Born in Sweden and shaped by New York’s creative pulse, Celia Ingesson has walked the sharp edges of the global fashion industry. Her early career took her into some of the world’s biggest fashion houses, where she designed high-profile collections and travelled constantly as a design executive and trend forecaster — a life that swung between creativity, long-haul flights and the more corrosive side of fast fashion. That intensity eventually pushed her to breaking point, leading to a health scare that forced her to stop, reassess and rebuild.

Her journey spans billboard fame, burnout, reinvention, and a decisive shift toward sustainability. Today, from her base in Palma, she transforms hard-earned experience into purpose through Greeningline, the plant-dyed clothing brand she has built entirely on her own terms. She told Humans of Mallorca how she rebuilt both her life and her work — one grounded in consciousness rather than compromise.

You grew up in Sweden. What shaped you in those early years?

I was born close to nature and greenery, and that had a huge impact on me. I studied design in Sweden and later at Parsons in New York. From early on I knew I wanted to be a fashion designer — I made elaborate wardrobes for my paper doll, Bianca Jagger, and started sewing my own clothes in my teens. My father, an architect, taught me about materials, architecture and history, while my mother passed on her love of crafting. They both instilled the less-is-more, quality-over-quantity way of life that I still live and create by.

Where are you based now, and what drew you to Mallorca?

I live in Palma near Mercat de l’Olivar, close to fresh produce, great restaurants, coffee shops, natural wine bars and galleries. I moved here two years ago — completely unplanned. I never imagined a Mediterranean lifestyle (I’m a big-city person), but somehow I stayed, and the place slowly enchanted me.

Tell us about Greeningline. What sparked the idea?

Greeningline is a reaction to everything I’ve witnessed in fashion: pollution, child labour, horrific working conditions. My frustration — and guilt — grew to the point where I couldn’t stay quiet. None of the brands I worked with were open to my vision of finding alternatives to hazardous chemical dyes, so I decided to dedicate the coming decades to plant-coloured clothing made from natural materials, without compromising on style or functionality. The brand is also about education and knowledge-sharing, especially among women.

What’s the most interesting part of your work?

Sharing experiences — mine and other women’s — and turning that into learning. That’s a big part of Greeningline. No day is the same. I have no office or shop, and the company is mostly run from my phone, so I can be anywhere.

Do you remember your first professional success?

Absolutely. It was a big billboard campaign for H&M with Helena Christensen. I was in my early twenties and designed the looks for the first H&M campaign that wasn’t underwear. It came with huge pressure to sell.

What difficulties have you faced along the way?

Many. I had asthma and allergies from a young age, so I turned early to alternative treatments, vegetarian food and avoiding synthetic clothing. Later, a close call with death forced me to pivot away from design to a more editorial, trend-focused career. Fashion can be a “deadly” business!

Was that “life-or-death moment” the lowest point?

Yes. I genuinely felt my life was over. I managed to recover thanks to a mixture of yoga, acupuncture, energy healing and western medicine.

How did you end up in that situation?

Through impossible working conditions — travelling 250 days a year, producing 350 looks annually, always needing to outdo the competition. You had to look extremely fashion-forward, which often meant being extremely thin and wearing uncomfortable clothes and shoes. I made the Vogue best-dressed list, but it came at a cost.

How did you move forward from that period?

I don’t think you ever completely get over it. I have an eating disorder, but I owe my health to the many practitioners who helped and supported me. Some of them I now collaborate with in talks and events on the island. I’ve learned that nothing is more important than your health, regardless of how glamorous or exciting things look from the outside.

What are you most proud of?

That I dared to pivot and walk away from very successful careers — several times — to start more uncertain projects with no investors or backers. I’m a completely self-funded brand.

What does Mallorca give you that other places didn’t?

The beauty is undeniable, and so is the climate — I’m sun-loving. Nothing used to compare with New York, but with the way things are now, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

To slow down and appreciate the quieter beauty of the island.

And your longer-term goal?

To share knowledge — mine and others’ — and contribute in whatever way I can to a more sustainable and healthier future.

Website: www.greeningline.com
Photo: Johanna Gunnberg