Luxury Experience Magazine is always seeking out exceptional trendsetters and Eggert Jóhannsson, one of the top 100 furriers in the world, is definitely a trendsetter.

In April 2007, Edward F. Nesta and I traveled to Reykjavik, Iceland to meet Eggert Jóhannsson at his fashionable boutique on Skólavörðustígur. He is a passionate man with vision, who is not afraid to go after his dreams. 

Eggert Jóhannsson

In his youth he was a seaman before deciding at age 17 that he wanted a career in tailoring. So where did he go to learn about bespoke clothing – to Bond Street in London, of course. With his father’s excellent connections, he traveled from Iceland to England and learned from Jack Marcel, of the best tailors on prestigious Bond Street in London. When he decided that he wanted to enter the fur industry, he went to learn at Mattssons Päls in Malmö, Sweden, one of the finest furriers in the world since 1913, and part of the illustrious The Purple Club, (top 100 furriers in the world, with 7 members in Scandinavia). 

He opened his own shop in Reykjavik in 1976, and with such an impressive beginning, it is no wonder that he is also a member of The Purple Club, an elite “alliance of the most exclusive fur retail boutiques in the world. The boutiques have been carefully selected between hundreds of candidates to ensure the highest quality of service and knowledge. The members of The Purple Club are all trendsetters. At these boutiques the service is at the highest, the superior quality of the fur coats is unique and the designs are exceptional. The featured collections are by high profiled fur designers including the members themselves. A fur coat from one of these boutiques is not just a garment – it is an experience.”

Eggert explained that with a custom design, it is not just his job to find out what the client wants, but also to inform them about what can and cannot be achieved. Clients are looking for a true luxury experience, and consulting with them is an important aspect when creating the design for their dream. When you purchase an expensive coat, you want it to last, not be in and out of fashion quickly, as it is difficult to remodel a coat, and it never looks the same afterwards.

As for fashion trends when it comes to fur coats, he said that his clients select all types of styles ranging from short jackets to full-length coats, and from classic to extreme designs. When you personalize a coat, the client usually has an idea of what they would like to look like, so he designs to meet their needs, acting as a guide for new customers as to the type and style of coat they would like. He said that he tries to make fur a cold weather garment that is lined in silk to provide warmth outside and yet is still comfortable inside. 

One of the interesting challenges that he faces when it comes to designing a fur coat is that many women want a coat with too narrow a cut. When it comes to designing with fur, it is important to realize that fur does not drape in the same way that cloth does, and that a fur coat should be cut roomier than a cloth coat. Instead of cutting a coat narrower, if a client wants a sleeker look, it is important to consider the type of fur used, and what look that the client is hoping to achieve. Belonging to The Purple Club, he has access to The Kopenhagen Purple label skins, the best quality mink, swakara, chinchilla, and fox furs, and he likes to work with wild fur skins. Many of the fur skins that you see on the market today are farm raised, and as an example of the difference when it comes to the look and feel of the furs, wild mink skins are lighter in weight than farm raised mink, and they also have thicker under hair and longer top hair than farm raised mink.

The process for creating a custom coat begins with a consultation, followed by the selection of furs either by the client or Eggert, the creation of the design, and the crafting of the coat. The process from start to finish takes around one month, depending on the availability of the fur, although a coat can be made within 2-3 weeks if necessary, depending on what is required. When the coat is completed, the client can either return to pick it up, or it can be shipped to them anywhere in the world.

In addition to creating custom designs, Eggert also carries prêt-à-porter fur coats, hats, and accessories, and Edward and I loved trying on the various designs each with their unique styles and luxurious silk linings, which are every bit as sumptuous as the furs. I especially loved the decadent look and feel of his burnout sheer black silk over a lipstick red silk lining.

Although all of the designs in the shop are exquisite, when my eyes spotted a leather jacket that looked like it had scales, I had to inquire about its origin. Scales? Yes, you read that correctly, Eggert is a true fashion trendsetter, and he was the first designer to start creating using perch and salmon skins. The results are hip, trendy and unusual creations that warrant a closer look.

 
Silver Salmon Skin Jacket                           Pink Salmon Skin Jacket  

To showcase his versatility, he once created a red and black fur and salmon skin dress that resembled a flamenco dancer’s dress. His imagination is limitless and his passions are all consuming. When not creating designs for clients, he is out riding his Icelandic horses, another of his great passions.

On your next trip to Reykjavik, if you are looking to purchase a truly exceptional coat, be sure to visit Eggert the Furrier, of course, he may be out riding, but he will be back, and the wait will definitely be worth it!

Eggert the Furrier 
Skólavörðustígur 38
101 Reykjavik
Iceland
Contact:           Eggert Jóhannsson
Telephone:      +354-551-1112
Fax:                 +354-551-1355
Email:              This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   
www.furrier.is   

Please other articles on Iceland in the Destination, Hotels and Resorts, Restaurants, Chefs’ Recipes, Spas, and Adventures sections.

For information on Iceland, please visit the website: Icelandic Tourist Board: www.icelandtouristboard.com. 

For information on Icelandair, please visit the website: Icelandair: www.icelandair.com.  

For information on Hertz, please visit the website: www.Hertz.com    

© June 2007. Luxury Experience. www.LuxuryExperience.com All rights reserved.