Saturday with Staka...

As you read this I will be in Cellardyke, out on the rocks and blowing the cobwebs away.

It will be so cold, I could almost be in Iceland ( well maybe that's an exaggeration but it will be chilly). That's where these stunning Staka leather neckpieces hail from.

Staka marks the first collection in an ongoing series between Icelandic product designers María Kristín Jónsdóttir and Bylgja Svansdóttir, comprising a curious mix of finely crafted unisex leather neck accessories. The aristocratic vibe of each piece stems from the design duo's concept for the range, which draws inspiration from one of Iceland's most notorious narratives, the Brennu-Njáls saga. Like all Icelandic sagas, the author remains anonymous, but the extensive storyline is centered around a familial feud which brings the idea of masculinity into question. The designers were also particularly taken by the tale's leading lady, Hallgerður Langbrók, a femme fatale "who was notorious for her majestic appearance and temperament", explains Svansdóttir.

Queen Marie