Natalie Salmon is the Digital Editor at Vogue Scandinavia & Founder of female focused technology website, The Modems. Previously working on the digital team at Evening Standard and Harper's Bazaar, where Natalie used to run a weekly column called #Techcessories, she has continued to share her passion for tech on The Modems. We spoke to Natalie about emerging trends in tech, her career path and how that has led to founding her own platform.
Talk us through your career path and background.
Natalie is the Digital Editor at Vogue Scandinavia and recently moved to Stockholm. She studied politics at university but always wanted to go into journalism so she did a Masters in broadcasting. Loving the digital journalism side of her course, she then got a job at the Evening Standard magazine and went on to become Social Media Editor at Harper's Bazaar.
Has your interest in consumer tech (on The Modems) emerged from an interest in digital media?
Yes, she has always had an interest in social media, which turned into a passion for her website, The Modems. She created it after realising there was so much fascinating female focused tech out there but it isn't covered on mainstream websites as their user base is majority male. So she decided to showcase these innovations, showing that 'female tech isn't just taking headphones and making them pink.'
How has the social media landscape changed since you started working?
"Things change so rapidly, the uptake of social media has been astronomical." For example, the evolution of Instagram into a shopping platform and the emergence of new apps such as Clubhouse. In the early days at magazines, social media was an afterthought but now it's such a key element.
How would you describe your personal style?
"I always describe myself as corporate, I really like dressing up for work!" She loves shirts, blazers, a traditional and classic style with a twist of modern. And hardly any prints!
Tell us a bit more about working at Vogue Scandinavia.
"We're covering 5 different places, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Stockholm and Copenhagen." It is the first time they've had a Vogue in Scandinavia and she feels very fortunate to join the team.
What has been your fashion philosophy?
"This is why I love By Rotation, you can get such a mix of brands." She owns both high street and designer pieces, with most of her high street pieces coming from charity shops. She tries to be sustainable in her consumption, buying from designer brands knowing that the quality is high and will last a long time. "I love mixing the high and low end brands."
What are a few recent tech innovations that you are particularly excited about?
"Other than fashion platforms, fitness tech has exploded." The pandemic has sped innovations up, even some in female science, e.g. reproducing breast milk for mothers who cannot produce it themselves.
What has been your biggest career or life lesson?
"To be patient and work hard, it will pay off in the long run. And if you're passionate about something, study it, put the hours in." She advised that although a masters in journalism is great, if you intern in the right place and show your passion, you will find where you want to be.
What has your experience of sustainability been like in Stockholm?
Every brand has some element of sustainability in Scandinavia. They have an incredible passion for it, for example, recycling is so part of the culture. "I don't think you can launch a brand in 2021 without it being sustainable."
If you could rent anyone's wardrobe - dead, alive or fiction, whose would it be?
Fiction - Evita Perón from the musical Evita, played by Madonna. Or her all time style icon is Lee Radziwill, sister of First Lady Jackie Kennedy - she loves her elegant style as well as her beautiful apartment in Paris.
