Last Monday morning at 10:02, two minutes after Selfridges opened its doors, Djerf Avenue’s ‘Angels’ flocked up the grand escalators to be the first at the Swedish brand’s new London pop-up and get their hands on its limited edition Christmas pyjamas, sold-out boxy blazers and more. To my amazement, the winding racks were almost cleared after just several minutes.
It was clear, a year after its first pop-up in London, and a dose of controversy aimed at its founder influencer Matilda Djerf, the brand is as in demand as ever.
Djerf, renowned for her bountiful locks and Scandy style, found success online after sharing her aesthetic lifestyle in 2016. Several years later, in 2019, Djerf – along with her partner Rasmus Johansson – turned that aesthetic she became renowned for into a fully fledged fashion brand that Brits are clamouring to get their hands on. This has, of course, been boosted by Djerf’s influence on social media, including 2.7 million Instagram followers.
The brand’s appeal? Great quality evergreen basics crafted from sustainably sourced material. But it’s the oversized cut blazers and relaxed denim that appeal to Matilda’s mavens. Her shoulder pads are a force to be reckoned with.
Matilda Djerf at the Djerf Avenue Selfridges pop-up
With her family in tow, showing their support, the effortlessly dressed mogul welcomed shoppers to its semi-permanent retail hub. However, just moments before Selfridges opened its doors, TheIndustry.fashion got a glimpse at behind the scenes, exclusively speaking with Founder and CEO Matilda Djerf.
Djerf, who exclusively dresses in her own-brand or to-die-for vintage finds, explains how the brand has grown from a personal style diary into a fully-fledged fashion label while staying rooted in the close-knit community she built online.
“Djerf Avenue was born from conversations I had with my community in my DMs,” she said. “From day one, our focus has been on creating a brand rooted in ethical production, size inclusivity, and offering everyday inspiration. That sense of closeness continues to guide everything we do.”
Where Djerf Avenue’s limited edition pyjamas once stood
For Djerf Avenue, the frenzy at Selfridges parodies the way the brand was built: slowly. What began as styling advice and heart-to-hearts about confidence, mental health and identity became the foundations of a brand that still treats those exchanges as strategy. “We want to be like a big sister,” she explains, “someone who celebrates, supports and lifts the community up.”
The Selfridges pop-up marks Djerf Avenue’s fifth global pop-up, following successful stops in New York, Stockholm, Los Angeles, and one in London last year. As the brand has scaled globally, that relationship hasn’t softened; if anything, it’s intensified. Djerf says the growth has strengthened her “commitment to showing up for our customers, not just in their wardrobes, but in their everyday lives and the big and small moments.”
That content creator and follower exchange is woven directly into the brand’s DNA. “Ever since I started my Instagram, it’s been a space for meaningful, honest conversations,” she says. “Those intimate exchanges created a sense of walking through life together.”
It’s why pieces are designed with feedback loops rather than trend cycles, why fabrics are chosen with sustainability front-of-mind and why the brand launched beauty not because of demand, but because Matilda herself couldn’t find products that met her own standards. “I wanted products with a clear purpose, beneficial ingredients and versatility,” she notes – the genesis of the now-cult styling mist that fuses heat protection and flexible hold. “If I couldn’t find what I needed, I’d create it.”
Ethics, she stresses, were never a branding exercise. “Before we even started planning what items we would launch or how the website would look, we began by contacting factories, and we only reached out to partners in Portugal. For us, European production has always been the foundation. If we’re asking our community to invest in our pieces, we want that investment to reflect care. That means working with partners who share our values, prioritising fair working conditions, choosing high-quality materials, and being transparent about how our pieces are made”
Physical retail has become a new and powerful extension of that relationship. While Djerf Avenue’s direct-to-consumer model remains central. “We needed to understand our customers’ behaviour and be in charge of the online experience,” Matilda explains. “Now, six years in, we know customers want to see, feel and try on Djerf Avenue in real life. We want to continue giving them those opportunities.”
That brought her back to London, where last year’s pop-up generated queue-worthy crowds. But this year marks a new milestone – Djerf Avenue’s first partnership with a department store.
“We were so thrilled when Selfridges reached out. It felt like the perfect fit – a household name known for its curation, creativity and ability to create real moments for customers.” The timing, in the middle of the brand’s Holiday season, felt serendipitous. As for a permanent store in London someday? “It would be a dream,” she hints.
Not only is the brand looking to expand its retail presence, it’s also teasing category expansion. “On the product side we are soon extending the Djerf Avenue beauty line and are continuing to evolve our bestselling loungewear category. We’re also working on some very exciting collaborations for next year.”
But as the brand expands, Djerf measures success not by milestones but by moments. “It’s those meaningful conversations when meeting our community in real life,” she says. “Those moments mean the entire world to me.” Big achievements like Forbes 30 Under 30 were surreal, she admits, “but nothing compares to connecting with the people who have helped shape this community.”
When asked where she sees the brand in five years… Matilda smiles, “If we can keep building a brand that makes people feel seen, supported and inspired, both in the big moments and the quiet ones, then that’s exactly where I want Djerf Avenue to be.”
Though the pop-up runs through the festive period until 28 January 2026, day-one sell-outs prove that nothing Djerf Avenue touches stays on shelves for long. If you’re hoping to snag a Christmas jumper or simply witness the phenomenon up close, make it a priority visit. With Djerf hinting that “there’s so much more to come,” it feels like this pop-up is less an ending than the opening chapter of Djerf Avenue’s next era.