STORY / PUBLIC SOURCE RECORD
Major opportunities for Norwegian design in the US
- Published 14 May 2024; updated 4 August 2026; estimated reading time 6 minutes. The story covers a spring 2023 Innovation Norway Global Growth programme in which ten Norwegian design businesses travelled to New York, each matched with a US mentor and supported by Innovation Norway’s local office. They attended preparatory sessions in Norway and met distributors, retailers, editors and PR firms during a three-day visit, including a shared stand at ICFF. Innovation Norway senior advisor Antonio Raposo says US demand and exports of Norwegian design products were growing strongly at the time; this is attributed to the article and its historical reporting.
- Lillelam, founded in 2004, makes children’s wool clothing. Founder Pernille Siem says it was seeing demand in New York; mentor Gary Simmons, with 40 years in childrenswear and department stores, helped arrange introductions including Saks Fifth Avenue. At the time, Saks and Nordstrom had expressed interest in stocking the brand; the article’s future-facing statements do not confirm later retail outcomes. Lillelam had previously joined an analogous programme in China.
- The other programme participants were Heymat, Norvigroup Norsk Dun, Eikund, Fora Form, Hadeland Glassverk, Varier Furniture, Formfin, Lundhs and Woodling. Heymat founder Sonja Djønne says the programme gave a small company market insight and contacts; Heymat had won a 2023 Red Dot product-design award and sought to develop an international interiors brand. Hadeland Glassverk’s John Jacobsen described a collaboration with a nationwide US lighting supplier and plans to introduce Norwegian design and heritage to US buyers.
- Innovation Norway says its international network had more than 100 market advisors in 28 countries, helping with export strategy, practical market entry, customer/partner introductions and local business knowledge. Contacts are discussed narratively but no direct contact block is shown. Related industry: Manufacturing and design; linked solution pages include Lillelam and Fora Form/Heymat.