Julia Bergman and Sofia Hagenlöv, both 20, met at age of six and are now regularly mistaken for twins, having shunned the traditional blonde look so many of their Swedish peers have embraced. The Stockholm stunners, who say they are “sisters by heart,” dyed their hair black, visit the gym six days a week, and have enhanced their facial appearances with the use of fillers, which plump up their lips and fill out their cheeks. Julia told Barcroft TV: “People think we're twins all the time. It has always been our thing since we were 10 years old. We called each other in the morning and were like ‘what are you wearing today?’ So basically we are sisters not by blood but by heart. “I don't really think our look is accepted in Stockholm. For some people, they think we’re too much; too much in our appearance and the way we are.” Sofia added: “Generally, everyone in Sweden wants to look normal, wants to look natural, you can’t stand out, you can’t have this. We're very outgoing and fun and bubbly. It's not accepted.”
The girls’ transformation from shy blonde tweens to brunette bombshell twins has been so drastic, the girls’ parents are yet to approve of their daughters’ non-traditional appearances. Julia said: “Our parents don’t like nails and lashes, because we are always at these appointments all the time. They loved our blonde hair, so they really want us to be blonde. They like more natural beauty.” Sofia added: “Our parents think the colour of our hair makes us look pale. They think we’re supposed to be natural. They don’t like the gym either – they think it’s very masculine. They don’t approve. “It's not fun when someone is hating on you, especially if it’s your family. But I think you can’t depend on your parents your whole life, you need to have your own life. They say you never stop learning, so why should you stop being the best version of yourself?”
Despite their parents’ concerns, the girls have fully-embraced their distinct style and see their transformations as the beginning of fitness careers rather than just a statement against their “boring” surroundings. Becoming fitness models has been a goal for the pair ever since they started exercising together at the age of 14. After growing into their teens as best friends, Sofia and Julia decided to go to the gym to gain strength. “It’s crazy we had blonde hair and were so thin,” said Julia, reminiscing about their first days in the gym. “We were so insecure. We were so uncomfortable with ourselves.” After several months of weight training, the girls saw a poster of a bikini model in competition and started a more “feminine way of training” led by their coach, to achieve the fitness model look they aspired to.
But their similarities go beyond their physical exercise. Both girls play up their looks by wearing the same outfits as much as possible. “When we go outside we always match, it’s our thing,” said Sofia. Julia continued: “We like it so much and if we have different tights or something people are like ‘what, why don’t you have the same, what’s happened?’ Have you been in a fight or something?’” And while the same exercise regimen and clothes would be enough on their own to ensure the girls got their share of attention, there’s another aspect to their physical appearance which has had a significant impact.
To enhance their natural transformation, the girls turned to facial fillers to change the shape of their features and get closer to the look they were aiming for. “I always felt insecure about my lips,” said Sofia. “We thought maybe the gym is very masculine so we needed to do something about femininity; something that will make us be women.” Now the girls get their fillers topped up on a regular basis. On their most recent visit Sofia got her cheeks refilled, while Julia ensured her jaw line was redefined. And while the pair haven’t yet had any major surgery to change their looks, they’re not ruling it out. “We would get surgery to enhance our looks,” said Sofia. “When we train, it’s very natural for your boobs to go away.” Julia added: “So a boob job is something I would consider, but never a Brazilian butt lift because that is very dangerous.”
For now, both girls are planning to study fitness in LA later this year, and aim to open their own fitness business in future – all while maintaining their unique look and sharing their exploits on social media. Sofia and Julia already have an Instagram account, ‘deltagirls1’ – named after their Stockholm gym – which has gained almost 10,000 followers in just under a year. And while most comments are incredibly positive, the ‘Delta Girls’ get their share of negativity for their striking appearances. “We get a lot of negative comments,” said Julia. “Sofia gets more hate comments that me, mostly about her lips. But also ‘you were so cute before and you looked so natural, what have you done to yourself?’ But I think we get a lot of positive comments too.” Negative comments aside, the pair remain incredibly positive, and say they don’t regret anything about the transformation they have undergone over the past few years. “If we didn’t do anything to our appearance, I think we would look like basic bitches,” said Julia. “I think we would have been fat to be honest,. We eat a hell of a lot of food.”
