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When Julie Skarland left Oslo for New Delhi, it was meant to be a brief stopover. Or so she thought. It has been three years since...

Written by Paromita Chakrabarti

November 15, 2008 12:00 AM IST

3 min read

Norwegian designer Julie Skarland opens her innings in the Capital, blending Arctic nostalgia with Indian extravaganza

When Julie Skarland left Oslo for New Delhi, it was meant to be a brief stopover. Or so she thought. It has been three years since, and the Norwegian designer has abandoned her Arctic nostalgia to soak in the relatively pleasant Delhi winters. But what lured the 46-year-old, who has a boutique in Paris, were the classic designs, the weavers of Bengal and the artisans of Almora. 8220;India happened to me, and I kept on extending my stay here, finding reasons to stay back in this beautiful country. It8217;s almost home to me now,8221; says Skarland, who is now settled at Defence Colony and works out of her studio at Lajpat Nagar.

And when she put up her debut show in the country on Friday, the guest list was like a power list. It was a lavish cocktail organised by the Norwegian Ambassador Ann Ollestad to honour RK Pachauri and Indian and international business leaders, including Ratan Tata. Skarland put out 30 ensembles 8212; dresses, skirts and jackets, trousers and cocktail gowns 8212; all drawn from her Norwegian roots and influenced by her years of training in Paris. The colours were soothing, ranging from smoked blue and fawn to beige and ivory, and the embellishments blended Indian extravagance with her Norwegian experience, as tigers and peacocks were fused into motifs, along with icebergs and northern lights. There were tees with slogans for peace and harmony, all in organic fabrics. Recycled hand-knitted sweaters from Norway8217;s Salvation Army were used in ball dresses while shoes were replaced with wooden clogs flown down from her home. 8220;I am hoping this collection opens up avenues for me in India. I would love to retail here as well,8221; says the unassuming Skarland, who retails across Japan, France, the US, Italy and Norway.

Skarland, who grew up at Trondheim in Norway, moved to Paris to study at Studio Bercot, and eventually opened her own workspace near the white-domed Basilica of the Sacre Coeur. 8220;Paris taught me a lot about creative freedom, about how to infuse your sensibility with the trends of the age, and then, when I moved to India, I realised how a rich tradition of art and craft can enrich your designs,8221; she says. Even watching Manish Arora8217;s show proved to be a revelation. Skarland says she is happy with the way things have shaped up so far. 8220;When I went to Paris, I had no idea that I would open a studio there. Likewise, I had imagined India to be a stopover, but here I am now. I go with the flow. Whatever has to happen, will happen,8221; she smiles. That is pretty Indian.

Paromita Chakrabarti

Paromita Chakrabarti is Senior Associate Editor at the The Indian Express. She is a key member of the National Editorial and Opinion desk and writes on books and literature, gender discourse, workplace policies and contemporary socio-cultural trends. Professional Profile With a career spanning over 20 years, her work is characterized by a "deep culture" approach—examining how literature, gender, and social policy intersect with contemporary life. Specialization: Books and publishing, gender discourse (specifically workplace dynamics), and modern socio-cultural trends. Editorial Role: She curates the literary coverage for the paper, overseeing reviews, author profiles, and long-form features on global literary awards. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent writing highlights a blend of literary expertise and sharp social commentary: 1. Literary Coverage & Nobel/Booker Awards "2025 Nobel Prize in Literature | Hungarian master of apocalypse" (Oct 10, 2025): An in-depth analysis of László Krasznahorkai’s win, exploring his themes of despair and grace. "Everything you need to know about the Booker Prize 2025" (Nov 10, 2025): A comprehensive guide to the history and top contenders of the year. "Katie Kitamura's Audition turns life into a stage" (Nov 8, 2025): A review of the novel’s exploration of self-recognition and performance. 2. Gender & Workplace Policy "Karnataka’s menstrual leave policy: The problem isn’t periods. It’s that workplaces are built for men" (Oct 13, 2025): A viral opinion piece arguing that modern workplace patterns are calibrated to male biology, making women's rights feel like "concessions." "Best of Both Sides: For women’s cricket, it’s 1978, not 1983" (Nov 7, 2025): A piece on how the yardstick of men's cricket cannot accurately measure the revolution in the women's game. 3. Social Trends & Childhood Crisis "The kids are not alright: An unprecedented crisis is brewing in schools and homes" (Nov 23, 2025): Writing as the Opinions Editor, she analyzed how rising competition and digital overload are overwhelming children. 4. Author Interviews & Profiles "Fame is another kind of loneliness: Kiran Desai on her Booker-shortlisted novel" (Sept 23, 2025): An interview regarding The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. "Once you’ve had a rocky and unsafe childhood, you can’t trust safety: Arundhati Roy" (Aug 30, 2025): A profile on Roy’s recent reflections on personal and political violence. Signature Beats Gender Lens: She frequently critiques the "borrowed terms" on which women navigate pregnancy, menstruation, and caregiving in the corporate world. Book Reviews: Her reviews often draw parallels between literature and other media, such as comparing Richard Osman’s The Impossible Fortune to the series Only Murders in the Building (Oct 25, 2025). ... Read More

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