Instead, the focus is on highlighting creativity and the processes behind the designers’ creations, while having fun doing it. Case in point: Ervin Latimer’s alter-ego, Anna Conda, hosted a drag bingo night for international guests on Thursday night. “Fashion weeks tend to be quite serious – I couldn’t imagine this on the official schedule anywhere else,” Latimer, whose brand Latimmier looks at the performance of masculinity via clothing, explains. “But [the drag performance] also directly connects to where I come from, where the brand comes from, our approach to gender.”
Sustainability is also a key priority for young brands in Helsinki, with Vain using deadstock to produce its goth-infused designs. “It’s always been a big part of our DNA. I started sewing by buying pieces from thrift shops and making my own silhouettes,” co-founder Jimi Vain explains. Meanwhile, Sofia Ilmonen, winner of the Hyères Sustainability Award in 2021, has partnered with Spinnova – a Finnish company that produces textiles from sustainably sourced wood pulp and waste – to create her modular designs, featuring panels that are buttoned together and can be easily modified. “The whole idea when I started is how to lengthen a garment’s life,” the designer says.
Beyond the environmental impact of producing garments, there’s an emphasis on promoting craftsmanship, too. Ekroth’s knitwear, for example, is made in Finland, while customers will be able to buy DIY kits to knit one of the brand’s autumn/ winter 2024 designs themselves later this year. “We produce as locally as possible,” he explains, adding: “I’ve learned a lot about the knitting community; they’re super supportive and want to try out new things.”