Northern Light

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 — dresses, skirts and jackets, trousers and cocktail gowns — 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 Norway’s Salvation Army were used in ball dresses while shoes were replaced with wooden clogs flown down from her home. “I am hoping this collection opens up avenues for me in India. I would love to retail here as well,” 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. “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,” she says. Even watching Manish Arora’s show proved to be a revelation. Skarland says she is happy with the way things have shaped up so far. “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,” she smiles. That is pretty Indian.