Behind the Scenes of a Faroe Islands Fashion Shoot

An autumn/winter fashion shoot is all about layers—lots of rich textiles, hues, and textures to match the landscape, not to mention the trends noted back at the February shows. This year, Condé Nast Traveler headed to the Faroe Islands, with its wild and windy conditions, to bring the collections to life. The theme? The Great Outdoors. Below, fashion director Martha Ward takes us on location and shares how the shoot came together, from seeking out unforgettable scenery to the most memorable look.

Wool high-neck jumper, $1,976; beaded silk mirrored skirt, POA; metallic leather ankle boots, $1,646, all Louis Vuitton.

Photographs by Erik Madigan Heck. Styled by Martha Ward.

Fantasy tweed wool coat, $11,502; glittered fantasy tweed jacket, $11,278; glittered fantasy tweed skirt, $6,179; stretch fabric boots, $2,266, all Chanel boots

Photographs by Erik Madigan Heck. Styled by Martha Ward.

The location

I’d long had the Faroe Islands in the back of my mind as an otherworldly destination. We need to shoot in June, and as it happens, temperatures remain relatively low in the Faroes, while daylight hours are at their longest. In short: autumnal weather to suit the looks, but with plenty of light. And with landscapes of epic proportions, broken up by dramatic fjords, sea stacks, waterfalls, and lagoons, it seemed like the perfect place.

Faux-fur coat, $428, Guess. Three-layer Storm System linen sleeveless jacket, $3,780; silk top, $1,185; Jarett silk trousers, $4,603, all Loro Piana. Buckled leather Brooklyn boots, $1,745, Jimmy Choo.

Photographs by Erik Madigan Heck. Styled by Martha Ward.

Getting there

Each day was a road trip. The team plotted out daily routes to incorporate the key locations we wanted to hit across the Faroe Islands. Ensuring every backdrop and location is different is no mean feat, but these islands have diversity in spades. We weaved in and out of the island’s long tunnels beneath the sea, which connect one island to the next. The vans housed all the looks and also doubled up as a changing room as we were in some very remote places. No people, no phone signal, nothing, just wonderful wilderness.

Woven coat, $5,097, Max Mara. Silk and linen blend jacket, $3,591; silk organza oversized shirt with bow-scarf collar, $2,370; wool trousers, $1,290, all Giorgio Armani.

Photographs by Erik Madigan Heck. Styled by Martha Ward.

Fishnet virgin wool jumper, POA; wool and silk Bermuda shorts, POA; calfskin thigh boots, $2,884, all Dior.

Photographs by Erik Madigan Heck. Styled by Martha Ward.

A tricky shot the photographer pulled off

Shooting beneath Fossa in Streymoy (the tallest waterfall in the Faroes) required a challenging hike. The water drops in two levels and is within very dark basalt walls, with rocky terrain, but it was worth the challenge. Due to the deafening, unending roar of the water tumbling, the model couldn’t hear what the photographer was saying, and they communicated with each other entirely via hand gestures.

Wool jumper, $1,317; wool trousers, $1,317, both Loewe (loewe.com). Leather belt, $270, Max Mara.

Photographs by Erik Madigan Heck. Styled by Martha Ward.

Baby cashmere coat with lambskin details, $12,553; wool jumpsuit, $8,640; calfskin boots, $2,884; funnel-neck cashmere collar, $816; calfskin belt with palladium-finish buckle, $1,132, all Hermès.

Photographs by Erik Madigan Heck. Styled by Martha Ward.

Crewneck jumper (around shoulders), $592; sleeveless jumper, $500; Priscilla embellished dress, $902; studded belt, $302, all Rag & Bone.

Photographs by Erik Madigan Heck. Styled by Martha Ward.

The most memorable look

The number of puffins and sheep greatly outweighs the number of people residing on the Faroe Islands. So, it was without question that sheep had to feature somewhere. Our day two agenda included the town of Gamla Hoyvík, which offered a superb ocean view with a flock of sheep gathered along the hillside. A very curious brown and white sheep appeared right on cue, just behind the model as we photographed her in a brown Fendi coat. It was a perfect moment.