Its that time of year again, graduate season. In Oslo, Academy graduate, Kine Økland, caught our eye. Through vivid use of experimental materials, with a firm grasp on classic cuts and imaginative drapings, her collection, The Catch, inspired a further glance into what makes this young designer tick.
All clothes: Kine Økland
You chose to call your collection Catch, could you tell us a bit about your inspiration and the idea behind the collection? What was the starting point and how did you achieve the final result?
I wanted to use concrete sources of inspiration and rather work with melting them together. The inspiration comes from everything from traditional book binding to military uniforms to African hunting cultures, nature and colour combinations. Throughout the process I have kept in mind the modern woman hunting in todays society. We are all hungry for something, hunting for our next pray, thereof the title Catch.
The mix of the different textiles you have chosen has created contrasts in the clothes, but also quite a concentrated entirety. Among your materials we find latex, please tell us a bit about how you treated the material and how you worked with it.
The latex initially came into the project as an experiment, trying to create three-dimensional shapes. However it proved difficult to get the material to do exactly what I wanted. It was first when I painted the latex over printed textiles that I found something I thought worked. I also mixed acrylic paint into the latex to achieve the colours I wanted. In its original state it’s transparent.
Working with the latex has been a challenge when it comes to crafting. I chose to let the material’s properties be dominant. The painted latex keeps the fabric from unravelling when you cut it. It works like leather. Apart from some challenges along the way I feel like I have created something unique and I have grown to love the different textures.
Is there someone who you admire and find inspiration in his or her work?
Often I find myself drawn to pictures and objects and their colours. I however find it difficult to create colour combinations. So I spend a lot of time finding good and appealing combinations. I find my inspiration in art, films, music, magazines, photography and all kinds of mundane things. In regards to this process I have found inspiration in the artist Dale Frank and his use of colour and Mulatu Astatke’s music.
How do you balance the craftsmanship to the creative process? What is most important in your presentation of your work?
I am very occupied with good craftsmanship in my clothes. I want the wearer to get a feeling of there having gone a lot of time and energy into the outfit. My involvement in the clothes should transcend and evoke these feelings for the wearer. In this collection the all over impression took front seat. I didn’t have to target the collection and I got to play around with the use of techniques and materials. Towards the end a lot of decisions were taken with the visual part of the show in mind.
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As a young designer in Norway – what are the challenges one face, versus what one might in a bigger country?
The fact that the industry is smaller here makes it a bit easier to get attention, but then again it is much harder if you don’t want to start up your own label at once. There are few people to work with and even less places where you can get the much-needed experience. Another known challenge is the fact that even if the applause is laud, it’s hard to find customers. However this also depends on where one chooses to position oneself in regards to price and target audience.
What are your plans for the future? Do you see yourself setting up in Norway?
My experience is that what I enjoy most is working with other people – working together for a common goal. I find that the administration surrounding the production in itself sometimes steals focus from what I actually want to do, which is experiment. I hope I get to continue evolving within my field. I want to work with clothes, materials and the process that involve the production of these on some level.
Who do you picture wearing your clothes?
The woman I had in mind for the collection, and for which the clothes are made, is the modern woman who is sure of herself, inquisitive and aware of her own style and what se wears. She isn’t occupied with trends as such, but rather enjoys challenging herself, creating own trends and wearing something that can inspire others.
