Melbourne label Virk bags pays homage to sisterhood and its Swedish roots
IMAGE VIA @virkbags/Instagram
WORDS BY DAISY HENRY
“We’ve had customers who have asked for their favourite jeans to be turned into a bag.”
Every new bag the Virk founders design is named after someone. For sisters Ellen and Olivia Romert, it’s a way to honour the people in their lives. Their ritual involves asking the person in question to name a non-profit organisation they’re passionate about so Virk can donate a portion of the design’s profits.
Ellen and Olivia are passionate about providing a platform for other voices, bringing people together through in-person workshops, collaborations and events. They also like to experiment with innovative, new methods of design. Right now, they’re on the lookout for people’s old jeans so they can upcycle and repurpose them into Virk bags (just look at this custom bag they created from old Ganni jeans).
For more fashion news, shoots, articles and features, head to our Fashion section.
Though the label is Melbourne-based, it’s largely inspired by its Swedish heritage. “In Sweden there is an expression that translates to ‘there is no bad weather, only bad clothing’ (det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder),” Liv says. This informs much of Virk’s designs: they’re practical and durable, while also adding a hit of colour and playfulness to your everyday style.
View this post on Instagram
Tell us about you. What’s your fashion background?
Ellen and I grew up in a small town south of Stockholm in Sweden. I (Liv, the oldest) work in architecture and moved to Melbourne just in time for lockdown. Ellen works for the government and moved to Melbourne almost a year ago now. Even though we both probably identify as Swedish, our mum is Australian and we have always felt a very strong connection to the country.
We’ve always enjoyed expressing ourselves through clothing, but never pursued it professionally – until recently when we started Virk. We consider ourselves very lucky to be able to do what we do.
How did the label get started? Talk us through the process and the challenges.
A couple of years ago while Ellen was studying in Stockholm, she started crocheting as a form of meditation. She was making bags for friends for fun, and when she moved over to Melbourne I suggested we give it a go selling them. Initially, we sold our bags to friends and family and it’s only in the last few months that we have found an audience that is not part of our social circle.
View this post on Instagram
How has your brand evolved and what are you trying to achieve now?
When we started it was something fun for the two of us to do together. We haven’t lived in the same city for twelve years, so Virk was an excuse for us to get together and work on something creative. Fast forward to today and we are running workshops with other creators and experimenting with new materials. Our brand is about rethinking new ways to utilise existing materials.
How would you describe your label to someone who’s never seen it before?
In Sweden there is an expression that translates to “there is no bad weather, only bad clothing” (det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder). So there is an element of practicality to our bags. They are meant to be worn and not to be treated as something delicate. Clothing and accessories (shoes, bags etc) are, in their most fundamentally stripped-back state, a tool to keep us warm and safe. This is especially true for the cold north.
View this post on Instagram
Having said that though, our bags are not purely utilitarian, but designed to add joy and colour to any setting. I would describe our bags as colourful, fun, functional and forgiving (I’m always spilling things, so it was important to us that our products can be washed without impacting the quality of the material).
What are you most proud of in your work on your label?
Bringing people together. Each new bag we design we name after someone who has been important to us in one way or another. Upon releasing the design we ask the person in question to nominate a non-profit that they are passionate about and we donate a portion of our profits to that charity (for a limited time). We hope that we can continue providing a platform for other smarter and passionate voices to be heard on our platform.
View this post on Instagram
What do you wish you knew when you started?
That the design part of the business is actually quite small.
Who do you think is most exciting in Australia and New Zealand fashion right now?
To name a few, Grace Lillian Lee, Esse and Lovaan.
What about the Australian and New Zealand fashion industry needs to change?
We would love to see more fluid boundaries between fashion, art, architecture and design. There are so many similarities and transferable skills between the industries.
View this post on Instagram
Who are your dream collaborators?
The list is extensive, but there are great designers out there with a similar design ethos and strong sustainability focus that we would love to work with. We recently did a workshop together with Melbourne brand Lovaan and Anna and her staff are an incredible inspiration. They have done incredibly well in a short amount of time and they have been very generous sharing their time and resources. Looking forward, we would love to work with Australian brands who would be interested in repurposing their offcuts as Virk bags.
Go-to dinner party playlist?
We would probably both listen to something mellow and most likely Swedish. Hannes, Augustine, Sarah Klang and Thomas Stenström are frequently played at home.
Who is in your wardrobe right now?
Basics are always Arket and Filippa K. We appreciate a good suit, ideally Tiger of Sweden, or something colourful from Carin Wester. Everything else in our wardrobe is second-hand and vintage.
View this post on Instagram
How can we buy one of your pieces?
Through our website! We sometimes host workshops around Melbourne too. No previous experience is required, everyone is welcome. Follow us on Instagram for ticket releases.
Anything else to add?
We are always on the lookout for jeans (ideally that are too worn to go to the op-shop) and if you post them to us we will reimburse you for postage. We also love working with custom briefs. We’ve had customers who have asked for their favourite jeans to be turned into a bag.
Keep up with Virk here.
Liked this? You’ll love these...
