FARIKAL -Thank you.

We started out three women with a vision. A task. And a question. A vision of forwarding healthy values we had back in the days regarding respecting and valuing the clothes we wear and produce. A task of learning and presenting Norwegian craftsmanships by incorporating them into contemporary fashion. A question; is it possible? Is it possible to use local materials only and produce in Norway alone? How close to the ‘old ways’ can we get?

The journey has been amazing. We were able to get enough capital to start our business and buy materials for the show-piece collection, thanks to a scholarship. We had our show here in Bergen, our hometown, a huge success (if I may say so myself). It was packed, hot and sweaty and the drinks gone before the last girl walked off the runway. It’s amazing the resources you’ll find in people.

Picture by Stian Servoss

We visited ladies in all corners of the country, factories, created relationships and partnerships and got as close as can be before starting production of a small quantity of garments inspired and commercialized by the showpiece collection. As sad as it is, we realized it couldn’t be done. Not for us at least. Looking at the costs, timeline, efficiency, quality, quantity amongst other things -it was never gonna happen the way we wanted it to. The conclusion had to be that the answer to our question was No.

We knew it was likely. And the natural way to go from here would be to just produce in a foreign country.. Which we honestly thought about. But FARIKAL was never about that. It was never about just creating fashion inspired by Norwegian heritage. It was a project to see what would happen if we tried doing it as close to the old ways as possible, yet modify it to make it possible to produce. Reinvent it. And we just weren’t able to commercialize it enough and at the same time get the quality we wanted for the prize we needed.

But we’ve learned SO much.

I’m so grateful for this experience. And we don’t think of this is as a failure at all. The meaning, scope and relevance of things can change along the way, and that’s ok. And I love that the three of us ventured out fearlessly on this journey together. Besides all the things I’ve learned (I think this goes for the other two as well) FARIKAL has taught me to believe more in myself. And I know now more than ever where I want to go and what I want to do. It is time for me to do my own thing, and them theirs.

So Thank you. To everyone who made this possible. We could never have done it without all of you and we’ll take you with us into our next chapter.