2 thoughts on “Nette Ornbak”

1. Nette joined the school as a mature person; seamstress and costume designer for the Royal Copenhagen theater and opera. It was both a traditional and an official role. People went to Nette (and her life partner and fellow seamstress Andora) for costumes. The costumes were brilliant and Nette worked daily with many artists and costume designers. Her fitting room was full of Bjorn Wiinblad’s sketches. During the weekdays there was a steady stream of performers going to and from her apartment on H.C. Andersen’s Boulevard for fittings. On joining the school Nette immediately recognized Robert as a teacher, and prioritized the work over everything else in her life. Her apartment became the center apartment and all the meetings and dinners were held there. She was the soul of generosity, and – we discovered – a great chef as well as a great seamstress. Suddenly, in the midst of all of this the Danish government decided that the theater and the opera were spending too much. Expenditures had to be cut and costumes from previous performances re-used. This reduced Nette’s business to a point where it could not survive. She took on other work as she could, without complaint. Robert, on hearing of her situation, invited her to Renaissance to make the costumes for Apollo Arts. Nette did not hesitate, leaving friends, family, and a traditional role in Danish society. She made a wonderful contribution to the arts and became close to Robert. After a few years her life-partner left her, and shortly after she came down with cancer. She took these events in her stride. When the cancer was diagnosed she had a peak experience, which guided her work in the remaining year and a half of her life. When the last weeks came I spent my free evenings at her home. I came one evening to find her in a coma. She was lying on her back in her bed. Everything was still, but Nette’s hands, resting on her chest, were moving deftly and surely in the pattern of knitting. She was now knitting her soul.

2. I met Nette in Denmark, she was A Famous Dressmaker, I was the sister to my eldest brother to her, not yet a student. It was the winter of 1985, Christmas time in Denmark, like an Anderson Fairytale. Nette was in her prime, with a beautiful young apprentice, actors coming and going, students being entertained. She held to a standard of perfection that was telling of her refined alchemy. I was welcomed by her with a motherly warmth and attention to educate; what she did so well. She encouraged the musical instruction I followed at the time, the flute. As the years rolled on, Nette kept that sparkle and determination in her telling eyes and bright smile, sharing her beautiful being.