3 minute read
ON THE RISE
ON THE RISE FINE PRINT
Drawing patterns based on wild Icelandic flora, Signý Þórhallsdóttir hopes to ignite a broader interest in regional textile design.
By Rachel Gallaher Photographed by Olga Urbanek
THIS PAGE: A silk scarf from Icelandic label Morra is bordered with a hand-drawn pattern of native flora. OPPOSITE: A quilted silk bag expands the brand’s offerings, which started with scarves and robes.
The silk Soley scarf has a design inspired by herbs. Its vibrant colors can be found in the plants that designer Signý Þórhallsdóttir encounters as she travels around Iceland.
Signý Þórhallsdóttir first became fascinated with the history of textiles while working for eclectic British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood in London. “Referencing and working with traditional motifs or history, whether it’s the history of art or fashion, is very much a strong part of design culture in the United Kingdom,” she says, “and working with a historical dimension in my designs in general is something I took with me from my time at Vivienne Westwood.”
During her three years with the brand, Þórhallsdóttir, who studied fashion design in her native Iceland, spent time researching textiles and came away inspired to reference history in her own work, “in order to make it richer, to add more flavors,” she says. In 2018, Þórhallsdóttir returned to Reykjavík, where she launched her own label, Morra.
“There is such a strong, rich history of prints in England,” Þórhallsdóttir says. “When I moved back to Iceland, I was interested in developing prints using historical predecessors, but because we are such a small, young country, there isn’t much of a history with clothing or patterns or prints. What we do have, though, is nature, so that’s where I decided to start.”
Morra offers a sophisticated collection of silk scarves and robes, as well as a series of art prints that Þórhallsdóttir creates as part of her design process. The palettes are a mix of earthy hues (tans, grays, shades of purple, navy blue, the occasional pop of red) that captures the colors of the Icelandic wilderness and the hardy flowers and plants that grow throughout the country.
“I started by going outside of the city and just picking lots of flowers and pressing them with books, then sketching them and puzzling those drawings together to make something illustrative,” she explains. After creating a pattern, Þórhallsdóttir uploads it to a computer and digitally prints it onto silk, which she then sews into a scarf or robe. “To me, combining the hand-drawn with the digital adds a richness to the work so it’s not only analog or digital,” she explains.
Since launching Morra three years ago, Þórhallsdóttir has taken time to explore Iceland’s varied regions—she chooses a new area for each trip and spends several days discovering, picking flowers, taking photos, and connecting to nature. Last summer she went to the north, an area that is barren and mountainous, and this summer she hopes to head east to the country’s largest forest.
“There are so many forms and colors in the landscape, and it changes with each season and each region I go to,” Þórhallsdóttir says. “It’s a very powerful feeling to be able to connect with that and include it in my work as a way to represent Iceland’s natural heritage.” h
ABOVE: Fashion designer Signý Þórhallsdóttir in her Reykjavík studio. BELOW: A trio of Morra scarves.
—SIGNÝ ÞÓRHALLSDÓTTIR, MORRA
