backstage at london | ryan lo

wearing AMI Paris, Louis Vuitton + Pandora

Wunmi Mosaku has lit up the screen in acclaimed productions like ‘Black Mirror’, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’, and ‘The End Of The F**ing World’. Now, she’s preparing to deliver another captivating performance in the upcoming vampire horror ‘Sinners’. “Theatre was my first love, but films have allowed me to immortalise my performances forever,” shares the BAFTA-winning actor to us for Schön! 48. A seasoned presence both on stage and on set, the British actor, who glimmers in Pandora for her digital cover story, has been commanding attention for over a decade. 

Mosaku’s success is rooted in a blend of raw talent, relentless drive, and the support of her family — especially her mother and husband. Yet above all, her enduring passion for the craft shines through. “I adore everything about discovering a character and then creating a world together,” she says. Her latest project, ‘Sinners’, directed by Ryan Coogler, features a star-studded ensemble cast with Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, and Michael B. Jordan. Filming in New Orleans came with challenges — including being “eaten alive” by mosquitos — but Mosaku recalls the experience fondly: “We are still very much in touch and in awe of each other,” she says, describing the cast and crew as “a loving family.”

Her connection to ‘Sinners’ runs deep. “I like scripts which change me and make the audience think,” she explains. “And I didn’t realise that horror could do that until I dove into the genre.” In the film, she portrays Annie, a conjure woman. To prepare for the role, Mosaku immersed herself in research, studying Hoodoo and the Yoruban divination practice Ifá. “I spoke to so many spiritual women and went to Voodoo and Hoodoo museums,” she says. “Through my research, I felt a real connection to the Motherland, to Nigeria and my history and ancestors.”

With ‘Sinners’, Mosaku continues to build an impressive portfolio across genres—especially fantasy, horror, crime, and thrillers. From her work in ‘LOKI’, ‘Lovecraft Country’, ‘Passenger’, and ‘Luther’ (alongside Idris Elba), to her BIFA-winning turn in ‘His House’, her range is clear. “The scripts for these projects chose me,” she explains. ‘His House’, she says, “really moved me. It’s not just a film designed to scare the audience but a story about people. Who knew that horror, futuristic and vampire movies could make me think like that? I thought those genres couldn’t include me as a Black woman, but they do.”

Looking ahead, Mosaku carries one hope. “It is for peace, and for people to be able to live freely without tyranny and war,” she says. “I’m praying for some sort of miracle where order and empathy reign.”

jacket. Naked Wardrobe
trousers. Fendi
sunglasses. Dolce & Gabbana
jewellery. Pandora

suit. Naked Wardrobe
shirt. AMI Paris
tie. Louis Vuitton
sunglasses. Elisa Johnson
jewellery. Pandora
opposite
top. Cult Gaia
skirt. St. Agni
jewellery. Pandora

dress. Polo Ralph Lauren
sunglasses. Elisa Johnson
tie. Hermès
jewellery. Pandora

‘Sinners’ is in cinemas now.

Get your print copy of Schön! 48 at Amazon Globally, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Italy, Amazon Spain, Amazon Netherlands, Amazon Poland, Amazon Belgium, Amazon Sweden and the UK Schön! store.

Download your favourite cover now at the Schön! store.

This Schön! 48 digital cover story is produced by

photography. Camraface @ Early Morning Riot
fashion. Tara Nichols
talent. Wunmi Mosaku in Pandora
casting. Alabama Blonde @ Strike the Blonde Casting
make up. Autumn Moultrie @ The Wall Group using Armani Beauty
hair. Araxi Lindsey @ The Wall Group using Lush
photography assistant. Arta Gee
special thanks. DaVian Lain + The Team @ Pandora
words. Raegan Rubin

Krystal Wasike embodies fearless in this Schön! editorial photographed, conceptualised, and styled by Agnieszka Potoczna featuring looks by MIN-JI KIM, Simmi Lond and others, with make up by artist Sadaf Ahmad.

coat. MIN-JI KIM
shoes. Simmi Lond
opposite
coat. MIN-JI KIM

opposite
coat. MIN-JI KIM
shoes. ASOS

jacket + trousers. Reclaimed Vintage

opposite
coat. MIN-JI KIM

jersey. Adidas NBA
skirt. MIN-JI KIM
opposite
jersey. Adidas NBA
skirt. MIN-JI KIM
shoes. Azalea Wang

coat. MIN-JI KIM

jacket. Reclaimed Vintage

coat. MIN-JI KIM
shoes. ASOS

coat. MIN-JI KIM
opposite
jersey. Adidas NBA
skirt. MIN-JI KIM
shoes. Azalea Wang

jacket + trousers. Reclaimed Vintage
shoes. ASOS Design
opposite
jacket. Reclaimed Vintage

coat. MIN-JI KIM

coat. MIN-JI KIM
shoes. Simmi London
opposite
coat. MIN-JI KIM

This Schön! editorial has been produced by

photography, concept + fashion. Agnieszka Potoczna
model. Krystal Wasike @ Zebedee
make up. Sadaf Ahmad

Annemiek Kessels has always followed a deep, intuitive sense of aesthetics. Long before she stepped into her role as Creative Director at MORJAS, she was shaping her own visual world — launching the fashion blog Modedamour at just 17, and cultivating an eye for detail, balance, and beauty that now defines the MORJAS Women’s collection.

Influenced by the elegance of Parisian everyday life and grounded by a Nordic commitment to quality and function, Kessels designs with longevity in mind. Every piece she touches begins with a feeling — an image, a mood, a silhouette — and ends in something quietly powerful: footwear that is timeless, feminine, and made to move through life with grace.

Under her direction, the MORJAS Women’s line speaks a language of modern classicism. It complements the brand’s heritage while carving its own identity, and her design process is meticulous, from materials to proportion, and always led by the belief that the best pieces are those you come back to, season after season.

As MORJAS enters this new chapter, Annemiek Kessels chats with Schön! about her career, her creative vision for MORJAS, and more. 

Processed with VSCO with m5 preset

Your journey from starting a fashion blog at 17 to leading creative direction at MORJAS is inspiring. How did your early experiences with Modedamour shape your approach to brand aesthetics today?

Having been immersed in fashion from a young age, through my blog and beyond, I’ve had the chance to experiment with a wide range of styles, silhouettes, and materials. Over time, I developed a clear sense of what I value most: refined design, enduring quality, and true comfort. That foundation has been instrumental in shaping the women’s collection, ensuring every piece feels both timeless and personal.

Growing up in the Netherlands and now residing in Paris, how have these diverse cultural environments influenced your design sensibilities and vision for the MORJAS Women’s collection?

I grew up in a quiet Dutch town, Venlo, where fashion wasn’t front and centre. I turned to the internet, where I found most of my inspiration. Paris, on the other hand, has been a constant source of inspiration, from the way people express themselves through style to the creative energy in every corner of the city. It’s also made comfort a non-negotiable; walking everywhere has deepened my appreciation for shoes that combine elegance with all-day wearability.

You mentioned a deep appreciation for timeless, feminine looks that exude quality and elegance. How do you ensure these values are consistently reflected in each piece of the collection?

Every piece begins with a commitment to quality, comfort, and timeless beauty. We refine each design through multiple sampling rounds, paying close attention to proportions, materials, and feel. It’s a meticulous process, but essential to ensure each shoe truly lives up to our values.

The MORJAS Women’s line maintains a distinct identity while aligning with the men’s collection. What strategies do you employ to achieve this balance between cohesion and individuality?

Both collections speak the same design language and share a core vision of modern timelessness. But the women’s line has its own tone and character. I work closely with the team, who have a strong sense of taste, while also bringing in my own point of view. It’s about expanding the world of MORJAS with subtle but meaningful differences.

How do you envision the MORJAS woman, and in what ways does this persona guide your creative decisions and storytelling within the brand?

The MORJAS woman is elegant, confident, and sophisticated. She doesn’t follow trends for the sake of it but always feels current. As we shaped the collection, getting to know this persona helped guide both the design and the storytelling. She became the reference point for everything we created.

Could you elaborate on the process you follow when conceptualizing a new creative campaign, from initial ideation to execution?

I usually begin with a feeling or a mood that sparks the concept. That initial idea helps guide everything else — from styling and location to casting. We want to show how the shoes fit into different lives and settings. The aim is to inspire a sense that this collection is made for all women, whatever their lifestyle or personal style may be.

With the launch of the Women’s collection, what challenges have you encountered in translating MORJAS’s established brand identity to a new audience, and how have you addressed them?

MORJAS has been around since 2017, so there was a strong foundation and identity from the get-go, which gave us a great starting point. It already aligned closely with my own vision, which made it feel natural to build on. Rather than trying to change it, I focused on adding new layers, introducing softness, femininity, and emotion while keeping the same core values.

Sustainability and longevity are increasingly important in fashion. How do these considerations influence your choices in materials and design for the MORJAS Women’s line?

These principles are central to everything we do. Every material we select and each construction choice is made with durability and responsibility in mind. The Penny Loafer is a good example — instead of chasing a trend, we focused on a timeless design with a construction that makes it easy to replace the sole, so it can be worn and loved for years. It’s about creating pieces that earn their place in a woman’s wardrobe, season after season.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the evolution of the MORJAS Women’s collection, and how do you plan to continue innovating while staying true to the brand’s core values?

This is just the beginning. We’re launching a new drop this summer and have more projects in development with seasonal relevance. But our foundation stays the same: timeless design, quality craftsmanship, and a focus on essentials. I’m lucky to work closely with our designer and Head of Product, Martina Strågefors, to keep building collections that feel both fresh and enduring.

Learn more about MORJAS at morjas.com.