Liquorice All Sorts, trips to the circus, elephants and balloons these are few of Norwegian designer Fam Irvoll’s favourite things.  After graduating from ESMOD Fashion College in Norway and Central Saint Martins in London with a BA in Knitwear, Fam Irvoll started her namesake label and that’s where the colourful fairytale begins.

Think 3D knitwear, sequins from head to toe, Swarovski crystal beading and polka dots galore. Fam’s garments could be described as ready to wear for the brave hearted or viewed as costume for an alternate Disney movie, but whichever way you look at them they are a whole lot of fun.

With blue hair and a lurid wardrobe of her own to match, Fam is a walking commercial for her enigmatic label. Next week, on the 18^th of August, the Norwegians will show up, in a colourful frenzy of their own, to celebrate this vibrant designer. Her hometown shows in Oslo normally attract a crowd of 3000 strong. It’s not just her home town, Italian Vogue, French Elle and musicians Marina and the Diamonds have also recently embraced Fam’s designs.

Her AW10 collection was inspired by the Circus and saw models with towering clown hair styles and theatrical face make up strut down the runway in all manner of animated uniforms from polka dot tights and jumpsuits to sequin and pompom skirts. Then came the clincher, dumbo blouses and dresses.  Everything Fam does, is done in a literal sense, that is part humorous and part genius construction.

Aside from the Elephants, the collection included 3D hands that wrapped the body and plenty of Fam’s signature 3D knitwear. The 3D idea developed in Fam’s mind before the label had even been born. After seeing Gwen Stefani’s music video for What You Waiting For in 2005 she was so inspired she watched Alice in Wonderland fifty times and decided she wanted to make all the fun things in the movie, but in life size and attached to clothes and so her penchant for 3D was born.

The Alice in Wonderland theme still rung true in this collection, which featured knitted blouses and dresses with balloon arms in a checker pattern. Other jaw dropping 3D pieces ranged from over-sized multicoloured polka dot dresses to a balloon dress; including the hands to hold them and an over-sized jumper filled with Swarovski crystals in every colour under the sun, not to mention the enormous bows that wove their way throughout the collection.  As if that isn’t enough Fam also custom designs all her own prints or in this particular collection full blown cartoon style illustrations!

So you can see why the crowds roll out when Fam is in town, it literally is like the circus has come to town and this time round at Norwegian Fashion Week there is some wide-eyed fun for the whole family. Fam will be showing two collections, one for the ladies and one for the littler ladies. With its childlike motifs and aesthetics children’s wear does seem like a natural step for Fam Irvoll but perhaps that’s the best thing about Fam’s imaginative creations they treat the little kid in all of us. Come on you know want to indulge.

Fam took five minutes out before the pre-show madness to talk to Tangent about life before fashion, the future and where her crazy creations come from.

TM: Why Fashion?

Fam: It’s a coincidence actually it could easily have been something else. I was travelling back in 2001 and my mum was sick of me just being lazy so she applied to several schools back in Norway and the first one I got into was ESMOD fashion school. I’ve always been creative so I thought why not! After the first year I knew this was what I wanted to do.
TM: Tell me about your life before fashion?

Fam: Before fashion I was a Goa travelling hippie with dread locks and a Bindi stuck on my face, wearing Hare Krishna clothes and sleeping in a hammock on the beach. Quite nice actually.

TM: Was your wardrobe as colourful when you were a child as your label is today?

Fam: Yes it was, it was mostly pink and purple ballerina dresses. I even had pink hair as a five year old.

TM: How would you describe the girl who wears your label?

Fam: Fun, Colourful, Kind of Quirky and a person that likes to make people laugh.

TM: If you could collaborate with one person who would it be?

Fam: It would be the wonderful Gareth Pugh. I love him; he’s such an amazing designer and wonderful person. He is probably the complete opposite to me so it would be interesting to see what could come out of that. His stuff is very dark and mysterious and mine is very naïve and colourful. Ahh I love Gareth.

TM: What is the natural colour of your hair?

Fam: I’m Scandinavian Blond

TM: Who was your childhood hero and why?

Fam: I think it must have been some Disney character. I used to love Disney so much. It was probably Cinderella, because she was so strong and hardworking and obviously because she got to wear a glass shoe and I really wanted one.

TM: Where do you see Fam Irvoll in five years time?

Fam: Hopefully the label has expanded into selling in different shops all over Europe and I really want to try to get it into Japan I think it would be right for that market. As for where I see myself, I would have two kids, a boyfriend and a small house with a garden and a studio for all my things somewhere in London. That would be amazing.