When brothers, and founders of Far Afield, Chris and Mark Scholes, travelled to Iceland last December, they went expecting adventure. But what they found was something deeper—a place that left an indelible mark on their vision. Iceland is a land of contrasts. Black volcanic beaches against bright, icy glaciers, waterfalls shattering stillness, and geothermal pools steaming quietly amid snow-covered plains. It’s a place where nature’s hand is visible in every direction, at once harsh and nurturing, unforgiving and welcoming. This quiet intensity left a mark.
Basecamp was Reykjavik—small but buzzing with life. There was a creative undercurrent here that felt fresh but deeply rooted, and that mix was something they carried with them throughout the trip. The smell of Kleinur and Vínarbrauð drifting through the air, candlelit windows offering soft refuge from the cold—it was this intimate yet open spirit that spoke to them. The city seemed to reflect the Far Afield mission statement: small in scale but boundless in creativity.
Venturing out from the city, there were moments that bordered on the surreal. At Gullfoss, they stood on the edge of the vast waterfall, the roar of the cascade mixing with the sensation of freezing mist against their skin. And then there was Laxarvogur, a secluded hot spring far from the main roads. Just getting there was an experience in itself—long stretches of empty roads, fields of volcanic rock dusted with snow, and finally, steam rising from the ground in the middle of nowhere. Then came Silfra, where they snorkelled between tectonic plates in water so clear it allowed you to peer into the rifts of the earth. The outside temperature was -30°C, when they climbed out, their hair froze solid in the cold. It was one of those bizarre, unforgettable moments that make a trip memorable for all the right reasons (and some wrong ones too).
There were plenty of occasions where plans went awry - like a misjudged hike in loafers, and a whiteout during a Northern Lights tour that sent the bus sliding off the road. But those moments added a bit of reality to the trip. Reality that seemed to fade in the quieter moments, like standing by the harbour, eyes turned to the sky, unexpectedly witnessing the Aurora Borealis. Iceland is a place where the extraordinary exists quietly within the everyday.
More than just a trip, this journey illuminated the deep relationship between the land and its people. Icelandic folklore—stories of Huldufólk, the hidden people, or sea monsters like Lyngbakr—felt alive, woven into the rhythms of daily life. It’s not just that these tales exist, but that they coexist with the modern world, creating a space where past and present intertwine effortlessly. This respect for tradition, without being tethered to it, became a central theme in their creative process.
Reykjavik’s art scene, too, left its mark. Frequent visits to Marshall House at Grandi—a repurposed herring factory now housing artists like Ólafur Elíasson—stirred new ways of thinking. Elíasson’s minimalist installations echoed the stark beauty of the Icelandic landscape and offered a fresh perspective on the environment around them, becoming a key touchpoint in the development of our AW24 collection. The clean lines and the interplay between light and shadow mirrored the rawness and purity they experienced in the land.
The trip wasn’t easy. The cold bit deep, plans unravelled, and drinking in Reykjavik took a toll on their wallets. But in those moments of discomfort came clarity. There’s something about Iceland that feels honest, a place where nature is front and center, and things are stripped back to their essence. This balance of nature’s beauty, unpredictable adventure, and cultural richness lies at the heart of Quiet Expedition. Each piece in the collection embodies the contrast of harsh landscapes with moments of warmth and reflection. Clean lines echo Iceland’s calm, quiet power, while intricate details nod to the deep-rooted traditions that still pulse through the country’s veins.
In every stitch, there’s a sense of discovery - a tribute to the resilience of both the land and its people. Quiet Expedition is not just a collection - it’s a reflection of a journey, a meeting point between nature, culture, and design. It’s an invitation to explore, to find moments of stillness, and to embrace the unexpected, wherever your path may lead.
Explore our Autumn/Winter collection, Quiet Expedition, here.
