In the past few years I’ve happened to be in Scandinavia with a certain frequency, and each time I went there—be it Denmark, Norway or Sweden—i’ve always been impressed by the freshness of Scandi youth. Not only are they all quite beautiful; even the most average kid seems to be style conscious, in a simple yet very fashionable and rad way. Or, we could now say, in a very Scandinavian way.
![SWE1](https://www.teenagefilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/SWE1-e1317815619802.jpg)
So, when I found these pictures of a Swedish high school class from 20-something years ago, seeing how typically 80’s they are, I started wondering when this sort of young fashion boom started in Scandinavia. Did things really changed so radically in the past two decades? Or when we’ll look back in 5-10 years, will the hip Scandi teens of today be just another version of these long-haired 80’s metal kids? Either way, it’s just hard to look at them and not enjoy the view.
![Picture 5](https://www.teenagefilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Picture-5-e1317816760230.png)
![SWE3](https://www.teenagefilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/SWE3-e1317815810210.jpg)
—Lorenzo Mapelli is the author of Sexy People. Born and raised in Rome, he now lives in Milan, where he works as online editor for VICE Italia. When Lorenzo was a teenager he smoked joints and listened to rap music, which he still does in a way.