At the end of the 1990s, when Nanna Salmi turned 40, she received a birthday present from her friends – riding lessons. A simple gift with unexpected consequences, career and even life changing. Soon Nanna purchased her own horse and began to deploy her long-time expertise in textiles with a new material, horsehair. The weaving techniques she uses are ancient, dating back even to the time of the Egyptians, but in the current era to use woven tail hair in fine jewellery was something unique, innovative and never seen before.
Anxious to go further, Nanna contacted a skilled goldsmith in an attempt to marry horse hair with noble metals. So was born her horsehair fine jewellery collection, at the turn of the millennium. Since then, nannasalmi pieces have been worn in the London Olympics riding arenas and by Saudi royalty among others. "When using a client's horse's hair in my work I feel that I strengthen their unity, and if the horse is already deceased I weave in consolation and memories. Using horsehair is a beautiful way to keep someone dear and special near to you," says Nanna.
Nanna Salmi
