When Envelope1976 unveiled its new collection on the opening day of Oslo Runway today, Norwegian nature, international contemporary art and award-winning architecture provided the backdrop.
It is difficult to imagine a more spectacular setting for a fashion show than Kistefos. Since Christen Sveaas established the museum in 1996, the former wood pulp mill at Jevnaker has evolved into one of Norway’s most distinctive art destinations. Historic industrial buildings stand alongside works by some of the world’s leading contemporary artists, scattered throughout the landscape along the Randselva river.
And at the heart of it all is The Twist. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, the spectacular 60-metre structure twists across the river, combining gallery, bridge and sculpture, becoming something of an artwork in its own right. As a backdrop for Envelope1976, Kistefos felt almost tailor-made. Founded by Celine Aagaard, the label has made an understated Scandinavian aesthetic its signature, with an emphasis on nature, functionality and a considered approach to how clothes are produced and worn.
At Kistefos, the clothes became part of something larger than the traditional catwalk: forest, water, raw industrial heritage and monumental art.
It is in encounters like these that Oslo Runway is at its most interesting – when Norwegian fashion becomes about more than what we will be wearing next season, placing itself instead within a broader conversation about design, culture and the world we live in.
See the Oslo Runway program her.
Read our previous interview with designer Celine Aagaard her.
