Artwork Explained: Freya

This week we will be exploring the artwork and story behind one of our most popular designs and ranges! The Norse mythology inspired Freya apparel range. Freya was considered one of the main deities in the Norse pantheon and was said to be a very lovely and enchanting Goddess. The intricate and highly detailed artwork featured on this apparel range features twirls and swirls and is inspired by the Goddesses soft and gentle curves and also showcases her affinity to nature through interlinking tree branches hidden in the artwork. It gives us the greatest of pleasure to now unveil more about the Goddess that inspired this wearable work of art. 

The beautiful Freya was the Norse Goddess of blessings, love, lust, and fertility. She was a member of the Vanir tribe of deities and shared her people’s interest in the magical arts of divination. It was in fact Freya who introduced the gods to seidr Which is a form of magic that allowed practitioners to know and change the future. Freya was a gentler and more agreeable than the other Norse Gods and Goddesses. Unlike Thor, Odin and Loki who were esteemed for their use of trickery and aggression, Freya rather used gifts, beauty and sex as her means to persuade.

Although Freya was gentle, kind and helpful, the mysterious Freya also had a darker edge, like the other Norse gods, Freya had a taste for blood and fought fiercely in battle. In fact it was said she took the lives of half of the warriors ever slain in battle. Therefore the artwork featured on this range is red, depicting Freya's strength and the bloodshed that she caused. Freya made her home at the palace of Sessrúmnir which is located in the field of Fólkvangr where half of the dead slain in battle went to spend eternity; the other half went to Odin Valhalla. 

Freya is often depicted riding her glittering chariot, pulled by two black domestic cats and she was usually accompanied by her animal familiar which was a hog named Hildisvíni meaning battle swine. Freya also had a cloak made of falcon feathers that gave the gift of flight to anyone who wore it. When she was not wearing it herself, Freya lent the cloak to companions and collaborators who agreed to do her bidding. Finally, Freya’s most prized possession was a necklace known as Brísingamen which means gleaming torc. Brísingamen was made by dwarves and purchased at a very high price. It is said that she guarded it with her life. 

Throughout the intertwined and swirling knot-work patterns in this design are many hidden features relating to Freya including symbols associated with Freya and the Valkyrie. Freya was also often depicted in nature along with trees, hence the tree branch like knotwork. This all comes together in a red colour-way depicting the bloodshed the fierce but gentle Goddess caused. 

We hope you love this one as much as we do and we will be bringing you so much more very soon! 

P.S. This incredible collection will be on sale tomorrow as a part of Black Friday! 

-Lunafide Team <3