Der Metal Krieger Let's make this world metal shall we?
Fanny Janssen is a young girl whose love for metal exceeds that of attending shows and buying band merch. She takes pride in her artistic abilities and was inspired to create her own small jewelry and accessory company known as Obscura Morgana. She can create anything from sexy biker jackets to Manowar wristbands to Darkthrone panties, which can be accessorized with anything from metal studs to jeweled pentagrams and wolves fur! She continues to perfect her craft in the region of Sittard in The Netherlands. You can her pieces up for display (and also for sale) on Facebook and Etsy. Links are pasted below the interview that I conducted with Fanny a short time ago.
First things first, we are definitely privileged to have you on our website as our first non-
musician interview, so thank you for joining us!
What inspired you to start Obscura Morgana, and does that name have a special
meaning to you?
Aw thank you very much, I feel honored! Well that’s funny, I started my first online shop a
couple years ago, because everything I wanted wasn’t available anywhere, so I started sewing
myself! But it didn’t contain any metal related items yet! I created real girly and innocent
stuff, and became quite popular in the hipster community. This was during a period in which
I let go of the goth girl I used to be for years, because I was going through a tough time and I
felt like I belonged nowhere. This didn’t last very long, because last year I met the four sweetest
guys I’ve ever met. Tolerant, fun, heavy metal lovers who were also misunderstood by our fellow students.
No matter how big my leather killerheels were, I was always one of the boys. They invited me
into their metal world, and I met a notherguy who later helped me with making up a new name for
my shop. He compared me to Fata Morgana, an enchantress who seduced king Arthur with
her magic. Then after hours of talking and brainstorming, Obscura Morgana was born.
What is your favorite article of clothing/accessory that you have made so far?
I would say my Imaginaerum wristband, the one I made for
Nightwish’s last album! This is the first item that was going all the way to America, so
this item will always remain special to me! Beside this one I’m also very proud of the last
snowstorm jacket I’ve made.
What are your favorite metal bands to rock out to?
God, I love so many bands! But particularly Korpiklaani, Bathory, Finntroll, Iced Earth, Skull
Fist, Ensiferum, Dimmu Borgir, Immortal, Venom, Nightmare, Death, Siebenburgen and my
all-time favourite: Nightwish!
Most memorable concert you have been to?
The Nightwish concert I went to in Amsterdam in April this year! I was looking
forward to it for months and months and when they were finally standing in front of me, I was
standing on the first row at the fence and right in front of Tuomas’ keyboard. I was
crying, shaking and goosebumps were all over my body. I really live for this band.
How difficult is the process of getting permission from bands to use their logos to make
your merchandise?
It’s very difficult. There aren’t many ways to approach these bands when you’re not a
big company yet. So I started by making merchandise for bands which aren’t together anymore, for example, Siebenburgen. There are still many fans out there, but the merchandise isn’tanywhere available anymore so that makes my items quite popular among these guys. There are also bands I haven’t asked permission yet, in that case I don’t sell any item until I’ve approached them, or only sell one item of the design.
What bands would you like to customize on your merchandise that you have had
difficulty trying to reach?
Probably the classics, like Megadeth, Slayer, Judas Priest.. Iron Maiden. It’s easier to reach
smaller bands!
If I’m not mistaken, all of these band logos are hand-painted, but they look SO
authentic! It must be a pain-staking process, right?
Yep that’s right! All painted by these magical hands! I’m just very good at drawing and
painting. I always amazed students and art teachers in high school, how I was able
to draw a simple vase and make it look like it was a photograph! If you’ve been doing this
for years and years, it doesn’t take hours to paint a logo. It takes me about 30 minutes. Only
Darkthrone made it very hard for me, haha!
What are your aspirations for Obscura Morgana?
My talent is the only thing that has always been by my side, my first and last love! I’ve
always been the weirdo in high school, the one with the black eyeliner, bloodred lips, leather
pants and strange fascinations. There was always a reason to dislike me. But during the time
they were going out and feeling like they were gods, I was sitting in my room designing and
sewing. And look at me now! I’m answering an interview with Der Metal Krieger! These are
the things that keep me going every day. One day I’ll have a stand at Graspop Metal Meeting, mark my words!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/-Obscura-Morgana-/158408107584244?fref=ts
