OPI’s Nordic nails it
Nordic-inspired collection of winter colors delights with punny names and a glossy finish
Photo: Miranda Penn-Turin / OPI / Facebook
OPI captures the mood of Scandinavia with their Nordic Collection.
Victoria Hofmo
Brooklyn, N.Y.
My daughter just informed me that she has a gift for me: two bottles of nail polish from OPI’s new Nordic Collection. One bears the name Viking in a Vinter Vonderland, and the other is Thank Glogg It’s Friday! I don’t know about you, but I just love the imaginative names on lipsticks and nail polishes. Their descriptive plays on words are never lack luster.
So, how great to hear that the popular OPI brand has designed a collection that pays tribute to the Nordic countries. OPI has dedicated collections inspired by other cultures, in the past, such as: Holland in Spring/Summer 2012, Germany in Fall/Winter 2012, Hong Kong in Spring 2010, and España in Fall 2009. Seems like it’s Scandinavia’s time to shine. All things “frozen” are in vogue and Scandinavian food is trending in New York restaurants.
After doing a little research, I discovered that OPI has done a Scandinavian Collection once before, in 1994. That collection included lipstick. One website spoke about the rare, yet still coveted, S01 Stockholm on the Range, a pale salmon color.
The 2014 collection boasts twelve colors, besides the two I’ve already mentioned. They include: “My Dogsled is a Hybrid,” “Going My Way or Norway,” “How Great is Your Dane?” “Ice-Bergers & Fries,” “OPI with a Nice Finn-ish,” “Can’t aFjörd Not To,” “Do You Have this Color in Stock-holm?” “My Voice is a Little Norse,” “Skating on Thin Ice-Land,” and “Suzi Has a Swede Tooth.”
Photo: _luluu_ / Instagram
“My Dogsled is a Hybrid”
According to Suzi Weismann, OPI Co-Founder & Executive VP, “When creating colors for a new seasonal collection, I always draw inspiration from the food, music, art, landscape, and street style of a particular destination. While conceptualizing the shades of the Nordic Collection, I ate cinnamon buns and drank gløgg, snapped photographs of brightly painted houses, and gazed in wonder at the region’s topography—from the northern lights and midnight sun to lava flats and deep fjords. All of these diverse elements came together to inspire an equally varied array of colors that capture the aesthetic of the Nordic region.”
The promotional video for the collection is outstanding, depicting romantic scenes of forests and fjords. A leggy blonde emerges in a diaphanous skirt, her shoulders armored in silver leaves. She strides through Nordic terrain. Surprisingly, the landscape is filmed in black and white, a rarity when viewing Scandinavian nature. It is Ansel Adams in style—texture trumps all. In contrast, the woman’s flesh is in color. This tonal choice for nature also enhances the nail colors, which of course is the reason for it all.
The female symbol of Scandinavia later trudges through a cave, now bearing a Valkyrie outfit in black leather with sharp shoulders. There is a subtle change in her outfits, juxtaposing tender lace or tulle with leather and or metal, both warrior and nymph. Crowning the beauty’s head are wheat-colored braids. Her hairdo has obviously been inspired by the History Channel’s hit, The Vikings. This visual stunner is set to music so haunting that I had to find out who had composed it. The artists are a British indie band, Alt-J, and the piece is “Intro” to their album An Awesome Wave.
So, how well did OPI do in capturing the mood of Scandinavia with their new Nordic Collection? Well—they really nailed it!
This article originally appeared in the Oct. 10, 2014 issue of the Norwegian American Weekly. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (800) 305-0271.
