I sat down for a chat with exhibition designer and passionate upcycler Lea Sangolt – for the April edition of Color Vision Doyennes.

How does one land a job as an exhibition designer?

When I finished my bachelors degree in furniture and spacial design, I did a flower-pressing project with zero-waste grocery shop Raavarene. Someone from the museum department at Universty of Bergen saw my work. Then they offered me a job curating the botanical exhibition of the new nature historical museum.

The environment is important to me, and therefore I think it's great to craft experiences many people can see - not just products consumed by one person.

A typical day in Lea's life?

Well, it's a lot of work these days. So I get up, got to the office and drink a lot of coffee she laughs. But Lea is not a one trick pony, she also dabbles in upcycling projects on her spare time. She shows me a beautiful top she made from a vintage fabric found at Fretex. A new project is also in the making with another museum; Lea get's to pick out old furniture and upcycle them into something new!

I see such immense potential in things that just stand there!

- Lea on upcycling

Is there room for fashion on a day-to-day basis?

Since my job is quite physical, I can't dress in my finest clothes. I have to be a bit practical! When I ask Lea where she likes to shop, she replies; I usually have an image in my head of the garment I want - and it's tricky to find it in real life. But I like it, it makes shopping into a treasure hunt. I usually buy vintage and secondhand from shops like Fretex, secondLove and Paulina Vintage. I try to avoid fast fashion.

Lea wears FARRAH wool knit pants, and FAYE wool knit dress.