“The Silk Vault” Unveiled
“The Silk Vault” Unveiled: Anna Möller’s Artistic Odyssey in Crafting Timeless Silk Scarves and Embracing Ethical Fashion text Alicia Hurst foundation Lumene 16 hour longwear foundation 0.5concealer glossier stretch concealer g11blush glossier generation G Jamlips Natasha Denona Baby gold palette Oro Anna Möller, the creative force behind The Silk Vault, graciously provides insights into the enchanting world of her unique scarf designs. With a background in fashion design, garment pattern making, and a wealth of cultural experiences from London, New York, and now Stockholm, Anna’s journey shapes the brand’s identity and design language. The Silk Vault’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices stands out in an industry dominated by fast fashion, emphasising the creation of timeless, limited-edition pieces. In this interview, Anna delves into her creative process, inspirations drawn from architecture, arts, travel, music, and subcultures, and the brand’s philosophy of exclusivity. Join us on a captivating exploration of the artistic journey that culminates in each meticulously crafted silk accessory, embodying a fusion of Anna’s diverse influences and a fervent dedication to enduring beauty in fashion. Can you share more about the creative process behind your unique scarf designs, and how you draw inspiration from architecture, arts, travel, music, and subcultures?Each of my scarf patterns start from an initial idea of inspiration. That idea is then researched and sketched up – by hand or digitally. Once the motif is sketched up, I add colour and play around with it, exploring the best and strongest layout. Incorporating a beautiful border design is an important part of the overall impression. I love designing the scarves with different patterns or colours in each corner. The idea is that the bearer can vary the expression of the scarf, depending on how it is knotted and draped on the body. I consider each and every detail of the design and aim to make each scarf a sustainable and lovable accessory to wear often and for years to come.I draw inspiration from everywhere and anywhere, high and low. A vast source for new ideas comes from visiting new places; exploring architecture, local craft, and nature. During a weekend trip to Florence, Italy, I visited the cathedral and noticed an unusual clock on the wall that took my breath away. I instantly realized it had to be turned into a scarf motif and got on my knees on the cathedral floor to photograph the marble tiles, which had stunning green and salmon pink tints. The tiles turned into patterns around the clock motif of the scarf, which got the name Firenze. I’ve had the opportunity to travel in Japan a couple of times, and their art and design is an endless source of inspiration to me. The Silk Vault signature silk tunics are inspired by the simplicity of the kimono cut, then decorated with prints. My scarf designs often have a nod to Japanese design too. The hand-painted scarf Orchid came about after stumbling across an international orchid exhibition in Okinawa, Japan. Whilst on a factory work trip to Hangzhou, China, I managed to sneak away for a few hours to visit the local silk market, where I spotted beautifully hand-painted silk pieces with the specific style of the region. I fell in love with the technique and decided to explore it for The Silk Vault’s collection. During the same afternoon I got on a dragon boat and watched the sunset over The West Lake and the surrounding mountains. I had a few magical hours that afternoon that led to multiple design ideas. The dragon boat can be spotted on the new scarf Jubilee, from the latest collection. A person in my life that has meant the most to me creatively is my aunt, the late artist Ingegerd Möller. She taught me about composition, colours and how the eyes should travel in an artwork. She gave me lots of art books which was the start of my art book collection. I frequently refer to my favourite artbooks, and one of them is about Diaghilev and his Ballet Russes. I love listening to music when I work. A great way for me exploring new music is through the BBC 6 Music app. Independent dj’s have their regular shows, without restricted, commercial playlists. Two of my favourite dj’s there are Iggy Pop and Huey Morgan who both play eclectic music mixes where I have discovered lots of great new and old music. I met my fiancée through music. He is a dj and is part of a music movement, Funk Freaks, a dj collective based out of Santa Ana. The Street Funk movement is originally part of the Orange County Chicanx culture, but it has spread worldwide and they have a following in Europe and Asia too. I met so many inspirational people through music, and I think fashion and music really go hand in hand. My favourite (Modern) Funk artist and singer, Moniquea, has become one of my muses when I design. The Silk Vault’s emphasis on limited editions and exclusivity is intriguing. Could you explain the reasoning behind this approach and how it aligns with your brand’s philosophy?Ten years ago, I was working in London as a design director for a company designing and producing collections for retailers in the UK and France. We focused mainly on nightwear and lingerie with a crafted handwriting and beautiful encrusted lace placements. When I first joined the company we used beautiful silk fabrics, prints and French laces, but over the years and following the world economy, the products became more simplified. Silk got replaced with polyester, French laces with cheaper copies, and chasing low prices and high volumes became the focus. I fell out of love with my work in fashion, which had started from a love of arts, beautiful textiles and craftsmanship. I had never chosen to work with fast fashion, but this is what my job turned into. I felt frustrated and wanted to leave the fashion industry but was realistic enough to realise I couldn’t afford to leave work as it is very expensive living in