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Design Profile
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guðrun & guðrun
Open knit dress in local yarn, AW 24. Photo: Tine Bek
Guðrun & Guðrun: deeply rooted in the Faroe Islands Slow-fashion design label Guðrun & Guðrun is returning to where it all started. With a new collection which blends its tried and tested techniques in open-knit mohair pieces with local yarn, the brand is introducing a different way of using unique Faroe Island wool, a natural material that reflects the colours and textures of the island’s landscapes. By Trine Ejlskov Jensen-Martin
The well-known Faroese knitwear and home-design brand released its latest AW24 collection in July. After significant global exposure and success, founders and owners Guðrun Rógvadóttir and Guðrun Ludvig are back to where it all began. At the very heart of Guðrun & Guðrun lies a belief in integrity and decency, and a passion for sustainability and creating high-quality knitwear, something the owners have never veered away from. They are at the forefront of conscious consumerism in an industry that often prioritises quantity and a lower price tag over quality and ethical production. It is crucial to both Rógvadóttir and Ludvig that they 22 | Issue 169 |
August 2024
know where all their materials come from, but also that they know the women who handknit their sweaters. The sheep native to the Faroe Islands come in many shades of cream, brown and grey. Photo: guðrun & guðrun
The gold of the Faroe Islands There is an old Faroese saying about the preciousness of the local wool, ull er føroya gull, which translates as wool is Faroe gold. Knitting and wool are intrinsic parts of the culture of the islands, and with good reason. Wool was the most valuable and only raw material besides fish. It’s thick enough to keep you warm during the winter months, and breathable to keep you cool during summer, as well as being water repellent. For islands like these with such varied weather, this seems almost priceless, then as now. “We’re experimenting in our new collection, incorporating the coarse, colourful Faroese yarn with the softer, white alpaca yarn,” says Rógvadóttir. Central to the latest collection is the distinctive wool from local Faroese sheep, a breed that is only found here. The different textures and colours create a distinctive expression in the knitwear, with evident roots connected to the local culture and nature.