BAKKA is a contemporary knitwear business run from a remote croft on the west side of Shetland. Mary Macgregor, the woman behind the success of BAKKA, writes, ‘BAKKA's aim is to promote, and help preserve the tradition and cultural heritage of a uniquely Shetland product: Fair Isle knitwear’.
The garments are a modernisation of traditional Fair Isle knitwear. Only the oldest 'heritage' patterns and traditional colours are used, but the chosen yarn is not Shetland wool but 100% extra-fine merino yarn. The resulting garments are luxurious and durable; and the lightness, warmth and comfort of the yarn make them suitable for all locations, both in cities and in the country.
In Old Norse, Icelandic or Faroese, bakka means steep coast or steep slope up from the sea, used for boats; it is the land 'at the back', the slope beyond the end of the land. The Bakka croft is where Mary lives and works...’a place of total calm and outstanding natural beauty. Remote in every sense of the word, it is an ideal location for creative expression’.
Mary’s designs have all been inspired by the oldest garments in the collections in the museums of Shetland and Edinburgh. She uses the traditional patterns and colours of the past, successfully marrying them with the best yarn of the present.
With an outstanding finish and eye-catching range of designs, BAKKA’s range of high quality knitwear is ideal for gifts. We're delighted to have a selection for sale in our shop at Bonhoga Gallery.
