SPECIAL PROMOTION
to teachpeople tobuy less,butmorebeautiful and longer-lastingproducts
madeusingsustainablematerials.” Indoingso, theycreatedacontemporary
interpretationofNorwegianknittedpatterns,usingmerinowoolwithasilkblend
andalpacawool, thatareaspopularwith localsas theyarewith touristsand
abroad,with fans includingNorwegian royaltyandMichelleObama.
The three foundersmetwhileworkingatDaleFabrikker–at the time,
Norway’sbiggest textilecompany. Frustratedwith theirexperienceof the
company, theydecided theycoulddo thingsbetter.
Today,Oleana isa teamof70whowork in the factoryandacrosssevenshops
inNorway,Denmark,SwedenandSwitzerland (supportedbyover300boutique
distributorsacross theworld).Notonly is ita family-runcompany–Valestrand
andAarhus’sdaughter,GerdaSørhus,andherhusbandSteffenFuglerudareon the
vergeof taking itover–but there isalsoastrongsenseof familywithin thecloseknit
team.There isanannualoverseas trip for theentirecompany (“Itpaintsarainbow
over theordinarydays,”saysAarhus),wagesarehigh for thenotoriously low-waged
textile industry,andan innovativeprofitshareprogrammeseesa thirdofallprofits
equallydistributedamongallemployees. “Ourgoalwas toworkhardandbenice to
people,”saysValestrand. “Andwehavesucceeded–wegetgood feedbackonboth
ourproductsandourbusinessphilosophy.”
Back in 1992,however, itwasastrange time to launcha textileandclothing
brand inNorway.Manyof thecountry’sbankswereon thevergeofbankruptcy,
Opposite
⁄
Apiece from
Oleana’scurrent
collection
Left
⁄
After thegarment
pieces arecreated
byknitting
machines, theyare
assembledbyhand
and throughout the 1970sand ’80s,Norwegian textile factorieswerebeing
closedor relocatedabroadbecauseowners found localproductionwasno longer
lucrative.The trio refused to letgoof theircollectivedream, andwith theadvice
of successfulBergenbusinessmanChristianRieber–who theynowcall their
fairygodfather– theymanaged tosecure the loans theyneeded.Theynamed
theircompanyafterasettlement forNorwegian immigrants inNorthAmerica
foundedbyvisionaryNorwegianviolinistOleBull in 1852.
Aarhuscreated thedesigns for thenewbrand’sfirst collection–“I took them
from the folk tradition,”shesays–and, the followingyear, SolveigHisdal joined
themasOleana’ssoledesigner, a roleshestillhas today. “WegiveSolveig free
reign,”saysAarhus. “She isan incredibledesigner.”
Inspiration forHisdal’s idiosyncraticpatternscomes fromeverywhere, from
antiqueEnglishwallpapersandflowers toChineseblueandwhiteporcelain,
»
“Ourgreatest
dreamwasto
provewecould
produceclothing
inNorway”
070\
n
