One Life Dreams was a voluntary art project for children, run from Gothenburg in 2016 and 2017 by Daniel Nilsson and the designer Aviad Arik Herman. They took their lead from Pippi Longstocking, the strongest girl in the world.
Ida Ovmar, Miss Sweden 2016, in the national costume and preliminary competition of Miss Universe.Mall of Asia Arena, Manila · 26 January 2017
400 horses, painted in one hectic day
For the Dala horse’s 400th anniversary, children at Göteborgs Kulturkalas in August 2017 painted 400 wooden horses. The Dala horse started out as a children’s toy before it became a symbol of Dalarna and of Sweden, so for its birthday it went back to children.
0of 400 painted
100 of the horses went on to Pokhara
With the help of the charity One Life Matters, 100 of the horses travelled from Gothenburg to Pokhara, Nepal. The Keller family, who call themselves brokers of need, drove the team to two schools, where the horses were handed out and the children’s reactions were filmed.
The Telegraph, on the national costumes at Miss Universe 2017
Us Weekly’s Stylish put the gown at number 3 of the 15 most elaborate national costumes of the pageant.
Questions about the dress and the horses
What was One Life Dreams?
One Life Dreams was a voluntary art project for children, founded in Gothenburg, Sweden, by Daniel Nilsson and Aviad Arik Herman. Its tagline was “Make impossible real”, and it ran two projects: the Dress of Dreams in 2016 and 400 Years of Dala Horse in 2017.
Who made the Dress of Dreams?
Aviad Arik Herman designed the Dress of Dreams, a gown printed with 53 photographs of children taken by volunteer photographers in 2016. Majornas Grafiska made the textile print and Lennart Sjöberg took the studio photo. The project was a collaboration with Göteborgs Kulturkalas and had the blessing of Queen Silvia of Sweden.
Who wore Sweden’s dress at Miss Universe in Manila?
Miss Sweden 2016 Ida Ovmar wore the gown in the national costume and preliminary competition at the Mall of Asia Arena, Manila, on 26 January 2017. By the project’s count, the Miss Universe broadcast reached over 1 billion people.
What was 400 Years of Dala Horse?
400 Years of Dala Horse was the 2017 project of One Life Dreams, marking the Dala horse’s 400th anniversary. Children painted 400 wooden horses at Göteborgs Kulturkalas, which ran 16 to 20 August 2017. Aviad Arik Herman also designed Miss Sweden 2017 Frida Fornander’s official Miss Universe dress, printed with 400 Dala horses.
Why is the Dala horse a symbol of Sweden?
The Dala horse was mostly a children’s toy in the old days, and over time it became a symbol of Dalarna and of Sweden. That is why the anniversary project went to children, who painted all 400 horses in Gothenburg.
Is One Life Dreams still running?
No. One Life Dreams ran in 2016 and 2017 and has ended, so it no longer takes photographs or submissions. This website is its archive, with the photographs, the films and nine journal posts written during those two years.
The journal, written as it happened
Nine posts from 2016 and 2017, each with the photographs and films that went with it.
100 unique Dala Horses to Nepal: Watch the Reactions
Keller family made it possible to deliver Dala Horses to Children in Nepal
Official Dress Miss Universe: Sweden 2017
A spectacular dress in honor of the 400 years of Dala Horse
Painting Dala Horses changing the world
Dress of Dreams presented at Miss Universe in Philippines
The Dress of Dreams & Miss Universe: Sweden
All the Photos: Reveal of Dress of Dreams
All the Photos: The Photo Exhibition
