Linnea Apelqvist

SETTING THE SCENE

Set Designer & Prop Stylist

In her work as a set designer and prop stylist, Linnea Apelqvist creates still life compositions with painstaking attention to detail and care. Driven by translating a creative concept into the perfect shot, Linnea helps famous brands achieve the right look. 

What does a set designer do? 

My job is to visualise ideas and create environments, often making things from scratch. I mostly work with advertising agencies, where I team up with the art director and photographer to bring the creative vision in the advert idea to life. Over the years, I’ve specialised in still life photography, collaborating with photographers to create appealing displays of anything from beauty products to clothes and accessories. Brands I’ve worked for include IKEA, Fjällräven, and H&M.

What was your first job after graduating and how did you get it? 

After I graduated from Wimbledon College of Art in London, I reached out to art departments to see if they needed any assistants. I was lucky to score my first assistant job on the film ‘’Shanghai’’, which was directed by Swedish Director Mikael Håfström and starring John Cusack. I worked closely with the production designer to create the 1940s set, including creating a scaled copy of one of the sets using foam board. I also took on a lot of less glamorous tasks, such as making cups of tea for the crew and buying art supplies.  

What excites you working as a set designer? 

I am a very visually driven person and love interpreting a creative concept into an image. There’s something special with still life photography; I enjoy the challenge of working within restrictions, such as a fixed camera angle, and still achieving the perfect composition. It can be very fiddly, but sometimes moving something just a few millimetres makes all the difference to the image. It’s in the detail that the magic happens. 

What’s your dream project? 

A few years ago, I would have said creating some strange set for the fashion house Alexander McQueen. Today, I’m more interested in creating art and would like to explore other areas, such as curating an exhibition at a museum. 

What drives you? 

The thrill of capturing a great shot and coming up with new ideas. Bringing a concept to life together with a photographer is so much fun. 

”For me creativity is something
that comes from within.”

You’ve worked on a lot of cool campaigns over the years. Which job are you most proud of? 

When I moved from London to Stockholm a few years ago, I took on a job for Swarovski, who were launching a new wallpaper range globally. It was my first job outside London, and I had only eight days to create the set from scratch. The location was an old castle outside Uppsala, which had no heating, was completely unfurnished, and was in a state of general disrepair. I had to work extremely hard to get everything in place in time for the shoot, pulling favours from my parents, who helped transport things with their trailer. The end result of the campaign was great though, but I’ll never work under such time constraints again! 

I’m also proud of my own work, where I’ve teamed up with a photographer to create some really nice still life photography. 

In many people’s eyes, you’ve got a very fun job. What is most important when pursuing a career in the creative world? 

In general, I’d say don’t rush and don’t be in a hurry. I was an assistant for several years before I started working on my own. Take the opportunity to work with those who know more than you do, and you will learn the craft. 

If you were to give one piece of advice to your young self, what would that be? 

Dare to try new things and to get it wrong. Don’t be so careful. Only by failing you will learn. 

You went to the highly respected Wimbledon College of Art and have also studied art and photography. How important is a formal education for doing your job? 

It’s important but also not important. Even if you’ve studied at the right school, you still need to learn the trade. I also don’t think you can learn creativity. Technique can be taught, but you either are creative or you’re not. For me creativity is something that comes from within. 

But the right art school will give you the opportunity to explore. It’s a chance to get to know yourself and blossom as a person.  

For many years, you worked and lived in London before moving to Stockholm a few years back. What is the difference between the two cities? 

In London there is an abundance of places to source things from. I remember visiting dozens of prop houses, whereas in Stockholm, there are only a couple. But with the limitations, you have to become more creative, as you’ll have to create more with less. 

On a personal note, it’s nice to try living in Sweden. I moved back a few years ago after living in London for many years (and my husband had also lived in California before that). For us, living in Stockholm feels like a brand new adventure, and we have returned to Sweden with a fresh perspective. 

 

Note to reader:

To check out Linnea’s work, click here https://www.agentmolly.com/set-design-styling/?artist=linnea-apelqvist