20. January 2023

The fashion house that started a restaurant

Susanne Holzweiler and her family had a dream of uniting food and fashion in a metropolitan environment. The result was Holzweiler Platz in Oslobukta.

The history of the renowned clothing brand Holzweiler began in 2012, when siblings Susanne and Andreas Holzweiler found success with high-quality scarves made from silk, lamb’s wool, and cashmere. In 2014, Andreas’s wife, Maria Skappel Holzweiler, joined the team as creative director.

Holzweiler aims to become a global brand with Norwegian roots. This demands more of us and our organisation than we have delivered thus far. Without a doubt, this is exciting work and the learning curve is steep,

— explains Susanne.

With its success in Scandinavia, Holzweiler is now well on its way to becoming an internationally renowned fashion house. The brand has become a favourite among many Norwegians, but its popularity is growing beyond the country’s borders as well.

Online shopping and the need for a new spot

Following several years of growth, Susanne and the Holzweiler team acknowledged that it would be difficult to run shops in light of the continued rise of online shopping. “Online shopping is getting bigger, and we must adapt to this development. We realised that we had to give customers more than what they can get online. That was when the idea of combining a shop and a restaurant came about,” says fashion entrepreneur Susanne Holzweiler. And so, the idea of Holzweiler Platz in Oslo was born. A chance meeting in Lofoten would take them a big step closer to their ambitions of creating a unique spot that combined food and fashion.

Frihet og støtte til å realisere drømmer

On a trip to Nusfjord in Lofoten in fall 2019, Susanne Holzweiler happened to make contact with Caroline Krefting, development director at Carucel Eiendom. Susanne shared her ambitions and Caroline immediately took an interest.

“Oslobukta and Holzweiler were made for each other. In our development of the area, we’ve prioritised attracting original concepts and Norwegian brands. The discussion turned to a unique experience that unites fashion and food,” says Krefting. The chat in Lofoten led to a cup of coffee, which in turn led to the start of a close collaboration.

“It was important for us to have the freedom to create Holzweiler Plats the way we imagined it. With Carucel Eiendom, we had the opportunity to do that. We’ve received assistance, cooperativeness, and excellent support. We work with many landlords at Holzweiler, but none are as hungry, reliable, and inclusive as Carucel Eiendom, says Holzweiler.

En destinasjon som inspirerer

Holzweiler Platz opened its doors in June 2021 and has become a renowned landmark in Oslobukta. Here, you can find both a Holzweiler shop and a restaurant.

“Oslobukta has a unique location, sitting between the Opera House and the Munch Museum. It’s a place that represents culture, music, theatre, and art. Along with its proximity to the harbourfront, it makes for an inspiring frame around Holzweiler Platz,” explains Holzweiler.

The renowned architecture firm Snøhetta handled its design, drawing inspiration from Oslobukta itself when the design for this innovative location was being developed.

“We can offer fashionable clothing, but also energy to our guests. Here, you can sit down with a glass of wine and get inspired by the shop, and not to mention the people in it. It’s not a Michelin star restaurant, but a spot that offers culinary experiences you probably won’t be finding in many other clothes shops,” says Holzweiler.

Holzweiler is a Norwegian clothing brand founded by siblings Andreas and Susanne Holzweiler in 2012, which has since become renowned for its unique combination of Scandinavian minimalism and innovative design elements. Today, the brand is sold in over 200 shops, as well as in their own eight stores.

Holzweiler Platz can be found at Operagata 61D, in Oslobukta.

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