An autumn/winter fashion shoot is all about layers—lots of rich textiles, hues, and textures to match the landscape, not to mention the trends noted back at the February shows. This year, Condé Nast Traveler headed to the Faroe Islands, with its wild and windy conditions, to bring the collections to life. The theme? The Great Outdoors. Below, fashion director Martha Ward takes us on location and shares how the shoot came together, from seeking out unforgettable scenery to the most memorable look.
The location
I’d long had the Faroe Islands in the back of my mind as an otherworldly destination. We need to shoot in June, and as it happens, temperatures remain relatively low in the Faroes, while daylight hours are at their longest. In short: autumnal weather to suit the looks, but with plenty of light. And with landscapes of epic proportions, broken up by dramatic fjords, sea stacks, waterfalls, and lagoons, it seemed like the perfect place.
Getting there
Each day was a road trip. The team plotted out daily routes to incorporate the key locations we wanted to hit across the Faroe Islands. Ensuring every backdrop and location is different is no mean feat, but these islands have diversity in spades. We weaved in and out of the island’s long tunnels beneath the sea, which connect one island to the next. The vans housed all the looks and also doubled up as a changing room as we were in some very remote places. No people, no phone signal, nothing, just wonderful wilderness.
A tricky shot the photographer pulled off
Shooting beneath Fossa in Streymoy (the tallest waterfall in the Faroes) required a challenging hike. The water drops in two levels and is within very dark basalt walls, with rocky terrain, but it was worth the challenge. Due to the deafening, unending roar of the water tumbling, the model couldn’t hear what the photographer was saying, and they communicated with each other entirely via hand gestures.
The most memorable look
The number of puffins and sheep greatly outweighs the number of people residing on the Faroe Islands. So, it was without question that sheep had to feature somewhere. Our day two agenda included the town of Gamla Hoyvík, which offered a superb ocean view with a flock of sheep gathered along the hillside. A very curious brown and white sheep appeared right on cue, just behind the model as we photographed her in a brown Fendi coat. It was a perfect moment.