Karin Westerlund is driven by curiosity, finding inspiration in exhibitions, travel, popular culture and nightlife, which leads to her often coming up with new ideas and creative suggestions for editorial work. She doesn’t shy away from the experimental, and likes to try out new colours, materials and textures. In this way, she is decidedly contemporary and fashion-forward in her way of working. But, even when challenging conventions, she prefers a minimalist type of expression, enhancing existing features rather than changing them. Regardless of what kind of work she is doing, she considers the best base to be the impression of perfect skin, which is also why her style is defined by her expertise in enhancing the skin’s natural qualities.
Karin Westerlund has worked with some of the most influential fashion magazines, including DUST Magazine, BON Magazine, 10 Magazine, Numéro, Interview Magazine, Vogue UK, Vogue Italia, Marfa Journal and M le magazine du Monde. Her work with advertisement campaigns includes brands such as Louis Vuitton, Kenzo, Acne Studios, Nike, Christian Dior, Weekday and H&M. Because of her expertise in the field of makeup, she has the experience of being elected official spokesperson for YSL Sweden. She is also known for her work on fashion shows and presentations. In Stockholm, she has worked regularly for J Lindeberg, while her collaborations with Diana Orving have won her much praise. In Paris, she has created looks for, among others, Damir Doma, Sankuanz, Y-Project, Ludovic de Saint Sernin, Gosha Rubchinskiy and John Lawrence Sullivan (in London). As fashion is a collective process, the relationship between makeup artist and photographer is a special one. Karin Westerlund has therefore developed strong relationships with many of the most significant fashion photographers of our time, including Pascal Gambarte, Benjamin Vnuk, Jonny Dufort, Gordon von Steiner, Pierre-Ange Carlotti, Johan Sandberg, Julia Hetta and Arnaud Lajeunie.