Fashion and Design

@turidnolsoemohr 1 2 3 4

elsabech.dk

rebekkaafjallinum.com navia.fo

@barbaraigongini fosaadesign.com

elisaheinesen.co.uk

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1. Silver, Faroese basalt and other stones are the basic materials used in By Turið Nolsøe Mohr's jewellery. Natural, clean and precious materials that characterize the simple pieces.

2. The Faroese fashion brand elsabech is feminine with a raw twist. The design is powerful, feminine, elegant and full of textures inspired by the Faroese nature.

3. Navia mix the traditional Faroese patterns with modern trends in their collections.

4. Fosaa products are made from raw materials from the Nordic nature. Fish skin from the Faroe Islands selskin from Greenland and lambskin from Iceland.

5. Shisa Brand offers a diverse range of goods where Faroese traditions, yarns and patterns and fun ideas go hand in hand. 6. The name EINSTAKT means 'unique' in Faroese. The design is chic but classic, with a minimalist and Nordic touch.

7. STEINUM's designs are characteristic for their eye-catching patterns and bold colours.

8. AliaGurli designes handmade jewellery and applied art, where she uses horn of Faroese sheep.

9. Byfossdal is handmade jewelry by Faroese/Danish designer Tanja Fossdal. Silver, gold, natural freshwater pearls, leather and foam.

10. Rebekka á Fjallinum is known for her simple and clean nordic designs, with attention to detail and unique elements. 11. Barbara I Gongini is a Faroese fashion designer creating visionary clothing with an experimental approach to the form.

12. Elisa Heinesen is a Faroese designer based in London. She produces showpieces and regular line, all within the framework of seasonless fashion.

13. Exciting creations from Guðrun&Guðrun, who specialise in hand-knitted garments. Their designs are sold world-wide.

14. The premium brand OW Intimates, founded by Faroese model and designer Sonja Davidsen, offers a wide range of underwear, swimwear, nightwear and bodysuits.

shisabrand.com 5

einstakt.com 6

steinum.net 7

gudrungudrun.com 13

owintimates.com 14

Faroese design traces its roots back to the functional and practical. Humble beginnings that have led to the fashions of today.

Wool has always been the key material in Faroese clothing, gathered from over 75,000 sheep that graze freely on the mountains across the islands. Its natural insulating and water-repellent qualities have proved invaluable in the production of weather-resistant clothes worn by generations of islanders who’ve made their living out in the fields or on fishing boats at sea.

The unique Faroese wool

A number of different techniques are employed in the spinning, weaving and knitting process, depending on what garment is being made. Wool taken from the belly of the sheep that grazed high in the mountains was traditionally hand spun to be made into snug-fitting underwear that would keep Faroese fishermen warm and dry whilst out in the icy weather off Iceland and eastern Greenland. Woollen socks containing lanolin (wool grease) kept shepherds warm and dry on long, rainy days up in the mountains whilst the rough wool from the back of the sheep would gently massage numb limbs, stimulating the circulation after long days at sea in open rowing boats.

Sweaters fit for an army

In post-Reformation times, privileged farmers known as “King’s farmers”, who owned large numbers of sheep, exported many intricately patterned, traditional, Faroese sweaters to Denmark via the trading monopoly known as the Icelandic Company. Speakers of Nordic languages mistakenly call such jumpers “Icelandic sweaters” after the name of the trad-

navia.fo

ing company. The ornate patterns, bearing names such as Wave, Seven Star and Sheep Track, were created not only for decoration but also to help make the sweaters more durable and warmer. They became so popular, that an agreement was struck in the 1800’s whereby all soldiers in the Danish army should receive a Faroese sweater as part of their uniform.

Faroese design goes global

The Faroe Islands are not immune, of course, to globalisation, and you’ll find the same fashion trends in shops in Tórshavn as you would in many other cities around the world. However, forward-thinking Faroese designers have been quick to capitalise on their unique heritage and have successfully introduced traditional design ideas from the Faroe Islands to the world market. Combining inspiration from fashion-conscious countries, such as Denmark, Britain, Italy and Japan, with tried-and-tested patterns and materials influenced by Faroese nature, they’ve taken highstreet shops in New York, Paris and Tokyo by storm. With respect to creative design, the Faroe Islands are no longer unknown but word is well and truly out now that they are rather a design hotspot, where the production of genuine, hand-knitted sweaters goes hand in hand with avant-garde dresses, coats and headgear that wouldn’t look out of place on any of the world’s catwalks – and all with a little flavour of the Faroe Islands.