STELLA NOVA

VISITING NICOLINE DURUP

34 YEARS
FOUNDER OF DURUP
@DURUP_

Trine: NICOLINE... YOU AND YOUR BOYFRIEND ARE GETTING MARRIED, - AND RIGHT NOW YOU AND YOUR DAUGHTER EDITH, WHO'S 4 YEARS OLD, LIVE HERE IN THIS WONDERFUL APARTMENT IN THE HEART OF COPENHAGEN, BUT YOUR BOYFRIEND LIVES IN DUBAI... THAT'S QUITE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FAMILY-STRUCTURE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT?

Nicoline: Yes, it is a bit kinda long-distance… And probably not sustainable in the long run. It does on the other hand have some advantages… We are together and support each other and we are fully there for each other. At the same time with how things are right now for good reasons, we have a fair amount of time separately and can do a lot without having to coordinate everything. Then we in exchange also feel it very intensely when we finally do see each other, which actually is really lovely. 
I am self-employed and run a company called Durup, that designs interior solutions such as curtains, cushions etc. for companies as well as individual homes. This way of living gives me time to fully immerse myself in my work and luckily I also have Edith, who is a huge part of my life. But it is hard being apart so much of the time, and I miss him a lot, - and in a lot of ways I miss having a more traditional everyday life together. Edith has a different dad and she is of course also together with him and in that way we have a bit more untraditional family dynamic.

Trine: BUT IS IT THE PLAN TO LIVE TOGETHER AT SOME POINT, OR IS THAT NOT OF IMPORTANCE TO YOU IN THAT WAY?

Nicoline: Yes, - we are gonna live together eventually, that’s for sure.. Also because we would like to have more kids, so we just need to find a solid solution.

Trine: IS IT THEN GONNA BE IN DENMARK, DUBAI OR A THIRD PLACE?

Nicoline: That we don’t know yet, but since I am a family person with capital F and actually is very happy being in Denmark, especially Copenhagen, and because I have most of my clients here at the moment, then I feel very well settled here.

Trine: I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND YOU ALSO HAVE THIS AMAZING APARTMENT RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF COPENHAGEN AND THAT IS ALSO A LOVELY WAY OF LIFE. BUT IF YOU DON'T CONSIDER ALL THE OTHER STUFF, COULD YOU THEN SEE YOURSELF LIVING ABROAD?

Nicoline: Yes, easily. I have always travelled a lot and have always been very curious about other ways of living and different cultures.

Trine: IT MUST BE A BIG SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AS WELL?

Nicoline: Definitely. Travelling inspires me so much.

Trine: AND IT IS NOT A FOREIGN THOUGHT FOR YOU TO LIVE ABROAD?

Nicoline: I have lived both in London and Monaco, so no it is absolutely not a foreign thought to me. Should we take the leap, then it would obviously have to be a place that would be well suited for kids.

Trine: DO YOU VIEW DENMARK WITH A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE YOU HAVE LIVED ABROAD?

Nicoline: Absolutely, - you can’t avoid looking at things differently, when you have experienced living in a different place over a longer period of time.

Trine: CAN YOU DEFINE THE DIFFERENCE?

Nicoline: To give one of many examples, I feel we have an unwritten rule when it comes to how “you are a family”  and there are a couple things I would like to do differently in/with my parenting of Edith.

Trine: WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT MORE SPECIFICALLY?

Nicoline: It is first and foremost important for me to show her other cultures. Like London for example where diversity is everywhere and you meet so many different nationalities and are exposed to so many ways of living. I experience that there is a greater openness there because of it, and I would like to give Edith that fundationel appetite and curiosity to meet new people and I hope she as a result doesn’t end up with prejudice.

Trine: I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT... AND ONE OF THE WORST THINGS I KNOW IS THE FEAR OF EVERYTHING FOREIGN AND WHAT, IN MY EYES, IS THE GROWING RACISM WHICH UNFORTUNATELY BECOMES MORE AND MORE NORMALISED

Nicoline: Yes, and here you have to start with yourself and not be scared of what’s new and different. To settle down somewhere new challenges in every way this, and it demands a certain level of openness and that’s what I wish to pass on to my daughter. In the same way, I also think we have to be open to those coming here into our country and let us be inspired by each other. Instead of being afraid because the others live in a different way.

Trine: YES AND TO ME, INSPIRATION FROM OTHER CULTURES, AND JUST DIVERSITY IN EVERY ASOECT IS ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS WHEN IT COMES TO FASHION, FOOD, ART, INTERIOR DESIGN ETC. IT IS FROM THESE DIFFERENCES THAT WE EVOLVE AND FIND UNTRAVELED ROADS, AND THAT'S WHERE THE EXCITING THINGS HAPPEN.

Nicoline: Precisely and if not then we would just be sitting here repeating ourselves.

Trine: YOU ARE LUCKILY NOT DOING THAT AND WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR HOME AND HOW YOU LIVE AND HOW YOU DESIGN THE INTERIORS - IT IS ALL A TESTAMENT TO HOW OPEN YOU ARE, AND HOW YOU JUST ABSORBED FROM EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME NICOLINE, AND WANTING TO SHARE SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS.