Linda Christiansen & Mikal Murstad Strøm OF MOLD ATELIER
Mold Atelier is a Creative Studio in Oslo, Norway, by Designer, Linda Christiansen, and Art Director, Mikal Murstad Strøm.
How did it all begin for MOLD ATELIER?
In early 2018, in her desire to create jewellery for her friends, Linda started experimenting with different materials. We spent a lot of time finding our signature look and developing unique designs.
Describe yourself and your designs to us?
We work together from our studio in Oslo. The majority of our products are made of razor-thin, hand-polished brass sheets. This makes our earrings light as feathers and the carefully hand-polished surface reflects natural sunlight in a delicate way. We use brass because we want our products to keep evolving after they leave our studio. Brass has a natural oxidation process, which means the earrings will change in tone and colour, depending on the humidity and weather in which they are worn.
Lately, we’ve also been experimenting with earrings of dried oak bark. Linda gathers inspiration from nature, culture, and friendships, she sketches the shapes onto paper before she starts prototyping. After wearing the prototypes for a while, we photograph them and start taking orders online. All products are made to order.
What is a standout moment in shaping Mold Atelier?
It’s hard to say. I think nothing and everything stands out. That has actually been one of our mission statements since the beginning, to not hit highs and lows but to keep it slow and steady. We’re in it for the long run.
What creative work has you excited right now?
We just launched the Oak Bark Object, a limited collection of clip-on earrings made of dried oak bark found at Bredfjällets nature reserve, where Linda grew up in Sweden.
What is ahead for mold atelier this year?
We’re hopefully getting a deal with a manufacturer that can work with brass on the level we expect them to. This would enable us to receive bigger orders faster and is essential for us to grow. We will still make most of our pieces by hand, here in Oslo, but we’ll have some of our best sellers created by the manufacturer.
What do you love to do the most to recharge?
Since Linda and I live together, we make sure it’s not all about work. We recharge with long breakfasts or lunches. Travelling is always recharging and gives us a boost of inspiration and energy.
What advice do you have for emerging designers?
Spend time finding your own style, it has to be a style that you feel like you on some level already have a natural talent for but also something you feel like you have a lot to learn. And learn a bit of marketing. Very little in life sells itself.
