Just the mention of the word Scandinavia makes you want to run and put on a sweater. That's why this region is perfect for visiting during the summer months. Even though it does get warm in the peninsula, for me it's a perfect escape from the smoldering heat of Miami.
Last summer, I started my tour of Scandinavia in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. Oslo is the cultural, economic and governmental center of Norway. It's also the home of some of the worlds largest shipping companies, and the fastest growing city in Europe. I loved walking the streets, and checking out the fashion and architecture. Take a look, it was pretty fab.
I get a lot of my inspiration from the streets. In Oslo, the streets are full of vibrant young people, students mostly, who display trends years before the hit the Paris runways. The knot on the T-shirts above are a great example of the looks I saw during my time in Oslo. Casual looks like these inspire me to design in edgier materials and break the status quo, while keeping my classic lines. The pieces below are definitely street chic.
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| Stunning black diamond, with white diamond detail, statement ring. Sexy snake ring in black diamond, with white diamond detail. Both rings set in black gold |
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| A trio of beauties from left to right: Sexy 18 kt rose gold, onyx and diamond ring, Stylin' 18kt rose gold, tigers' eye and diamond ring, and Chic 18kt rose gold, agathe and diamond ring. |
Street style was not the only thing on my agenda. I also toured the Royal Palace, the stunning and modern Opera House, and of course the Botanical Gardens.
I was taken away by the architecture of the Opera House, with it's clean lines and bright open spaces. Much of the city is full of historical buildings, so the Opera House brought great contrast and perspective to my visit.
The building was designed by architect Carl Frederik Stanley and is the home to the national ballet and opera. The Opera House is a truly magnificent example of modern architecture, as it looks like it's rising from the water. It has won several design awards including the very coveted world culture award at the 2008 World Architecture Festival in Barcelona, and the 2009 European Union Prize for Architecture.
After visiting Oslo, we moved onto the Finnish capital of Helsinki. Helsinki is a large metropolitan area bordered by the Baltic Sea. Here we stopped at the Kiasma Art Museum for more modern Architecture and more people watching.
Oslo and Helsinki were only part one of my adventures in Scandinavia, but sadly you will have to wait for the rest of my tour. Next, I will be posting about Copenhagen and maybe even a little more. Stay tuned.
XOXO
Dani K
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