Pre Helsinki fashion week is the largest all-Finnish fashion event, focusing on both fashion and art. The event puts on different experiences and aims to shine a light on the up and coming talents of the Finnish fashion world. The weeklong event starting MAY 20 – MAY 24 is being held in the Finnish capital and this year will consist of runway shows, seminars, exhibitions, workshops and a fashion film night hosted by Visionaire on May 20 at which films like our own Dior film and Prada‘s postman series will be shown
The Pre Helsinki event is attracting international journalists and other professionals in the field of fashion. The festival is a collaboration of Aalto University, Pre Helsinki, City of Helsinki and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Finish Fashion designers Laura Juslin, Sasu Kauppi, Saara Lepokorpi, Satu Maaranen, Elina Määttänen and Ensæmble will present their newest collections at the Design Museum on 21 May 2015.
Helsinki-born Laura Juslin is a graduate from the Aalto University School of Art, Design and Architecture. She was recently hired as the head of design for new Finnish label Siloa & Mook. She produced her architectural graduate collection entirely from reindeer leather. “I wanted to see if it was possible to do a collection made from one material. And reindeer is local and really easy to work with. You can do pleats and laser cutting and it also forms a strong element in Siloa & Mook,” Juslin explains.Sasu Kauppi is also a Helsinki-based fashion designer.
Kauppi graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2011 with a sportswear esq collection that had a spontaneous and raw feel. Though he studied mainly menswear, he designs for both men and women. Kauppi’s graduate collection and portfolio was granted the Dunhill award. Kauppi is known for his use of bright and saturated colors, over-exaggerated proportions and playful details, all of which have come into being through meticulous work with textile development and pattern cutting.
Elina Määttänen is a 2014 graduate from Aalto University School of Art, Design and Architecture. She is fascinated by the Japanese belief that security and freedom of creativity can be found within rules and boundaries. She took her inspiration from work-wear, military and winter coats – clothes that bring us all a sense of security. As a finalist at Festival d’Hyères 2015, she received a special mention from Carine Roitfeld, founder and editor-in-chief of CR Fashion Book and Olivier Zahm, founder and editor-in-chief of Purple Fashion Magazine. Määttänen is also a finalist at International Talent Support 2015.
Saara Lepokorpi is a Helsinki based fashion designer. She graduated in 2009 from Aalto University / Helsinki. Today she runs her own label, established in 2012 and based in Helsinki. The label produces two collections a year, aiming at high quality, tactile and modern clothing. Designer. Lepokorpi is intrigued by the friction and contradictions of everyday life: the elusive boundaries between good and bad taste, pop and classic culture, organic and man-made structures, ancient and modern styles of clothing. She aims to make collections that are innovative but tailored to maintain their function as clothing. Representing modern femininity.
Elina Määttänen is a 2014 graduate from Aalto University School of Art, Design and Architecture. She is an intuitive and process-oriented fashion designer always interested in exploring unusual themes in her work, such as disorder, but trying to find the beauty in the unexpected. The element of surprise and the sense of discovery are the driving forces in her design process. Her clothes are a celebration of craftsmanship and the appreciation of the inimitable. In 2009, Määttänen won the CPH Vision Designers’ Nest award with her 2nd year BA collection and she is a finalist at the 30th International Festival of Fashion and Photography in Hyères April 23-27, 2015.
Pre Helsinki’s soul purpose was to create a platform that support you designers help them communicate their visions and to help find new business opportunities for these young Finnish designers both in Finland and internationally. In addition to the Helsinki event, Pre Helsinki produces projects abroad, including events at Paris Fashion Week, and in China and Hong Kong. The festival starts on 20 May – 24 May, and you can find more information about this years program here.
