Textile Storytelling and Tall Ships with Fernweh

Over the past few months, Aberdeen-based designer Laura Sherriffs has been quietly working on something remarkable—an ambitious, thoughtful collection that fuses storytelling, seafaring history, and sustainable design. Now on display at Aberdeen Art Gallery, The Tall Ships Collection is the result of her time on the Tall Ships Makers Programme, and it marks a turning point for her small business, Fernweh.

When Laura wrote about this project in her newsletter, we knew it was something POST readers would love. Here’s her story, lightly edited to keep the flow.

Sail Away With Me

Over the past three months, I’ve been working on a project that’s been both challenging and joyful in equal measure. I’m so excited to introduce you to The Tall Ships Collection, which has just been exhibited at Aberdeen Art Gallery.

Back in December, I was selected as one of five makers for the Tall Ships Maker Programme, a funded opportunity to create new work inspired by the Tall Ships Races, with Aberdeen as one of this year’s ports.

I created a series of garments and accessories designed for wild swimming, celebrating Aberdeen’s shipbuilding, seafaring past and ongoing connection to the North Sea. It’s a love letter to our maritime history, but also to the role the sea continues to play in our lives today.

The idea was to tell our coastal story through cloth. I used four key fabrics, each chosen for its connection to seafaring traditions and the city’s heritage.

Materials with a Story to Tell

One of the central materials is a decommissioned sail from Alba Explorer, a vessel taking part in this year’s Tall Ships Races. Donated by Ocean Youth Trust Scotland, the sail had circumnavigated the globe before retiring in 2014. It represents Aberdeen’s ongoing link to the races.

I also used canvas sailcloth from the 1950s, typical of the sails used in traditional North East fishing boats. Though fragile in parts, it carried character and history. I used it to create one of the ditty bags, letting the patches and wear speak for themselves.

The collection also includes heavyweight flax linen from Bisset & Ross, a local business that once crafted sails for Aberdeen’s fishing fleet. This fabric nods to the city’s craftsmanship and its adaptability, especially during the shift brought by the oil industry.

Finally, I worked with Scottish-made waxed cotton, originally developed to weatherproof clipper sails. It’s a staple in my practice and is still produced in Dundee today, bridging past and present.

Design, Research and Reaction

I designed a dry robe jacket and a set of modern ditty bags, inspired by the traditional round-bottomed bags once used by sailors. I drew on silhouettes and patterns from archival material at Aberdeen Art Gallery, the Maritime Museum and the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther.

This was my first foray into menswear and my first time using these materials. It pushed me creatively. What I didn’t expect was the emotional response. I received messages from people who had sailed under Alba Explorer’s sail, telling me what it had meant to them. It was deeply moving and reminded me of how powerfully connected we are to the materials around us.

What Comes Next

I was honoured when my project was selected as the overall winner by the judging panel. I’ve received £5,000 to invest in my practice, which opens up new possibilities for learning, experimentation and development in the year ahead.

The exhibition is open at Aberdeen Art Gallery until 27 April, and it’s free to visit. Each of the five makers brought something completely unique, and it’s a brilliant showcase of the creativity coming out of Aberdeen right now.

Looking ahead, I’m starting to develop this work into a retail collection. I’m exploring ideas for repurposing marine rope and even old lifejackets. If you’re interested in a ditty bag when they launch, my newsletter subscribers will be the first to know.

Thanks so much for reading. I’m really excited to see where this takes me next.

The Tall Ships Collection exhibition is free to visit at Aberdeen Art Gallery until 27 April. You can follow the latest updates and sign up for Laura's newsletter at fernwehuk.com. She also hopes to write more on her experience in a series of upcoming blog posts, so stay in touch.