Photocred: Martin Lima de Faria
Half woman, half warrior. Delicate and strong.
R.H. Sin
Her Story - The Collections - Skogsrå is inspired by a figure from Swedish mythology — a forest nymph described as irresistibly beautiful from the front, yet hollow or marked on her back. Often feared. Often misunderstood.
More than twenty-five years ago, I encountered a historical account that offered a different perspective. In medieval Sweden, women accused of adultery were punished publicly. Their only garment was torn open at the back, exposing their skin, before they were expelled from their village — marked, rejected, and forced to disappear.
A hypothesis presented by Swedish author Alice Lyttkens asks:
What if these women, driven from society and left to survive on their own, became the origin of the myth of Skogsrå?
The forest — long associated with fear, mystery, and independence — may have been filled with women who had been punished simply for existing outside control. Myths are often born from fear. And myths about women frequently emerge from fear of women’s sexuality, autonomy, and freedom.
The Skogsrå collection was created as a response to this story.
A series of coats that carry secrets in their backs — openings, zippers, and hidden details — referencing both historical punishment and mythical power. Each garment offers choice, agency, and transformation.
To wear a Skogsrå coat is to reclaim the narrative.
To turn punishment into strength.
History into presence.
Myth into empowerment.
And the stories of women kept nudging me to create another collection. And then another...
For each sold piece, another woman is empowered through microloans — creating a circular, sustainable movement where art, history, and action meet.
