of thinking and, like, the community. And then we have some that are more, like, coming from the outside, but really are so inspired by what Jurf Avenue is and they want to be,

Starting point is 00:52:20 like they want to tap into it. So I think that today it's more of like a good mix where so before it was a little bit too young or like too senior. And now I feel like we have like a good, you know, a good mix of people. There is no better feeling as an entrepreneur than hearing that sound. Am I right? Especially when you're in the depth of setting up and building a business. Shopify's Cheching is a reminder that you're on the same entrepreneurial journey as everyone else who's building something. And when you're in the early phase of starting something, having a platform with tools that help you streamline any part of your setup and backend is a huge unlock. You get everything in one place, your inventory, payments, shipping, orders, and reporting, all of it. And whether you want to sell online or in person, it has everything you could need to make that happen.

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Starting point is 00:55:19 We do not have that. That's why I'm like, how did we do it? But we did it. And we did it because our team, like our team members, they're just so passionate and they're so determined to get things done. So I really feel grateful for that passion because I've always said that, like, passion can take you anywhere. And it really did take us to self-ridges. So that was really, really fun. But yeah, I remember Selfridges reached out and Alex told us and I was like, that's actually insane.

Starting point is 00:55:46 Because like as a young girl, when you travel to London, it's like you always go to Selfridges. It's just like a non-negotiable. I'm like, what do you mean to your family? You might be there. But I'm also one of those people that like, until I sign a paper, I don't fully let myself enjoy it. Like I want something to be signed. I need to learn a page out of your book because like I will, my husband will come home and I'm like, guess what happened? And it's like the first intro message.

Starting point is 00:56:11 I'm like, it's going to happen. And I'm manifesting it. And he's like, babe, you cannot celebrate until you have a signed contract. And then like 90% of the time they fall apart. And he's like, I hate to tell you. But I like, I feel like it should be a mix of both. Yeah. Because sometimes I'm also like, I really should be celebrating at an earlier stage.

Starting point is 00:56:28 Because then when everything is signed, I'm kind of like moving on to the next thing. So I feel like a good mix would be beautiful. But I think that, yeah, I'm just not good at celebrating until something is signed. And with Selfridges, it took a very long time because it's not like we did not like it wasn't like an agreement that we signed. It was a purchase order. And that was very like, yeah, it was a very long time period where I was like, will this happen? Will it fall through? Like what's going to happen?

Starting point is 00:56:53 But then when that was like when the purchase order came in, I was like, oh my God, yes. Are you a manifester? I am. Yeah. I actually very like sidetracked, but a sweet story. I was for the Hamilton anniversary. I love that I can always find ways to come. back to Hanamontown. But for the Hanlonan anniversary, I, like, looked through old photos,

Starting point is 00:57:13 and I found an old document that I'd written. I think this was, like, 2013 or something. And I wrote about being on a plane to New York. And it was like, it was very, very sweet. It was like, in a few years, I will be on the same, like, I will be on a plane to the U.S. And I will have, like, the entire world ahead of me. Like, I can achieve anything that I want. Like, in a few years, I'll be sitting on the same plane with my dreams. achieved, yada, yada. And I don't remember writing it, but when I looked at it, I was like, that is really sweet, queen of manifestation. It's really sweet. What are you manifesting right now? Both for you and for Jurf. And for gathered. So for me, I'm just, everything that I'm manifesting

Starting point is 00:57:53 right now is like very much connected to our wedding. For Jurf, I am manifesting a permanent store. Okay, I love. New York. I feel like it probably will be New York. Right? New York. Yeah, I think so. I'm like, I really think so. Yeah. And then for gathered, I am manifesting, I'm really excited again, like, about the Harvard gathered. But I'm manifesting something that's a little more at a bigger scale. Can we talk about your wedding a little bit? Yeah. Okay. So there's not much to say unfortunate.

Starting point is 00:58:29 Okay, but more like you and Rasmus. Yeah. So you guys were dating when you were how old? 17. He was 18. You've been together for obviously over a decade. Yeah. What is your one lesson or piece of advice that you have to keep a relationship working over a decade? So many. I feel like the biggest thing is like always being interested in each other. I think that like throughout the years, like what I find really fun and really fascinating is something that I love.

Starting point is 00:59:04 It's like all the different versions that I have seen. Rasmus in and like I've seen him grow from being this like teenager to like being this young adult to like you know when we moved in together and then he became a dog dad and then he became like you know we became founders together and I think we've just I've seen him through so many different chapters of his life and to keep being interested and keep choosing him to like actively choosing each other is really beautiful and I think that in a relationship you have to actively choose one another always because I think sometimes it's easy to just be you know like yeah well and obviously if you even heard on chrissey's podcast she was like I couldn't work with someone that I was in a relationship with

Starting point is 00:59:47 because it was like we never were able to turn off yeah so I love being able to shine a light on the other side where it's like you guys have successfully worked together you've been through super high highs super low low it's like how do you keep that dynamic so exciting but also professional when you're in the office when we're in the office I think we've just kind of like Like, you know, we just go into this mode where it's like, we can't kiss. Sometimes I'll call him. I would hate that. No, sometimes I'll be like, baby.

Starting point is 01:00:14 And I'm like, oh my God, no. Did I call you that? So it's obviously something that we're always working on. But I think it's more so like when we're at the office, we have like, I mean, we have completely different schedules. Some days I won't even see him. And like our lives look really different when we're at the office. So it's not that difficult.

Starting point is 01:00:31 And then sometimes we'll, you know, sneak away for a kiss when nobody can see us. Like teenagers. And I also think that's like sweet and like add something to it. But he's like he's my best friend. We have so much fun together. And he always makes me laugh. And I think that just, you know, it just does something to a relationship. When you guys were figuring out even starting a business together,

Starting point is 01:00:53 were you like, let's get serious about contracts and like how much each other owns and like set everything up from the beginning. Or did you just like kind of just use trust as like your biggest? guardian angel as you guys started building things together. Yes. Okay. Contracts. No. Just trust.

Starting point is 01:01:15 I love that you thought that though. Oh, girl, like my husband and I are psychos. We have like a contract and operating agreement for everything. Honestly, good for you. No, we were just like, I think also like we never thought Jerva family would be what it is today. Like we really didn't think it would be. So I think that when we started, we're like, okay, you're going to own this percentage.

Starting point is 01:01:33 I'm going to own this. Let's just start. And then now we're like, oh, it's really difficult to like actually make changes or a contract. So now it's just a lot of trust and building a life together and like owning properties, like owning houses and apartments. And, you know, like we just, yeah, there's a lot of mutual trust. Well, you guys have been together for such a long time. So it's like I think that there is a level of that trust that you earn. Are you someone that gives trust right away or someone has to earn your trust?

Starting point is 01:02:02 Someone has to earn my trust. I think I've also been burned through many, like, too many times in my life where it's like, I don't, yeah. I don't trust anyone. You don't? Not at first. You know, you had to. I'm very much like a relationship person. I've always, like, my therapist is like, she always explains me as this, like, you're such a relationship builder.

Starting point is 01:02:26 Like, you really thrive on building relationships with people. And that's like a pro-anacom. But for me, yeah, I'm very much like. trust is earned. But it's not that difficult to earn it, though. Okay. So, like, at your wedding, are you going to be one of those people that has, like, 300 people because you're big on relationships or, like, 50 people? Like, 100.

Starting point is 01:02:48 Okay. So you have your guest list. We've tried to, like. That's the worst. Yeah. I mean, you got married last year. I got married twice the same person. One was 12 people in our backyard, and one was 250 people.

Starting point is 01:03:00 And I will say my husband's list was, like, 200 of that. and I had 50. Yeah. He just, he was like, I've waited 47 years to get married. Like, I am doing this and I'm doing a big. Really, really sweet. Super sweet. But the guest list was hard.

Starting point is 01:03:14 And we even went for lunch with someone this weekend. And he goes, I got your save the date and didn't get the invitation. And I was like, oh. Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you say anything? Weddings bring everything to the surface. It really does. Like relationships, friendships, issues.

Starting point is 01:03:31 You see supportive people, like everything. Are you having bridesmaids? Yes. Okay. So you're doing like a little bit more of a traditional wedding. Yeah. I think that I was actually speaking to my friend the other week and I was saying just that, but I think that my wedding will be a little bit more traditional than people think it will be.

Starting point is 01:03:48 And are you making a moment out of it with jerf? Like you're going to do like, you know how some people at own brands? They do like a collab for their bachelor party or like these things. Are you going to try to combine to? Oh, you best believe I will. Duh. Okay. I was like, I was in a meeting with Alison Matilda, who's in a.

Starting point is 01:04:04 our production, like, we're this, like, little production team. And I was like, Alice, who's the designer, she's amazing. And I was like, we need to design, like, bachelorette, like wedding guests, like morning up, like everything. And she came back to me. She was like, I built out this storyline where it's like from January through, like, when you're getting married. Like, it's kind of like a Taylor Swift song. It's like, it kind of like builds to the actual wedding. And I'm like, girl, yes. It's really sweet. Oh my God. Wait. So have you. Have you? You just, have you told outwardly and you don't have to, but do people know when you're getting married? No.

Starting point is 01:04:38 Okay. So I'm going to ask you offline. Okay, Mattela Djerf. I could talk to you forever. You will probably have to come on a second time. But can we be a little rapid fire? Yeah. What is the last thing you put on your credit card?

Starting point is 01:04:49 An ice vanilla latte. Love from where? Alfred's. What is the last most expensive thing you put on your credit card? The last, well, I'm trying to source a Chanel bag that I want to put it on my- Gab Waller. Yes, Gab. She's sourcing it for me.

Starting point is 01:05:02 So. Which one? Is it a Matsu? Yeah. Okay. Tell us more. I mean, I wish I knew the name of it. I don't. I just found it and I loved it. It's just like burgundy, like perfect little. Love. Yeah, I know. I know. Literally everything burgundy. Imagine if I had it here. That's what you'll come back on. You'll bring it. Exactly. Okay. You've done a collab with both Sophia, Richie Grange, and Haley Bieber. Who is next on your list?

Starting point is 01:05:27 So for me, beauty is I love beauty and I love wellness and I love like, you know, supplements and things. And I really want to do like a jerk. Avenue, go slow, like, berries, kind of like a magnesium, like powder, or like, like, with lemmy, like a little gummy or just like something or like with a ray, you know, like a little flavor, like something that's very like connected to like going slow, like slowing down in your PJs and your robes. Love. Yeah. Love.

Starting point is 01:05:54 Okay. We're going to manifest it for you. Thank you. You can only pick one for the rest of your life. Your eyes are crazy. I don't like this. A good blowout or a slow. Saturday morning with your two boys. That's rude. That's not okay. Damn, I'm going to have to sacrifice

Starting point is 01:06:12 the blowout. There you go. Imagine me saying I'm going to know that she loves you. I'm going to have to sacrifice ruin rest. I would never. You can only use one for the rest of your life. A Dyson Airwap or a road peptide lip treatment. A Dyson air wrap. Okay. I need it for my hair. I'm like, because otherwise I would have to do like a round brush. No. That's not going to work for you. No. I need to save time. Okay. New York City or L.A. To live? To live? Like L.A. L.A. Right now, I would probably say New York City. I never thought I would say that. But I love New York. What neighborhood would you live in? I love Tribe Back at. Yeah, I love. That's such a good answer. You can also only pick one for the rest of your life. These questions are not fun. I'm being really mean. I'm being really mean. you today. A comfy robe or an oversized blazer moment. I think I have to go for a comfy robe. Really? Okay. Okay. Or wait. No, you're such an oversized like comfy robe moment. Yeah.

Starting point is 01:07:19 Like little icons everywhere. Yeah. But also like an oversized blazer. I was going to wear my blazer today, but I was like, I can't. That's all I wear. I love an oversized placer. Because you can wear it with like active wear and you know with like you're going into board meeting. You're going to lunch, dinner. That's difficult. What would you do? Oversized Blazer. I'm actually going to buy a drip-avany robe after this because I've been wearing my husband's like XXL and it's just not a vibe.

Starting point is 01:07:46 It's just not a vibe. I do these things called HSR love notes because I have a very toxic brain. And they're basically an affirmation that like retrains my brain to think positively about myself. If you could only tell yourself one HSR love note for the rest of your life, what would it be called? what would it be? Maggie, I don't know. In crisis, there's growth. Yeah, I guess.

Starting point is 01:08:10 Let's do that one. Okay. If you could title this season of your life, what would it be called? I would do it, you know, like the trailers for like the 2000 movies. Yeah. Where it's like, let'saul I woke up one day. And I would do something like really powerful. Something about like, you know, she's stepping into like this new kind of like era.

Starting point is 01:08:32 where she feels like very confident, you know, like turns out that critics steps into herself, you know, just like, boom, boom, boom. Love it. Matilda Jerf, where can people find you? Everywhere. Literally, no. Instagram, YouTube, substack, TikTok. Do you have a favorite platform? Instagram.

Starting point is 01:08:55 Okay. Oh, fully. It's where I connect with everyone. It's like where my community is, where Jerf's community is. I love DMs. Okay. I love DMs. Like, I love being in my DMs. I'm not even going to ask for your number. I'm just going to DM you.

Starting point is 01:09:08 Yeah. And be like, girl, I'm in Sweden. Yeah. Let's hang. But please also ask for my name. Take my number. I think that's going to be better. And last question, how can AGSR help you? We have September 3rd, every year, which is our Djerf Avenue holiday. Like, it's a national holiday. I'm going to get into the calendars worldwide. It started with us having a big event at Guggenheim. We rented out the entire Guggenheim. Like, closed it down for a day. Did a fashion show where the community walked. did a sit-down dinner, 270 guests, and then an after-party. It was the best vibes. And ever since then, this was 2023. Ever since then, we've been like, oh, we need to do something every September 3rd, which is a very unfortunate date because it's right after summer.

Starting point is 01:09:47 So it's a little difficult. But yeah, we're doing something really special this year. So we're going to give it to the HSR people. We're going to give you guys a tease soon, gish. Vigil de Jirf, thank you for coming on. Thank you for sharing so much of your story, being so vulnerable. and I can't wait to see what you do next. Thank you for having me.

Starting point is 01:10:04 This was so fun. Good. Can we do it again? Yes. I'm just going to move into this beautiful house.

Hot Smart Rich with Maggie Sellers Reum - Matilda Djerf: What Really Happened at Djerf Avenue (how I protected a $36M brand as it went public)

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