Daugther of Jón - DAUGHTER OF JÓN

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Photo © Protein Journal / prote.in  

 

Daughter of Jón is a Bag & Accessories Brand based in Hackney, London

 

ABOUT DOJ

Daughter of Jón was founded by Hedi Jónsdóttir in 2013 with the premise to design contemporary accessories with a modern aesthetic that are sustainable, yet created with style in mind.

Hedi grew up in Reykjavík and Vienna where she studied Fashion Design and Tailoring for Womenswear and later on moved to Barcelona. She blends influences from all these places in her designs: the raw elements of Iceland, the flair of Vienna, the playfulness and colour of Barcelona's street life. And now London is bringing it all together.

“Designing handbags is like creating sculptures. You can use all sorts of fabrics and leathers as well as stronger materials such as metals and use heavy tools like hammers. Also, you are not constrained by the body, anyone can wear any handbag, whatever shape or size they are. Handbags are universal objects but at the same time they are also the most personal accessory you can have, your private den in the public space. That’s what I love about designing bags”.

Hedi’s design stands for a modern, metropolitan take on classic style. She likes reinventing classic shapes with unusual materials mixing raw textures and classic lines, elegant shapes and striding colors, unusual patterns and natural proportions.

The brand name 'Daughter of Jón' is literally Hedi's Icelandic surname, Jónsdóttir, translated into English (So yes, she really is the daughter of Jón). She chose this name for her label because she wanted something that communicated authenticity and simplicity. Something personal and down to Earth that also reflected the aesthetic of the designs.


MATERIALS & SUSTAINABILITY

“Insofar as one can talk of a Vionnet school, it comes mostly from me having been an enemy of fashion. There is something superficial and volatile about the seasonal and elusive whims of fashion which offends my sense of beauty.” - Madeleine Vionnet

In contrast to today’s 'fast fashion' the DOJ accessories are designed and made to last, to be kept and loved. All Daughter of Jón bags are designed and produced with sustainability in mind, with a strong focus on giving something back, whilst looking after the Earth's valuable resources.

Daughter of Jón produces all bags in the UK and Europe under fair working conditions and every piece is handmade.

All leathers are British, she also uses vegan leather and the designs are composed to minimise waste and use any off cuts for smaller items.

FISH-LEATHER

The fish-leather used in most of DOJ’s collections is sourced from a small town on the north coast of Iceland. Hedi chooses to work with this material because of its beauty, strength, uniqueness and sustainability.

Fish-leather is a by-product of the fishing industry, up-cycling raw material that would not be used otherwise, and is produced using renewable hydro and geothermal energy.

Up to the 19th century fish-leather was used by the Icelanders in the past to make shoes and accessories for its cross-fibered structure which makes it incredibly strong and yet it's light in weight.

Hedi uses all kinds of fish-leather including Salmon and Cod, which look very elegant with their beautiful fine scales and a soft, tactile feel. Wolf fish-leather is also a favourite, with its tougher feel but peculiar dark markings instead of the scales.

No fish skin is alike, which makes every bag truly unique!

 

WHERE OUR PRODUCTS ARE MADE

All prototypes and most of bags are made in Hedi’s studio in Hackney, London (take a peek behind the scenes), but she can’t make all of them. So she gets a good hand from a small family run business based in a stunning mountainous village in Andalucia, Spain. The village has a long tradition of making leather goods. She visits them regularly (sunshine, food and wine are good incentives, yes), here’s a few pictures from her last visit.