Cala Jade has captured the sartorial hearts of Norway’s style set – meet the power pair behind this buzzy brand
When stepping off a train at the central station in Oslo, you’re bound to spot one of Cala Jade’s woven masterpieces swung over the shoulder or tucked under the arm of the Norwegian capital’s snazzy dressers. In fact, upon her return from Oslo Runway our editor-in-chief Martina Bonnier exclaimed that it was a “fashion phenomenon”. “The best feeling is to see our bags or accessories walking down the street,” says founder Tina Skaar and her business partner for the brand, Elise Ugland. “Our designs are ultimately fulfilled through regular use and real life experience.”
Founded in 2008, the brand blossomed from a “nerdy interest and passion for leather.” “We wanted to create handbags and accessories that were functional, durable and had an aesthetic that was timeless yet with a twist,” the duo explains. Both coming from a design background, the founders had a clear aesthetic for the brand that was cemented from the very start. “The first Cala Jade bag was called Gumma,” they say. A big shoulder bag with a leather framework and an interchangeable inner bag, it was designed to be a functional chameleon changing “look after mood and occasion.”
The Nami bag in Kombu Green Suede. Photo: Pernille Haugen for Cala Jade
The Nami Mini in Cloud Berry. Photo: Pernille Haugen for Cala Jade
Working with leather was always a driving factor for the brand. “Leather as a material holds so many of the qualities which make a design process and end product fascinating,” the duo explains. For Skar and Ugland, Cala Jade’s leather goods are about creating a long lasting product. “We hope that our bags, just like certain good wines, will get better and better with age,” they say. “Good quality leather gets its own beautiful and unique patina over time.”
That said, there’s nothing traditional about the brand’s approach to their material selection. Sourcing locally, Cala Jade's earlier collections featured materials such as Nordic salmon leather. “We find the material and structure very fascinating. It is also surprisingly durable,” the duo says.
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Beyond looking at innovative materials, the brand’s sustainable approach comes down to creating timeless products. “Sustainability is essential and we all need to make an effort to make more sustainable choices in all aspects of life,” the duo says. “More care and love for our natural surroundings is needed. Less consumerism.”
Misu bags in various sizes and colours. Photo: Stephanie Sikkes for Cala Jade
We hope that our bags, just like certain good wines, will get better and better with age
Tina Skaar and Elise Ugland
The design process always starts with the material. “When we are designing a product, we want to give it a life of its own and put thought and care into every part of it,” says Skaar. “We focus immensely on the different types of materials and leathers for our collections,” Ugland adds. “Most of our customers choose their bags with a great deal of thought, and this inspires us to make something truly special, which they can love and care for years to come,” they say.
When creating their handbags, now emblematic of Norwegian fashion, the duo looks to architecture, art and nature. The colour palette is key, currently based in dusty pinks, washed out pistachio green, deep purple and burnt ochre. “Random things and details around us get loaded into our creative minds for later use,” they explain.
The Misu bag in Cold Brew. Photo: Stephanie Sikkes for Cala Jade
The Masago bag in Ebony. Photo: Pernille Haugen for Cala Jade
The result is a lineup of modern classics, spearheaded by the brand’s Misu bag. The woven shape – familiar to most Norwegians – was created with inspiration from the classic Scandinavian birch bark basket and traditional Christmas paper hearts. “We also just launched the Ako bag family, with Nami and Masago bags that have a buckle inspired by an eroded oyster shell,” the founders say. Skar and Ugland believe these bags became signatures for the brand due to their “fresh details and their functionality”, noting that, “they’re bags that you can use when you ride your bike, go to work and straight off to a dinner or bar.”
Transparency is the next big hurdle to tackle for the brand. “At Cala Jade it is a continuous focus in the design and production process,” the pair say, though they recognise that there is still progress to be made. “We still have many steps to go. We try our best to do our part and evolve and make products that are made to stay,” the duo concludes.