Photo by Torbjørn Rødland
Elise By Olsen (b. 1999) is an editor, publisher and the founding director International Library of Fashion Research, a cultural institution in Oslo, Norway. By Olsen created and edited the youth culture magazine Recens Paper (2013-2017) and the fashion commentary publication Wallet (2018-2021). For the past decade she has curated exhibitions across contemporary art & fashion, served as consultant for brands & corporations, and lectured at international schools & institutions. In 2018 Gucci made a documentary about her work and in 2019 she guest-edited AnOther Magazine, where she currently writes her monthly column “Paper View”. Elise By Olsen is also a cultural critic & columnist for the Norwegian newspaper Klassekampen.
Elise By Olsen collaborates on special projects within research, consulting, creative direction and content production, and her expansive list of art- and fashion clients include Adidas, BBC, Design Miami, Facebook/Instagram, Galeries Lafayette, Gucci, International Association of Department Stores, The Future Laboratory, the National Museum of Norway, PUIG, Schibsted Media Group, SSENSE and Thaddaeus Ropac. She has been in residency at 89plus (Google Arts & Culture) and completed the KORO (Public Art Norway) curatorial programme. She frequently speaks at schools such as Bocconi University, Central Saint Martins, LaSalle College, Manchester Fashion Institute, Parsons School of Design and Polimoda.
Elise By Olsen has received international acclaim for rethinking traditional publishing for a contemporary audience. Whether on the printed page, in physical space, online or beyond, she has devoted her practice to creating new and critical conversations, and pushing frameworks for journalism, formats of display and formulas in visual storytelling. Through her work as founding director of International Library of Fashion Research, By Olsen has created alternative infrastructures for contemporary fashion archives, with a range of educational, curatorial and editorial projects. Her work has been featured in international press such as Vogue, New York Times, Forbes, Wallpaper, The Guardian, Die Zeit, Financial Times & Dazed.