Traditional representations of Bermuda can be found everywhere: from postcards to calendars, posters to t-shirts. While we’re not disparaging these typical offerings, it is refreshing to see representations of the island that are slightly unconventional.
We discovered Nettleink, a brand that is influenced by the nature, culture, history and people of Bermuda, a few years ago. The brand seeks to answer the question of what is local in new and different ways. They do so by using vintage or historical images of the island or by stripping down its flora and fauna to the barest of graphic elements. The result is a striking collection of soft furnishings and household items and a separate line of stationery called Paper|ie, both of which feature the unique beauty of the island.
Nettleink’s designs also often include phrases pulled from the local vernacular which, when combined with their imagery, create graphic, witty and undeniably local products. Nettleink recently launched its newest textile collection called Colour Void which features desaturated, archival images of Bermuda. These have been used on cards, tea towels, wine totes and cushions to stunning effect. Other collections include Deveined which was inspired by the Monstera plant found in abundance all over the island, Grapeseed an Ikat print that has been spun from a single cedar twig, and Coral Canvas, whose Rorschach-like print was taken from the coral reefs that surround Bermuda, the curving, organic shapes of which were then overlaid with a henna illustration.
The Colour Void collection and selected Paper|ie products are available in store and online.
