Desert Homage
A first look at designers Frances van Hasselt and Leandi Mulder’s latest collaboration, Desert Homage
Photographer Jacobus Snyman Faces Avies Newton & Lehlohonolo Mokele
As an ode to nature (and irregularity) no item in the new FVH x LM Woven Mohair Collection, Desert Homage, is the same. In each piece, the irregularity of the yarns and weave convey the subtle shifts and changes of the Karoo, which was a big part of the inspiration behind the collection.
Honouring the art of yarn craftsmanship, slow fashion, sustainable and local materials, as well as paying tribute to traditional hand-weaving techniques, the collection is made up of five multipurpose pieces, blankets or scarves, with each unique item offering a different colour pallette and textural make up.
The collection was based off an adaptation of South African designers Frances van Hasselt and Leandi Mulder’s learnings during their Italian residency for the South African textile industry.
See the designers’ collaborative film below.
‘Our primary takeaway was discovering the art of yarn making; being exposed for the first time to the skill and craftsmanship needed to combine fibres to create woven pieces that look, feel and behave completely differently as a result of the composition and technical make-up of the yarn,’ says Frances. ‘Our collection is as much about the finished product as it is about the process, origin and make-up. We feel strongly that a sustainable, circular textile economy does not start in factories; the process starts with rain, the delicate eco system of the veld, the role of herdsmen, the importance of healthy animals to produce quality mohair, and so on.’
This collection is a story of origin, where place, process, textures and raw materials weave together our commonality with nature.
As an ode to nature (and irregularity) no item in the new FVH x LM Woven Mohair Collection, Desert Homage, is the same. In each piece, the irregularity of the yarns and weave convey the subtle shifts and changes of the Karoo, which was a big part of the inspiration behind the collection.
Honouring the art of yarn craftsmanship, slow fashion, sustainable and local materials, as well as paying tribute to traditional hand-weaving techniques, the collection is made up of five multipurpose pieces, blankets or scarves, with each unique item offering a different colour pallette and textural make up.
The collection was based off an adaptation of South African designers Frances van Hasselt and Leandi Mulder’s learnings during their Italian residency for the South African textile industry.
‘Our primary takeaway was discovering the art of yarn making; being exposed for the first time to the skill and craftsmanship needed to combine fibres to create woven pieces that look, feel and behave completely differently as a result of the composition and technical make-up of the yarn,’ says Frances. ‘Our collection is as much about the finished product as it is about the process, origin and make-up. We feel strongly that a sustainable, circular textile economy does not start in factories; the process starts with rain, the delicate eco system of the veld, the role of herdsmen, the importance of healthy animals to produce quality mohair, and so on.’
This collection is a story of origin, where place, process, textures and raw materials weave together our commonality with nature.
Photographer Jacobus Snyman Faces Avies Newton & Lehlohonolo Mokele
Director Colwyn Thomas for Scholars Film DOP Marcus Hebbelmann
MUA Inga Hewett Music Sean Ross
Follow Frances van Hassalt and Leandi Mulder‘s work on instagram.
