Made in Scotland: Fernweh
Welcome to our December Made in Scotland blog and please meet the wonderful Laura who makes handcrafted bags and accessories for her Aberdeen based company Fernweh! Fernweh is a German word meaning a farsickness, an ache and longing for far off places, a craving for travel. A yearning to explore off the beaten path, into the unknown and Laura’s beautiful products capture that feeling and will aid you in your adventures. Read on to find out about Laura’s fascinating story and more about these beautiful pieces!
Can you tell us how your business got started?
I’m Laura, and I’m the designer/maker at my creative business, Fernweh UK. I started Fernweh in 2014, after graduating from Grays School of Art in 2013, with a degree in Fashion Design. I’m based in Aberdeen, and grew up and studied there, and I love the local area. I’ve always loved the outdoors and in that respect I feel really lucky to live here, as we have such a beautiful coastline on one side, and we are on the doorstep of the Cairngorms on the other. Once I graduated however, I was quite lost with where I wanted to go in life. At that time though, I took up rock climbing and absolutely fell in love with it.
I was starting to miss being creative however, and made myself a climbing chalk bag to take to the local wall – chalk bags hold chalk while you are on the wall, to give your hands extra grip. I’ve always loved waxed cotton as a material, its so rugged and durable and has such unique characteristics, so I used this for my chalk bag. I quickly got some orders from climber friends and I started creating more products such as tote bags, inspired by the outdoors and my love of adventure. Fernweh happened really organically and almost by accident, but I absolutely love what I do!
Laura from Fernweh
Where do you look for inspiration when you are designing new products?
When looking for inspiration, I don’t have to look far at all. My studio is a twenty minute walk from the coast, where there is one of the largest pods of dolphins in the UK playing in the sea almost every day. I use the local NE coastline and the Cairngorms for my colour palette inspiration, letting the colours of the land inspire my designs.
When designing new products, I tend to have a starting concept of what purpose I want the design to serve, and develop on that. There’s quite a lot of design development, as I work out the size and proportions, what features I want the design to have, and how I can make the pattern zero waste. I usually do a good few mock ups and test a new product out for a while before I feel its “Ready”. Even then, I’m always gathering feedback on how I can make existing designs even better too.
Can you tell us a bit more about how you make your products?
I create all of my products in my studio from start to finish. Each piece is crafted by hand, first of all with cutting out the fabric, and gathering the hardware needed. From there everything gets sewn on my industrial sewing machine, and the edges are overlocked for extra strength. All my leather accents such as straps are hand burnished to seal the edges and provide a professional finish. I believe it’s worth taking the time over the small details to make them perfect, and create products that are designed and crafted to last a lifetime.
The Chalk Bag and Finnoch Bag
What are your most popular products and which are your own favourites?
My most popular products are probably the “Finnoch” Field Bag and my chalk bags! The field bag is a handy crossbody bag with an adjustable leather strap, with plenty of pockets, meaning its super handy for day, night or on walks – I carry my binoculars in mine! My chalk bags are still probably one of my bestselling items, I’ve sent some all over the world, including the USA, Australia, Singapore and countries in Europe.
My favourite would be the “Cairn” Mini rolltop bag. I just really enjoy making this one and I love the size of it. Its big enough to fit a tablet so it’s perfect for everyday, but the rolltop design means you can fill it to the brim!
The Cairn Mini Rolltop Crossbody Bag
If you had to pick one place in Scotland to recommend that people visit, where would it be?
I really love Loch Muick, it’s one of my favourite places and walks in the world, it’s such a beautiful place and feels completely different depending on what time of year you visit.
Loch Muick
Which other Scottish Makers do you love to recommend?
I love Megan Falconer Jewellery, Helen Ruth Scarves and Collingwood Norris.
Helen Ruth Scarves
Thanks so much to Laura at Fernweh for chatting with us about her wonderful business and sharing her business ethos. Make sure to check out her website, Facebook and Instagram to find out more about these beautiful products!
Megan Falconer Jewellery
Laura and Fernweh were recommended to us by Michael at Fiodh and you can read his blog here.