Helsinki Fashion Week promises an inspired sustainable narrative

Helsinki Fashion Week SS 2020 will take place from 19th to 22nd of July 2019 in a self-sustaining environment, which translates utopian visions into practical realities. The runway, dedicated to offer the best possible venue and programme to debut designers collections and the emerging topics around sustainability, will bring together 20 designers and brands driven by circularity and zero-waste approach.

The approach to fashion is holistic and emphasizes the importance of local sustainability. By looking from the perspective of the individual, Helsinki Fashion Week wants to provide a personal experience of circular living.

Helsinki Fashion Week Spring Summer 2020 edition will dedicate the runway again to global sustainable designers and brands selected based on their resource efficiency and innovative material sourcing. The decision for this year was to only invite collections made from non animal-derived leather, which sparked a wide reaching and long needed dialogue across the global fashion industry. The organizers experienced how much of an impact their platform can make, and were motivated by the support echoed from major industry names.

“We understood the interconnectedness between fashion and other industries and have since engaged in collaborations across a number of different fields” – said the Responsable of the event. The ecosystem built in the city will blur the lines between elements that have been previously removed from metropolises and our (everyday) vision. Challenges regarding the everyday pillars of clothing, food, energy, water, and waste are brought together in one place, and solved in line with the rules of sustainability.

The platform will present a landscape where future materials and solutions are presented with case examples of future developments and already-commercialised products. It will provoke interactions and understandings of the connection between an individual and the surrounding landscape.

The 2018 edition of Helsinki Fashion Week was a significant year due to its pioneering approach with the Eco Village concept; a concept which demonstrated the connection between fashion and the circular lifestyle. The Eco Village concept awoke the interest of governments and companies, and activated a number of ongoing development collaborations both with the public and private sectors.

Fashion to solve global scale challenges

“Fashion has inspired us to solve global scale challenges. We are questioning everything, prioritising our individual well-being, starting from our inner conflicts to solve the collective challenges surrounding social sustainability. We want to blur the old man-made lines to create new paths, we need to be creative and work together. Climate change is bigger than a fashion week, bigger than the fashion industry, and that is why we need to approach the climate challenge from a multi- disciplinary angle.” – says Evelyn Mora, Founder of Helsinki Fashion Week.

“There will be 20 designers doing bigger show with more commercial aspect to give more attention and dialogue from media, buyers and other professionals” – she adds.

On the catwalk, some sustainable designers to watch are Patrick McDowell and A.BCH.

Patrick McDowell will be premiering his first commercial collection at the next Helsinki Fashion Week. Since graduating from Central Saint Martins with a BA in Womenswear earlier last year, Patrick has been turning heads ever since. From gracing the cover of the September Issue of Elle UK to being featured in publications including Vogue Italia, Dazed and L'Official USA. Sustainability is at the core of his practice, as he strives to reinvent luxury through a sustainable mindset. 

A.BCH is an Australian fashion label working on a circular economy standard by offering full disclosure, from fibre to finish, of how each garment comes to be. With a minimal and functional design, A.BCH creates its garments in Melbourne from organic, natural and recycled materials. From buttons crafted from the seeds of fallen corozo fruit in Panama, to their family-owned manufacturer in Melbourne’s inner north, the brand works tirelessly to ensure that every step of the journey is as thoughtful and sustainable as possible. As a circular fashion brand, A.BCH also has great repair and recycling program for its customers.

Other sustainable designers and brands on the catwalk are Sanikai, Therapy Recycle+Exorcise, Veera Konga, Anna Ruohonen, Young N. Sang, Open Plan, Unravelau, Shen Yao, Ka Wa Key, Mandali Mendrilla, Voranida, Burlesque Tsunami, Shohei, Talent Show and Bleu Chose.

On the program, there will be 5 keynote talks, 4 panel talks, 20 shows and a bio-playground, a physical platform for material innovators and inventors hosting investors, young talents and media.

+ info: Helsinki Fashion Week