At the very core of it, Helen Ruth’s latest collection is about story telling. “Lore of the Land” is a love letter of sorts to traditional Scottish folklore, weaving together some of her favourite traditional tales from around her area. From jealous sisters, to mermaids, to deals with the devil, Helen Ruth’s latest collection explores the very best of Scottish fairytales for a truly fantastical collection with a delicious dark undercurrent throughout.
From hearing her friend sing folk songs of local fairytales, Ruth was inspired to preserve part of her regional folklore through fabric. Popular local legends, “The Maiden Stone” and “The Tale of Two Sisters” serve as two of the main cornerstones of the collection, however, no Scottish fairytale scarf would be complete without the inclusion of selkies or the pictish folk. Heavily illustrated women, twisted braids and tiny hidden skulls all have their place in “Lore of the Land”, combining the very fantasy stories of land and sea. As with much of Ruth’s work, this collection has been inspired by her surrounding areas in the highlands so forrest creatures find themselves at ease with pagan rituals, while seals swim happily among skulls. It’s undoubtably beautiful, but with a blacker thread running through the collection it’s more in line with original fairytales and less like the Disneyfied versions we have today. She’s not afraid to go dark, and it pays off big time. With the scarves going sale on Monday the 2nd of November, “Lore of the Land” is sure to be a fast Christmas favourite for those who like something a bit more bitter with their sweetness this holiday season.