Fosaa: Handcrafted Faroese treasures shaped by nature

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Fosaa Design

On the Faroe Islands, where rugged cliffs, restless seas and the ever-changing weather define life, two women are making one-of-a-kind accessories inspired by the landscape’s untamed beauty. At Fosaa Design, mother-and-daughter team Malan and Oda Fosaa handcraft bags, purses and jewellery using natural Nordic skins sourced from the islands and surrounding seas. Every piece is individually made in their Hoyvík workshop, and no two will ever be alike.

Take a look at Fosaa Design’s web shop and you will be overwhelmed by the originality and creativity embedded in each of the many designs displayed.

“We’re always making new designs,” explains Oda. “But we don’t create 20 identical bags and post them online at once; we make maybe two or three, and each one is finished when it’s ready. And because the materials are natural, no bag will ever be exactly the same. That’s part of the beauty – a lambskin might have a lighter patch or a tiny mark. It’s the animal’s story, and we keep it.”

The result has been an instant success; ever since the first line was introduced, the pair has continued to sell every single item produced.

Fosaa: Handcrafted Faroese treasures shaped by nature

Nature-born materials with a story to tell

Every Fosaa piece begins with the raw materials. Using lamb, fish and seal sourced from the North Atlantic region, the designers honour traditional Faroese resourcefulness by turning natural by-products into enduring luxury. Salmon, cod and wolf fish skins are prepared without chemicals, resulting in striking natural patterns and extraordinary durability. “The salmon skin is incredibly strong and durable,” says Malan. “It’s perfect for bags meant to last.”

Fosaa: Handcrafted Faroese treasures shaped by nature

Fish skins are tanned in Iceland and lamb skins are prepared in Poland, as the Faroe Islands have no tannery. Once home in the workshop, the skins are shaped, cut and sewn entirely by hand with every stitch and finish passing through the mother-and-daughter duo’s own fingers. “We work very much with a slow-fashion outlook,” says Oda. “Everything is created with purpose. There’s no mass production – and there never will be.”

Fosaa: Handcrafted Faroese treasures shaped by nature

A family craft shaped by tradition

Malan learnt how to sew and work with animal skins and leather in Sønderborg, Denmark. When she finished her education there, she returned to the Faroe Islands and took up an apprenticeship in the timber trade. After decades there, at the age of 54, she founded Fosaa Design in 2012, determined to bring something distinctly Faroese to life. Her daughter Oda joined in 2013, and together they have built a brand grounded in heritage, integrity and a shared love of craftsmanship.

“I wanted to create something no one else was doing here,” says Malan. “And I don’t want our products made anywhere else.” Despite interest from investors and offers to scale up, the pair has chosen to remain hands-on.

Inspired by the fierce beauty of their island home, the creative process begins with nature and evolves through conversation, sketches and experimentation. Together, they develop each piece from idea to final stitch, adjusting shapes and finishes until the texture, function and feel are just right.

Fosaa: Handcrafted Faroese treasures shaped by nature

Left: Mother-and-daughter team Malan and Oda Fosaa.

Design rooted in landscape – and loved worldwide

Today, Fosaa Design has customers across the world, with international orders shipping from the Faroese web shop. The pieces also feature in the newly reopened and expanded Östrøm Faroese Design Store – a landmark concept space in a historic building where carefully curated Faroese design meets outdoor living culture.

The store, five times larger after renovation, reflects a growing spotlight on Faroese craftsmanship and tourism, providing a physical home where visitors can encounter Fosaa Design’s work up close – and understand immediately why mass production was never an option.

Each piece from Fosaa Design is deeply individual, shaped by wild North Atlantic nature and the hands of two women who prefer tradition over trends and patience over production lines. However, these are not objects to collect – they are pieces to use, to carry, and to keep for years to come, bearing in them the resilience and endurance of their island home.

You can buy Fosaa Design’s products on the website or in the Östrøm Faroese Design Store.

Fosaa: Handcrafted Faroese treasures shaped by nature