The AW’22 Collection began with an early 2000’s video series called “Flyfishing Trout Streams with Maggie Merriman”. Her pioneering spirit, deep appreciation for nature, love for exploration and experience in a sport that is so focused on technique has made her become an inspiration for his collection.
Merriman was fishing Montana rivers since she was a child. She is one of Montana’s best known fly fishing instructors. As her parents were avid outdoors adventurers, the skills and patience she developed over decades on the river’s edge, became the basis of her profession. People have travelled from all over the world to fish at her side. In a late 90s video production, she said that it’s easy to stop when a student starts to understand what fly fishing is all about, “it’s when the environment has touched then in some way”.
Fly fishing is a sport of skill and technique, but watching Merriman insist that “it’s a mistake to ignore the exploration and adventure of the experience” felt somewhat profound.
For whatever reason, people are drawn to fly fishing. Those who have stood in the river beside Maggie Merriman, had the privilege of learning from a master who has learned the rocks, the water, and the fish, and her place amongst them
“Go out and explore and see what happens today. Nature is bigger than you, or I, or anyone else. If we let nature work its magic and plant its seeds, we never know where or how they are going to affect people.” - Merriman