Designer focus: Anna Ringstad

Based between Oslo and Paris, Norwegian designer Anna Ringstad works at the intersection of fashion, craft and performance. Her work explores femininity, beauty and the effort behind looking effortless, bringing together expressive silhouettes, intricate handcraft and unexpected materials.

Her debut collection, ✩ 🎀 𝑀𝒶𝒾𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓃𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝑀𝑒𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒸𝒽💍𝓁𝒾𝒶 🎀 ✩, looks at the rituals and contradictions involved in getting dressed up. Inspired by the meeting of Baltic and Scandinavian beauty ideals, the collection plays with the contrast between the highly styled “Baltic babe” and the idea of effortless Scandinavian beauty. Because looking like you haven’t tried can take quite a bit of work.

Through floral prints, sculptural knitwear, corset-like shapes, intricate crochet, embroidery and beadwork, Anna takes familiar codes of femininity and pushes them somewhere unexpected. The pieces are detailed, expressive and deliberately excessive, finding a balance between romance and awkwardness, fantasy and everyday life.

A closer look at the collection reveals the time and care behind each piece. Anna works with labour-intensive techniques and materials that might not traditionally be considered precious. Reclaimed yarn from second-hand garments is unravelled and reworked, alongside synthetic fabrics sourced from Parisian deadstock suppliers. Through knitting, crochet, embroidery and unconventional construction, these materials are transformed into something entirely new.

There is something interesting in this contrast. The collection celebrates the work that goes into making something beautiful, while questioning the expectations that surround beauty itself. It is about wanting to look effortless while putting in the effort, wanting to be seen while pretending not to care, and the familiar experience of getting dressed up only to wonder if perhaps it is all a little too much.

Rather than judging these contradictions, Anna approaches them with humour, tenderness and a sense of admiration. The result feels personal and playful, with a distinct point of view.

Anna first presented the collection as part of Oslo Runway’s NEXT programme in September 2026. Instead of a traditional runway setting, she chose Café Sara in Oslo, bringing the collection into an everyday environment and creating a meeting point between fashion and performance. The presentation reflected the spirit of the work itself: independent, unconventional and open to interpretation.

At Den Dama, we believe fashion can be about more than products. We want to make space for designers who build something of their own, experiment with materials and techniques, and bring new ideas into the conversation.

 Supporting independent designers is also about supporting the creativity, craftsmanship and individuality that make fashion interesting in the first place.

Anna’s work offers a different perspective on femininity and dressing up. It is colourful, intricate and full of character, with a willingness to follow an idea somewhere unexpected. We’re happy to be showing her debut collection at Den Dama and to give you the chance to experience the pieces up close.

Discover Anna Ringstad’s collection in store at Den Dama.