Culture and Living | Morgunblaðið | Fri 19 Aug 2016 | 20.00 GMT

Feminine clothing with an edge

Borghildur Gunnarsdóttir, the designer behind Milla Snorrason. mbl.is/Þórður Arnar Þórðarson

Designer Borghildur Gunnarsdóttir is presenting her fourth collection, Fall/ Winter 2016 which she calls Vondugil.

"I use natural materials and put a lot of thought into colours and patterns and put an emphasis on making comfortable clothing, which are at the same time artistic, feminine but with an edge," she tells Morgunblaðið.

Vondugil is comprised of items such as a trouser suit made from Italian wool, a skirt suit made from a wool / cotton mix, a silk dress, jersey dresses and silk shirts.

"I travel around Iceland every year to be inspired by nature and each collection presents my experience. Last autumn I hiked the Laugavegur mountain path in the highlands and I was enchanted by the layers of snow in an are called Vondugil, and photographed them. I also took photos of the surface of the earth: the stones, sand and snow. I then made patterns using outlines from the photographs and kept on trying until I was satisfied."

Gunnarsdóttir is not only inspired by nature, however, in 2012 her collection was called Reykjavik, presented at the Reykjavik Fashion Festival. The Reykjavik collection was inspired by the designs of famous Icelandic architect Guðjón Samúelsson.

But why Milla Snorrason? "I didn't want to use my own name but not something random. I thought about my paternal grandmother, who was a designer and seamstress. Her name was Emilía Snorrason, or Milla for short. She was always beautifully dressed. "

Borghildur likes fashion between 1920 - 1950, before man-made materials arrived on the scene. "I like the subtle feminity of those decades. "I'm not fond of clothes that show too much flesh with the intent of being sexy."

"I think it's important to design clothes that are sustainable, ecologically sound and that are made under acceptable conditions . I don't think people need to renew their wardrobe twice a year, they should buy fewer, more expensive pieces that last longer."

Milla Snorrason is available in Kiosk, on Laugavegur the main shopping street in Reykjavik.