Introducing

Hampus Söderström is hot stuff right now… Not only for his impressive back flips as part of Sweden’s National Gymnastics team but he’s also making an impression in front of the camera as a model where he’s done campaignes for brands such as Dolce and Gabbana and featured in publications like Menshealth.  We caught up with him to find out more. 

Tell us a bit about yourself, especially your time in Sweden’s National Gymnastics team, and why you’re currently in London?

Well, I’m from Stockholm, Sweden and I’m a very happy and energetic person with a big passion for sport.  When I was seven years old I started gymnastics and it has been a big passion of mine ever since – It’s also a big part of why I came to be a model.  When I was about fifteen I started to compete in a form of gymnastics called Team-Gym and it is what I owe most of my success to. 

Photo Dawn Collins

Tell us a bit more about Team-Gym?

TeamGym was created by the the European Union of Gymnastics, it combines parts of tumbling, mini tramp and dance to create an exciting team competition event. It’s all about effective teamwork, good technique in the 3 elements and spectacular acrobatic skills.

Tell us more...

For a period of time I was competing both for my club and the Swedish national team. My biggest accomplishments are a gold medal in the Swedish championship and a bronze medal in the European championship. 

 Then I've started working as a circus acrobat at the Royal Opera in Stockholm. It was the best way for me to combine everything I love, everything from gymnastics to acting, to the buzz of performing in front of a sold out audience every night!

Photo Dawn Collins

How did the modelling come about?

 It’s through my gymnastics and the circus that I have been luckily  enough to work with people in ‘showbiz’ and that’s how I got in touch with the modelling world.  I’ve always wanted to travel and always wondered if there was some way I could combine my acrobatics with modelling so about one and a half years ago I got the opportunity to sign with my first modelling agency, based in Milan, so I left my life in Sweden to pursue the life of a model!  Ever since then I’ve been living out of a suitcase traveling from one place to the next, from Los Angeles all the way to Australia having the time of my life!  I am now signed with 11 agencies around the world and I am currently living in London working for my great UK agency, PRM.

Would you change anything?

 Absolutely not ! Alongside my gymnastics I studied hard and got a degree in Global Economics and Statistics, I naturally followed that up with getting a job in the finance industry. Back then I was living for the pay check at the end of every month and dreaming of a high payed position in my company, possibly five years down the line. Now I realise that Life is NOW and the more present you are, the more possibilities are presented to you. 

Photo Dawn Collins

What would your 16 year old self say to you now?

Keep on smiling! Don’t overthink anything and enjoy the adventure! Enjoy the journey instead of focusing on the future. Be you, stay true to yourself and your dreams. Never do anything just to please someone else, YOU have to want to do it.    

Words By Kylie Olsson 

Photos by Dawn Collins