Northern Iceland features a dangerous, sinking road that leads to Akureyri, a small town near the Arctic Circle. Travelers are there to study eiderdown, which is prized for its insulation properties in luxury clothing. This jackets from Vollebak represent a trend in which clothing often embodies themes of dystopia or optimism regarding the future. The luxury market is worth over $400 billion, prompting reflection on the meaning of luxury itself. The landscape is characterized by geological instability, beauty, and a unique climate that blurs seasonal distinctions.
The asphalt is sliding off the escarpment and into the frigid sea below at a rate of two meters a year, emphasizing the precarious nature of this road.
I have traveled to Akureyri, a town of fewer than twenty thousand souls just thirty-seven miles south of the Arctic Circle, to look at eiderdown.
Many of the garments are marketed for the end of earthbound civilization, reflecting a trend in fashion that can be termed dystopian chic.
The luxury industry was estimated to be worth more than $400 billion worldwide, raising questions about what luxury truly means.
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