Scan Magazine | Big Nordic Design Special | Made in Norway
Bohemian dreams “What could possibly be better than getting the chance to combine my interests of design, trade and travelling?” says Anna Wagner Norseng, owner and creative director of Anouska Colourful Living. By Vilde Holta Røssland | Photos: Tatjana Mrkaljevic
Anouska Colourful Living, established in 2000, started out with imports of placemats and baskets made out of raffia from Madagascar. Today, the company sells a large collection of vintage furniture, clothing and accessories, mainly from Indonesia and India. Love Shack, established by Norseng, is one of the brands sold at Anouska Colourful Living. The collection is contemporary yet bohemian. The brand targets women who want to dress in an individual way. “We want the clothes to be comfortable yet fashionable. Monitoring trends is a must, but most important is making clothes that fit women of all ages and shapes. A dress from Love Shack works just as well in the winter as in the summer. Dress it up for a night out with 48 | Issue 87 | April 2016
cute sandals in the summer or combine it with wool and boots as the weather gets colder,” Norseng says, adding that she often bases her designs on things she would want to wear herself. “I love textiles and the creative process behind each piece of clothing,” Norseng says. To describe the process, she repeatedly uses the term ‘slow fashion’. “Working a lot by hand is very time consuming; the process can’t be done any quicker,” she explains. Most of the prints are done by hand using block printing. Wooden blocks are carved with the desired pattern, one block per colour and design, and then stamped onto the fabric creating the various layers of a print. “The process takes a few months from block to finished product, and that is what we
mean by the term ‘slow fashion’,” the designer says. “It takes time to create something unique. Talented craftsmen pass on their skills from generation to generation and insure that a thousand-year-old tradition will bring joy to future generations.” Norseng travels to India two to three times a year, making sure that things go smoothly at the factories where the clothes are manufactured. She is involved in the entire process, and it is important for her that the working conditions are sound. “I believe in loyalty and longterm relationships, and I know that my designs are in good hands when I send them off,” she says. As for the future, she sees nothing but opportunities. “Today, we sell our clothes in stores throughout Norway. It would be exciting to reach out to more people and work with retailers all over Europe.” For more information, please visit: www.anouska.no