Who are you?
— I am Guðrun Rógvadóttir. I founded Guðrun & Guðrun together with Guðrun Ludvig back in 2002. Our speciality is hand-knit and we produce locally as well as in Jordan and Peru via our Women Empowerment Projects. During the pandemic, the silence allowed my business partner and our designer Guðrun Ludvig to reflect and find new ways of using the natural Faroese lamb skins that are waste products from mutton production and that are basically not being used. She designed some furs and not least the Orca chair that we are excited to launch now. I enjoy spending my time off in my weekend house Heimaístovu in Hvalba where my great cousin is running our small boutique hotel.
For someone who hasn’t been to the Faroe Islands, how’d you describe it?
— It’s the smallest dot in the North Atlantic — you have to be lucky even to find it on a world map. Or, as writer William Heimasen describes it: ’So small, and still the frame of a myriad of life’.
My favourite thing that makes me proud of Faroe Islands:
— Being Faroese — I feel lucky to be one of the very few ones that live in this micronation.
My favourite weekend routine:
— Taking the ferry to Suðuroy on a Friday night to my weekend house in Hvalba. Working in the fields or on the house, having people coming by and spending a whole day cooking.
My favourite cultural spot:
— The National art museum Listasavnið.
My favourite place for a creative or business meeting:
— A walk and talk. A good and convenient one would be walking to Kirkjubøur from Tórshavn.
My favourite place for dining out:
— Barbara for fish tapas. And Roks, a light version of the Michelin restaurant Koks.
My favourite breakfast place:
— At home with my family.
My favourite excursion:
— A hike to Rituskor near Hvalba is always rewarding. If you are lucky enough to have a clear view of the gorge, you do feel how small you are and how majestic nature is.
My favourite local entrepreneur or creative I want to promote:
— Architect Ósmondur Jacobsen, bridging tradition with modernity.
My favourite place for fashion:
— Being very objective I would say Guðrun & Guðrun.
My favourite space for great design:
— It is always inspiring going to The Nordic House. Good architecture does not go out of fashion.
My favourite route for a run or walk:
— A walk that I know even if blinded. I have walked there in the fog, in great spirit, and with a heavy heart. It is always rewarding and energizing. The best thing is that the route ends on a farm belonging to the family and that it was my second home as a child.
My favourite hotel for a staycation:
— Heimaistovu — the perfect getaway that takes you back in time and calms your body and soul.
My favourite example of tech innovation in the Faroe Islands:
— A local pilot project using ammoniac as fuel for vessels. That would be a breakthrough in terms of lowering the country’s CO2 emissions.
My favourite local media:
— The national radio is producing some deep documentaries that give a sneak-peak into people’s minds. I enjoy those.
My favourite thing at home:
— Spending a whole day cooking for a family dinner. The reward is having the company of the extended family — gathering for food is basic and essential.
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