Iceland review - 2012, Side 17

ICELAND REVIEW 15
jewelry
skull anD bones
Kria Jewelry was established in 2007, when designer Jóhanna Methúsalemsdóttir
came across a kría (arctic tern) skeleton on a black lava beach in Iceland. For this
year’s DesignMarch, she introduced a new collection, this time based on the bones
of the codfish. Animal bones have long been used as amulets—what better lucky
charm than a part of the fish that has been the backbone of the nation for centu-
ries? The Cod Collection features necklaces and earrings in silver and brass.
bow anD Tie
One of the most exciting labels launched from this year’s
festival, STAKA is a brand new collection of unisex acces-
sories. Made from leather by designer duo Bylgja Rún
Svansdóttir and María Kristín Jónsdóttir, the pieces are
a crossover between product design and fashion. “Jewelry
can be so much more than precious metals and stones,”
says María Kristín. Hailing from a family of goldsmiths,
but educated as a product designer, her work is decora-
tive and clothing-related. “When I look back to all the
pieces that I have done, the ones connected to the body
or in interaction with it are the ones closest to me.” For
the STAKA collection, the two designers looked into the
characters of Njáls Saga, one of the most famous stories
in Old Icelandic literature. “We were both especially
intrigued by Hallgerður Langbrók, one of the leading
ladies, who was notorious for her temperament and
majestic appearance,” the designers explained. Then they
went on to spin their own story on the early settlers.
“We visualized what they looked like, what they wore
to identify themselves and what materials they used and
how.” The outcome is a clean, minimalistic collection,
relying on the stories, materials and craftsmanship of the
past, while challenging the conventions of 21st century
jewelry design.