by Mia Keller
Designer's Nest is one of the most celebrated fashion awards for upcoming designer school graduates in Scandinavia. It is also where you can get a better understanding of where scandi fashion is heading. In many ways the avant-garde nature of this show with talented designers in the making is a staple for Copenhagen fashion week. And this year it was no different. Creativity of the participants (who are all from different design schools) was on full display and among the talented new designers Reea Peltola ended up winning the coveted prize. This year Finnish designers have a near lock of modernism and avant-garde clothing and it showed in the top two winner who are both from Finland.
The winner of Designers’ Nest Award FW2017 was Reea Marie Peltola from AALTO UNIVERSITY of Art & Design, Finland. Her introspective work had a certain levity about them. As the Judges pointed out “Sensitivity towards materials. The shapes are flared and makes you want to wear them. The collection re-interprets the feminine silhouette with a focus on tactility.”
The 2nd place went to Anna Sarasoja from AALTO UNIVERSITY of Art & Design, Finland. Her ability to fuse architectural designs into form to provide a strong sense of structure made her collection diverse and ultimately had a more global appeal.
The 3rd place recipient Sissel Kärneskog from Beckmans College of Design, Sweden created a more personal narrative. While culturally more static than the two designers her ability to infuse the narrative into a cohesive collection will help her go a long way.
If this is a height of new talent in Scandinavia, then it is a dizzying high, as all three designers exuded a sense of belonging on the center stage of global fashion. In many ways, this was the highlight of the day.
