Interview

Introducing: Gudrun & Gudrun

We sat down with one of the brand's co-founders, Guðrun Rógvadóttir, to talk all things Gudrun & Gudrun.

Now available at Couverture, the Faroese brand creates distinctive, hand-knitted garments using rescued wool. In a bid to revive the value of the distinct Faroese sheep, which boast striking colour patterns and double-layered fleece, the two founders recognised an opportunity to create products that can be cherished for generations.

Could you please tell us a little about Gudrun & Gudrun's fascinating origins and admirable ethos?

The brand was established in 2002 by two Faroese women both with the same first name. at that time the Faroese wool was all burned and it was a wake-up call to rescue the Faroese wool and the knitting traditions.

What sources of inspiration do you take from the Faroe Islands, and beyond. How does it impact your day-to-day?

The nature, the light, old stories and films, travels abroad. How can you not be inspired when seeing the light as a new landscape every day on your way to work?!

What is your approach to design and production? How do you set yourselves apart from other knitwear brands?

We are specialised in hand-knit and that is by nature a very slow production method. We only produce for orders. The styles are timeless and can be used for years.

What role does your heritage, and the unique landscape of the Faroe Islands play in shaping your designs and brand identity?

There would be no Gudrun & Gudrun without the Faroe Islands. We see ourselves as proud ambassadors of the Faroe Islands.

We've seen that you work to build close relationships with your talented knitters not only in the Faroe Islands but also around the world. Can you tell us more about this and why it is important?

We know the faces on all our knitters – on the Faroe islands – and Jordan and Peru where we have women empowerment projects. It’s important to state that we don’t do philanthropy – we are business partners with the women around the world that put the time into every piece they make for us. The projects have proven that even a small company as our can make a difference for women with limited possibilities of having a job outside their homes.

Can you share any stories about the artisans you work with or memorable experiences from collaborating with them?

One of our knitters is a Syrian refugee that came pregnant to Jordan. Getting a knitting job for us she was able to pay for giving birth in a hospital. And in Peru one knitters showed me the one wall of a new floor that she made from the money she earned the year before. 4 years of knitting = four walls and a new floor to provide housing for her family.

Could you walk us through the process of creating one of your pieces, from concept to final product?

It starts with an idea, two needles, and a thread. It’s a battle between the material and the designer, and sometimes the designer wins and sometimes the material does win – and leads the designer to a different path than expected. The ideas are evolving in the doing, so it is a very intuitive way of creating.

Why do you think it's so important for your brand to place an emphasis on sustainability in today's retail climate?

Our brand was born sustainable – the very reason for starting the brand was to use the wool that is a waste product from meat production. Only using natural renewable materials is also very important to us!

If you could see one lasting impact of Gudrun & Gudrun on the fashion industry, what would it be?

The greatest achievement would be being a part of changing the habits of and attitude to consumption for young people.

How do you see the knitwear industry evolving in the coming years, and what role do you hope Gudrun & Gudrun will play in that future?

We do want to have a leading role in the hand-knit niche. There are very few brands in the world that make full collections in hand-knit!