Ola G. Snippen is the creator of Norweigan accessory brand, sovesveis. But his ethereal scarves speak to more than just an aesthetic, they embody the timeless beauty of the Scandi wardrobe and the preservation of traditional craftsmanship.
Ola has always dreamt of launching his own fashion brand, and Visualist is helping him to make it a reality.
Introduce yourself...
My name is Ola, I’m a 23-year-old guy living by a fjord in western Norway. I’m currently studying my last year of a bachelors degree in arts, design, and craftsmanship.
I love creating and have always dreamt of becoming a fashion designer. I created my brand sovesveis (which roughly translates to bed hair in English) as a way of making that dream a reality.
Where do you find inspiration?
I get inspiration from all around me. That could be a song, a plant, or the weather. I am always finding material on my computer from 2014, a photo I printed last year, a note from 2017 and so on—my studio is a mess! However, I need my space to be tidy in order to do my best work.
Boards in Visualist have changed the way I work. Now, whenever I find inspiration I can save it in one space, meaning I don’t have to spend time cleaning clutter before getting to work. The process feels more natural in a way.
What's happening at sovesveis?
I’m currently working on a line of accessories for fall and winter. An essential idea behind the brand is to produce garments that are practical and warm but still look good—Norway is a land with unpredictable weather!
The accessories will be mostly hand-knitted by me but I’m also collaborating with a weaver who will make two one-of-a-kind scarves based on bespoke colour palettes I put together. Visualist has been really helpful here, making it easy to take select colours from imagery and then edit to perfection as a colour block.
How important is colour in your work?
Colour is the essence of everything I do. I want to bring colour to the timeless Scandi wardrobe.
Visualist feels like having a table full of pictures, colours, and fabrics that I can mix and match—with the added benefit of being able to shut the computer and not have to clean anything up!
The scarf is such an elegant accessory, what does it symbolise to you?
For me, as a Norwegian, the scarf symbolises warmth, hugs, and craftsmanship. It also reminds me of my mother, who works as a seamstress of Norwegian folk clothing. A lot of traditional craftsmanship is fading, but my brand exists to keep those traditions alive and relevant.
The scarf, may it be silk or wool, makes one look put together, without having to put effort in with the rest of the outfit. The idea behind soveseis is that the details make the outfit.
