Shopping in Iceland – Icelandic clothes design

From outdoor wear to haute couture

Words by Ester, one of the expert local guides of Your Friend In Reykjavik about Icelandic clothes design.

I am a closet fashionista. I would love to dress in designer clothes every single day but I have always thought that I don’t really possess the body shape for it, being somewhat squat; short and, well, pudgy. But I accepted the challenge of checking out Icelandic fashion designers and whether they were offering anything that a middle-aged woman could wear to feel and look good. I was in for a treat! I met the most gracious staff in every shop – willing to help me choose what would look best and take plenty of pictures on my phone. So, this is an “organic blog” – just me and my phone – no styling, no hair and make-up and no size zero adolescents doing the modelling.

Outerwear first – you need to know how to survive the elements

Iceland is the third windiest place on earth (and nobody lives in the other two), with rain/snow/sleet accompanying the wind on most occasions. Outerwear is therefore extremely important and it better be good quality… If you have not brought proper gear, here are two great, Icelandic brands to look for.

Zo-on

A good, rain and windproof coat is a must. I tried on two of Zo-on’s coats and I think they can withstand almost anything. The yellow one leaves almost none of your upper body exposed to the elements – perfect for hard-core glacier hiking. Just be sure to get pants as well. Although the coat made me look like the Michelin Man, I felt sure I would never get cold in it. I would be willing to sacrifice vanity for practicality on this one.   The light gray one is great streetwear on those icy, windy winter days.

66°North

66° North is an outerwear brand that is Iceland’s oldest and is well known not only for quality outerwear but also for its unusual advertising campaigns featuring brooding Icelanders in inclement weather.  Their products are meant for heavy-duty outdoor activities, but they are very popular as streetwear as well. I am a city rat, and you won’t find me hiking except up a garden path, but once I had these sturdy pants on, I could see myself attacking a mountain (OK, a hill…). I would definitely wear the orange jacket any time for added warmth and comfort.

As we grow

Children’s clothes by As we grow are sold in various shops, such as Rammagerðin, as well as their own store on Garðastræti. 

I picked out a couple of adorable items to show you. The overall has all sorts of Icelandic references, from the use of wool to the circular pattern reminiscent of traditional Icelandic sweaters.

The dress is bright and functional, with pockets for all those little things kids like to stow away.

Mói

Another Icelandic children’s clothes brand is Mói.

I visited their shop on Reykjavík’s main shopping street, Laugavegur, where designs for cool babies and kids abound. The designs are not very gender-oriented, and despite edgy designs, they are very functional.

Farmers Market

Yet another brand designing children’s wear is Farmers Market, which also designs for the discerning adult. At their flagship store, which is in the up-and-coming hip area of Grandi, I tried on some lovely garments and looked at the children’s line as well. The sweater is a twist on the traditional design with lightweight, super-soft wool and a bit of glitter.

The skirt was yet another surprise for me. I would never have tried a full-length, flowy skirt but adding the matching scarf to my hair made everything look sleek and soigné.

The baby’s overalls were just adorable. There are no babies in my family at present, but I know where I’ll go shopping when a new one has arrived!

Ásta Creative Clothes

Moving on to Ásta Creative Clothes, sold at the fun little co-op of Icelandic designers – all women – at Kirsuberjatréð. I met with Ásta herself, and we had great fun picking out pieces to put into my blog. The cape is such a versatile garment, and it keeps your shoulders and chest warm. It is handmade, so each one has a slightly different, asymmetrical shape.

The fur mittens are such fun, and they come with a string to thread through the arms of your coat or jacket so you don’t lose them.

Aftur

Aftur designs speak loudly to me as a die-hard recycler/upcycler. They design very cool clothes out of old ones, usually in a patchwork style, which ticks yet another box in my heart as I patchwork myself out of recycled materials. The use of menswear shirts in this particular design is really well done. The extra button line as a decoration was a cinch. The details, people, it’s all about the details!

Menswear upcycled into ladies’ wear.

Herrafataverslun Kormáks og Skjaldar

Herrafataverslun Kormáks og Skjaldar, a mouthful of a name if there ever was one. It literally means Kormákur and Skjöldur’s menswear shop. They offer old-fashioned tweeds, hats, oil-cloth jackets, and other British gentlemen’s wear. They design many of their clothes themselves and, in recent years, they have been offering clothes for gentlewomen as well. Their designs are not very avant-garde or particularly “Icelandic”, but they are fun! The lovely lads at the shop helped me pick out the perfect outfit for a stroll on the estate grounds…

Now I just need a dog…

Kronkron

One of the longest-standing designer duos in Iceland, Hugrún and Magni, with their Kronkron brand, was next on my visit list. Hugrún was there herself and gave me invaluable assistance in choosing clothes. Kronkron has very colourful designs, which are a relief from the stark white/gray/dark mantra of most Icelandic women (the daring ones put on a pale rose or tan scarf…).

 I love colours, but I had misgivings about the dress and the shirt which Hugrún picked out for me as I wasn’t sure the colours would look good on me. She proved me wrong, and I vow to be more adventurous from now on! The shirt’s piping accents framed the lively pattern well, and the “tie” hid the buttons, which always gaped on my chest.

I picked the sheath dress directly off the rack, which hugged in all the right places and gave in to all the other ones. The busy pattern also drew attention away from lumps and bumps I sometimes feel have attached themselves to my body overnight.

Hildur Yeoman

Another colorful and adventurous creator is Hildur Yeoman. I met Hildur herself in the shop and she helped me see that a dress on top of my ratty jeans worked just as well as a sweater. The dress is very versatile, with a fun pattern in colors that will work with almost anything. It has fun little details, like small

Another colourful and adventurous creator is Hildur Yeoman. I met Hildur herself in the shop, and she helped me see that a dress on top of my ratty jeans worked just as well as a sweater. The dress is very versatile, with a fun colour pattern that will work with almost anything. It has fun little details, like small notches on the sleeves, making it different and cool.

Usually, I don’t care much for sweaters. I prefer cardigans that are quickly taken off when a woman of my age starts feeling a bit hot and just as quickly put back on when she has cooled down. Still, I was so taken with the sky blue of the sweater that I just had to try it on, and I must say it does me justice. Both the colour and the cut are perfect for me.

Hildur also had a lot of glittery-glam outfits, which I’d love to take dancing.

You see many of these design stores, and of course, the monuments of the capital of Iceland  on our Reykjavik Walking Tour called Walk With a Viking

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