The pictures of the entire "Mixed Candy" show at Miss Norway 2010 are finally out!

Here are the photos from the Miss and Miss Norway show 2010 27th of August, when the contest made history by appointing the first colored girl as Miss Norway, Iman Kerigo - in "my" dress (it is now hers). - As an alternative too often more solemn fashion weeks, I cooperated with a beauty contest on a show this season. All clothes were reused or redesigned in thread with the new environment friendly profile of the event.

1: Mrs Norway later that evening, Malene Braaten-Sakariassen

in an early 1960s inspired dress that combined with her princess

looks was the natural showstarter.

2: Mrs Norway finalist Marit Helene Skree in another early 1960s

inspired dress. The belt also has a very cute bow not visible here.

3: Miss Norway contestant Elin Lilland in a style that can be

described as antiquity mixed with ABBAs color palette.

4: Marit Helene Kvist from Oslo, another Miss Norway candidate

in a redesigned royal blue party dress.

5: Miss Norway 2010, Iman Kerigo, still happily unkowing about

her victory later that evening. The dress is the most costly of the

"Mixed Candy" outfits, with a pearl collar taking a week to make.

6: Carita Haugrud, Miss contestant, styled by herself in yellow.

 7: Henriette Ruud Hov, another. The dress is inspired by colorful

goddess dresses of the late 1970s. 

8: Anette Celin Olsen, miss finalist in her Cinderella dress, with

petticoat made from another ball gown, in dark silk. Note the

slogan in the background.

9: Miss contestant Rikke Norby in a late 1960s inspired evening

gown with a necklace that seemed to have its own life.

10: The third and last Mrs. Norway contestant, Helene

Stangeland, with shoes to die for.

11: Lene Okkerstrøm in a dress with 2nd hand lace covered

bodice and an evening bag called "Meringue".

12: Alica Andersen in an almost imperial dress suiting her

birthplace St. Petersburg.

 13: Kine Marie Tellenes was the last model in the living jigsaw

puzzle one calls fitting sessions, but luckily Alica, herself and I

together assembled this unexpected, but indeed very nice ensemble.

14: Later first runner up and Miss Water Marion Dyrvik in a ball

skirt and bolero uniformed jacket earlier shown in India,

combined with a top made for the occassion (actually redesign

of a dress that never made it to India and Oxybleach´s fashion week).

And here is some of us together at the fashion show finale.

Of course hair and make up in some cases as well as the whole setting is more commercial and adjusted to popular taste and rest of the finale show, but everything is a trade off. - At fashion weeks the audience can be less supportive and, to put it frankly, the staff more arrogant than in the entertainment business (this does not apply for my experiences in India, that made an example in friendliness and non-stress backstage behaviour). And despite some minor runway faux pas the show was a success!

- It was mentioned in Norway´s leading celebrity gossip magazine already the day after: "All the miss candidates presented a dress from the designer Rudy Wolff, who received great cheering after the show."

(http://www.seher.no/849916/historisk-seier-i-miss-norway).

All photos are taken by Dmitry K. Valberg.

A golden experience - a Norwegian designer does not live on oatmeal all the time

Since writing about Oro (and also Terje Næss´restaurant Haga) as a freelance journalist, I have wanted to dine at Oro, but spending all extra money on marketing literature and sewing materials has limited my restaurant visits at the present time.

This week, I visited it with the Miss Norway contestants, soon former Mrs and Miss Norway, the editor of the wine magazine Rødt og hvitt ("Red and white"), as well as Miss Norway organizers.

The starter is the best fish meal I have ever had: Salmon with fresh lemon cream. It was so tasty that picture taking was neglected and conversation stopped.

This was followed by more fall-ish chicken ...

.... and a fresh berry dessert, unfortunately hastily consumed beacause of latecomers combined with a tight programme:

Due to other tasks that night, only one glass of white wine was consumed (I cannot remember which, as it was not that memorable).

However, all in all I would give the meal 5 out of 6 points, placing it in league with inter alia Bergen´s To Kokker (5+), Fem stuer at Holmenkollen Park Hotel (5) and Ekebergrestauranten (5+), naturally beaten by my best meal ever - at Les Amabassadeurs (6) at Hôtel Crîllon, a $ 200 luncheon enjoyed in palace like surroundings and practically lasting until 10 p.m. What is below 5 is not very mentionable.

Best regards from someone that lives for pleasure.

Glamourous remix & redesign - Rudy Wolff´s "Mixed Candy" at Miss Norway 2010!

In connection with the Miss Norway finale 2010, I will have a fashion show, "Mixed Candy", with the contestants as models. See the invitation at http://www.missnorway.no/invitasjon.html. 

"Norwegian design" - a category of its own?

It seems like the press, our local celebrities, and large parts of the national fashion scene regard Norwegian fashion design as a category of its own. But is not this in reality a way of underestimating it? "I support Norwegian design," they say, but is Norwegian fashion a kind of charity object needing support? Or should it better be able to compete internationally because of talent and market insight instead?

Rich, but small and not so motivated

It is no secret that the Norwegian market is microscopic. All in all we have about 4.5 million people, of whom only a certain part is urbanized, somewhat more affluent than our extensive middle-middle class, and into Norwegian design when it comes to personal preferences. - Designer clothes are costly compared to ready to wear items from the chain stores and shopping malls. Personally, I only started to even consider purchasing Norwegian designer clothes when my income reached 6 cifers, in dollars. How many women actually earn that much? In Norway, only about half of the population is employed at all, while about half of the women are said to work part time, often in low paid jobs. Are many of these married to partners with such incomes, whom are also willing to spend large sums on clothing when international design still aesthetically beat most of it?

Support in front of the cameras

Despite widespread affluence in Norway, taste is also still rather utilitarian and everydayish, while "celebs" run from the red carpet to the social welfare offices and then back again. Especially during the fashion week, they show up in borrowed feather from some of our designers, claiming to "support Norwegian design". Would not actually paying the designers for the outfits be a better support than just any PR? - It is not so certain that the ideal client identifies with young, overexposed people that are wellknown for being ... wellknown. Returning a sweaty, perhaps also damaged garment does not remind of neither respect or support, while a designer demanding money for repair et cetera is considered impolite ...

Sandbox catfights

Some Norwegian designers are so desperate to gain local fame that they supposedly even give away garments for free to this week´s it-girls. Others regard any other designer making clothes for the same sex as potential competition and try f.ex. to steal muses or sabotage the sponsorships of their imagined competitors. Of course such irritations decrease inspiration and concentration, but would it not be better to spend more energy on levelling ones own design and positive marketing instead? Accordingly, a designer publically bragging about the achievents of most often her "competitors" is misunderstoodly regarded as commercial suicide. I hereby say something positive about clothes from Leila Hafzi, Cecilie Melli and Iselin Engan: I think some of their garments are wonderful. I hope this does not ruin me for all future.

Money for nothing?

Fighting over the Norwegian sandbox seems in many cases to be in total vain: According to the financial magazine Kapital ("capital") this spring, less than a handful of Norwegian fashion designers have sufficient income to even support themselves or running their business without intravenous therapy from people that do support them. Otherwise, fashion design here is something to spend ones own money on. - A trade must be regarded truly attractive when one actually pays for conducting it, instead of the opposite!

The receipe of success is not a one size fits all concept

Producing prêt-à-porter garments in Norway is out of the question if margins are considered interesting, and they should. Ready to wear is, however, more suitable for Norwegian preferences than even more expensive and decadent couture. Norwegian brands that succeed financially all make wearable clothes according to Norwegian taste and usage. Thus they can be compared to any chain store, but in a smaller scale. The best current example is Moods of Norway, mentioned in HBR and spreading their business in the U.S, Macy´s included. Yesterday they were appointed ambassadors of Norwegian design by Oslo Fashion Week, certainly a more well deserved prize than giving it to one of ones own sponsors.

But any smaller design house, which is the most common in this vein of the fashion industry, cannot be compared to them, inter alia beacuse of a large difference in styles, type of clothing and business model. On the other hand, practically all of our internationally acknowledged designers are either cross-cultural or based abroad. - A point to ponder in a global economy? Our brightest design stars work internationally for already established luxury brands. Do they in reality have anything to do with "Norwegian design"? Does a birth certificate limit you to a national style, or to a micro market?

Compete internationally!

Norway has many fashion design talents that could function as ambassadors abroad. Please support the talents in reality too, by perhaps being a bit more selective in your homage and encourage what actually has the potential to compete internationally. Only at that moment of time we can brag about "Norwegian design".

"Mixed Candy" - the Norwegian show

"Up for recycling": An outfit worn at India International Fashion Week by Miss Iceland, who initially (and unknowingly) gave me the idea of cooperating with beauty contest organizers.

It is time to reveal a public secret. I am the main designer of the Miss (and Mrs) Norway 2010 finale August 27th here in Oslo, an adventure for everybody involved. Here the contestants themselves will show my flower-, fruit- and macaroon-colored evening wear.

One of the winners will be sent to the Miss Earth finale in Vietnam in late November. Miss Earth is focused on the environment, and so is Miss Norway now. Before this, I have attended many seminars on green business and eco-friendly fashion, for future inspiration. I have also written a text about a more environment friendly fashion consumption at my homepage, with i.a. to many people surprising facts.

In thread with this, I therefore gave myself a challenge when it comes to this fashion show. Time was too short to make an entirely new collection anyway, and with the internal slogan "Reuse, remix & redesign" I decided to avoid buying new materials, and make the best out what I already had - from many of my favourite garments and fabric leftovers from earlier collections. The name for this show within the Miss Norway show was already given: "Mixed Candy", as the colors reminds of candy as well.

So far and probably until the finale show at Ballroom, only thread, zippers and some (? = wait and see) glass pearls have been bought for the occasion. More 90% of the outfits are either new, redesigned or never shown at a Norwegian catwalk before. Thus, I demonstrate that reuse does not have to be quirky or have the characteristic odour of flea markets and second hand shops. On the contrary, it can be quite glamorous!

After the show, most of the "Mixed Candy" garments will be sold at trendbazaar.no 

Raw materials for "Mixed Candy".

With a dedicated team and professional helpers within the entertainment and fashion industry, I hope this will be a very nice show. - I unfortunately know too much about the opposite. But as the Walt Disney´s Cinderella movie was the first inspiration source for me, I always survived harsh circumstances and work for a bright future. Because you owe it to yourself to at least try to fulfill your dreams!

A fun Rudy Wolff "Imperivm" photoshoot breaking up the cold and boring month March

After making and showing 3 1/2 collections since November 2008 (when "Making history" was initiated), ending with the "Imperivm" show at Teatermuseet 18th of February, I have allowed myself to rest a bit.
- That is to say maybe taken totally ten days off (I have never had more than three contiguous days to releax since this fashion craziness started!) altogether.

Time has been used on a certain healthy amount of laziness and not so healthy gluttony, besides catching up with my Norwegian School of Management studies, opening of my own catwalk outlet at Trendbazaar, PR work in general, and new embroideries (as the eyecatcher on a $ 12.000 dress for myself, as I definitevely deserve it):

This "baby", born as late as 23rd of February, is now a 1/2 yard long scroll.

The most fun part of this business is (when ignoring the many people with issues and unjustified, narcissistic personality traits in the fashion industry) is getting to know new and exiting people with a genuinely positive attitude towards others, to creativity and to life!

- Earlier this month I was invited to a fashion shoot dedicated to my design. The photographer was Ole Morten Myrvoll, who covered the abovementioned show for the blog page Norwegian Fashion. A studio at Grünerløkka was rented, and a nice makeup artist, Sølvi Strifelt, was assigned for the job along with the three models Ida Sofie, Anders (debutant) and Nara, an Australian sunbeam.

Here are some of the other pictures taken that day: 

This jacket was also shown at Spelemannsprisen (the Norwegian Grammy awards).

"Classical fashion" - a successful show against all odds

As an aesthethic I dare say we had two good shows with the most beautiful models this day, at the very best location; our own "palace" for the evening.

Never say never

Only hours after I wrote that everything was according to schedule, the combined host and sponsor had changed his mind and hence made problems for the planned show 18th of February: This autumn I was offered a fully sponsored fashion show at a classical café here in Oslo. As Åse Strand, Norway´s most known hat designer, and I had already talked about cooperating about a fashion show, I asked her to join me. Before Christmas we were also offered to have a show at the luxury shopping mall Eger, but under the condition that we participated at the prêt-à-porter Oslo Fashion Fair, that i.e. moved its exhibition dates colliding with my master course at Norwegian School of Management. Because of the sponsorship and cooperation deal I also rejected an invitation from the U.S., as I find it an obligation to always try ones best to stick to promises.


This last Friday in January the person in question suddenly claimed the entire sponsorship to be a "misunderstanding", his favourite word according to a former employée he never paid (maybe salary expectations were misunderstandings too?). By this time he was already in conflict with one of my aqquintances, while two other had quitted and was about to leave their positions and roles in the establishment. This was only ten days before the press releases were to be published. It belongs to history that this person actually lost the right to use the venue only a week after ... One can call it karma.

"If you can guarantee a 200 000 NOK turnover at our restaurant, we can of course host it."

A friend fixed a new location, the stylish Bølgen & Moi at Tjuvholmen, by the seaside in the financial district. "No problem!" said its profiled founder. I went to see the place myself the following Monday. The local manager never met me in person, but sent an assistant telling me that we had to personally guarantee a $ 33 750 turnover (!) the fashion show evening, "not to lose income". As this is the winter season, there is still a financial crisis going on and there was for instance only two guest present in the entire restaurant while I visited it, I was very tempted to use some very impolite words. Instead I started to look for another place to arrange Classical Fashion.

The perfect venue for the country´s "most theatrical" designer

Several persons were engaged to find a new venue, and I got some very good piece of advice from two of them: Why not use the Theatre Museum in Oslo´s old town hall from 1624? I had already been tipped about this spot before, and it would be an ironic answer to the reception of my "theatrical" debut show with its "beautiful costumes. And costumes is all it is." I was trapped at an intense BI seminar at this moment, but the new venue was ordered for our scheduled time Thursday 18th of February at 8 p.m., a time set by the moneyless "sponsor" in his time.

"Special price for you"

- People were already invited and over a dozen models ordered. One model agency had increased its prices for me 400% compared to last year (when the other designer having his show at the same time as myself paid nothing to the same agency back then). Therefore only three models were ordered from this company, all of them friends and acqquintances I had promised the job.


Less than two weeks before the show I had a chat with one of them, modelling for free the year before. "But this time you get some money at least." "???" - The agency never told the models that they were to be paid, so they thought they would be working for free. However, they would get $ 85.00 each for modelling at the big event that parallelled our show (with its designers paying less). One model called the agency about the lacking salary: "Oh, has Rudy complained again?" - I have never heard anybody talking this way about a business customer, but not all people seem to be interested in keeping their customers. Shortly after the agency also tried to convince the model to work for another designer instead, whose show was to be arranged exactly the same time as ours. "- I will of course email Rudy about this." She never did. The designer even contacted the model directly, offering her dresses etc. Luckily my model has integrity, and resisted the pressure. And there are other model agencies in town ...

A succesful event after all

The day itself offered only minor problems; a catwalk CD was suddenly gone, the museum staff never locked the door - letting guests in too early, some crew people arrived late, a couple of guest had taken maybe a glass too much before show start, the light conditions gave the photographers as well as myself headache ... That is all, and also peanuts in comparason with earlier fashion show experiences in this town.

Various guests, from young fashionistas to eccentric upperclass women, were streaming in among drapes, tassels and columns, finding their chairs, studying theatre costumes, greeting accuintances as well as strangers, chatting, drinking wine from the Gamle Raadhus popup bar ... Learning from couture professionals in India that uneccessary stress never generates quality, I even did an interview with Norwegian Fashion (the article will be published soon) less than one hour before my own show.

Backstage the models changed in a château-like environment, surrounded with historical paintings and classical wall details. Space, light, humour, good spirits ... - This is the way it should be! My always cheerful assistant did a very good job with ironing etc., while I was the dominatrix of the day and main steamer (two tasks somewhat linked together) of the entire thing. The hair and makeup team from Cosmo Beauty had their own corner in this beautiful white hall, and even assisted with lacing one of the Imperivm garments when time felt critical before the show scheduled at 21.35. And starting as scheduled, maybe five minutes too late at worst!

The same beautiful model from Team, wearing an adorable Åse Strand bridal hat.

Working backstage I unfortunately missed Åse Strands show, that was very well received among the guests. This was one of her best collections, and I feel exactly the same about mine. Well, was it against all odds? No, one cannot fight genuine talent and unbendable willpower!

Uppermost photo: Dmitry K. Valberg         This photo: Rudy Wolff.

Pictures from the "Imperivm" show itself will also be published very soon.