Our Scandinavian identity is founded on values and driven by storytelling. Together with the Swedish menswear magazine Scandinavian MAN, we've gathered eight personalities that innovate our times within music, movies, food, and interiors.

Meet the Danish actor Jonathan Harboe, famously known as the character Mads in the sit-com ”Sjit Happens”.

Photography Dan Sjölund.

Aswell as Jonathan Harboe has acted in other TV series and movies, he recently starred in the short movie ’End of The Rainbow’directed by Casper Balslev, which premiered in February 2019. Before acting, Jonathan worked as a model, and in the future he is looking to explore new fields of creativity.

What do you do and what have you done?

I’m an actor, mostly known for a Danish TV-series called ’Sjit Happens’. A dramedy sort of like ’Friends.’ Last summer I did a movie in Norway, a psychological thriller/horrormovie, called ’Lake Of The Dead’. It premieres in all of Scandinavia in November, 2019.

What’s going on foryou right now?

I’m preparing for a new part in a new Danish TV series in the fall. It’s a very psychically andmentally demanding part, so it naturally takes up a lot of my time. I’m also preparing and creating another partfor Casper Balslev’s next project; a satire about a narcissist chef in the New Nordic food scene.

What does your background mean for you as a storyteller?

It means everything, because it’s my pillar and source of inspiration to every story I’m about to tell. My mom is Danish and comes from an academic family whereas my dad is Brazilian, a singer and a painter. My mom was studying hard at university so I was with my dad a lot growing up. He was either playing gigs or recording/rehearsing. I basically grew up on the stage in the background sitting in my pushchair or in the studio, drawing or playing games.

In what situation do you feel the most inspired?

It can come in a conversation with friends, a run, a movie, lines from a book, a tipsy Saturday, a dream that awakes me, you need complete presence where you allow yourself to listen to your surroundings. It usually comes when I least expect it. I can go weeks and sometimes months with no inspiration but then something changes in my life and then I can go a week with a constant flow of inspiration. But a good heartbreak really fuels my inspiration.

How important is your appearance for your ability to convey your message?

It’s very important for me to look the part, because, hopefully, it creates a better experience for the viewer. It emphasises the story and the universe of the story. So, I have to push all vanity aside and just disappear into a role, both psychically and mentally.

What values do you most value in others?

Good manners, presence and respect.

How important is your Scandinavian identity?

It is very important. It keeps me grounded and humble.

What’s up next for you?

I’m attending a workshop with Ivana Chubbuck in a few weeks. Then I have to gain 7-8 kilos of muscle and learn Spanish for the part I’m doing in the fall. So, for the next five months it’s all about the gym, eating tons of food and studying for my part. There is also the chef part I’m doing, it is satire, so that is gonna be a lot of fun. I’m also working on a collaboration with Danish watch brand ’About Vintage’ on awatch I’m creating with them.

Jonathan is wearing Liner waistcoat and Dance turtleneck from our Autumn/Winter 2019 collection.