Helsinki Fashion Week (HFW), which took place from August 5th to 7th, returned in physical form this year and once again aimed to stimulate conversations about important societal issues inside and outside the fashion industry.
A total of eight designers and brands exhibited during the event in the Finnish capital, selected for their sustainability practices and goals. “HFW has always had a focus on sustainability, but over the years the meaning of the word has expanded,” Saga Weissmann, Executive Producer at HFW, told FashionUnited. “This year the focus was on social and cultural sustainability as well as mental health in the form of digital sustainability.”
“This season our focus was also on slow fashion and craftsmanship. The pandemic has slowed down a lot of things, and our consumption is one of the things that should stay that way. We see craftsmanship as the future of physical fashion as people begin to see the value behind clothes and supply chains, and become more aware of where their garments come from,” continued Weissmann.
Ukrainian designers in the foreground
Another goal of the HFW was to support Ukrainian designers, as most of the brands on the program came from this country. The current situation in Ukraine, which is currently being plagued by a Russian invasion, was the inspiration for many fashion week attendees who dedicated either their entire collections or their runway shows to the war.
So was HFW Designer of the Year Jean Gritsfeldt, who celebrated his brand’s tenth anniversary during the show. Gritsfeldt presented a collection reminiscent of his earlier work, which he described as a “bridge to the future”. He rounded off the exhibition with a rally where people carried placards related to the war in Ukraine, which read quotes such as “United in Love, United in Struggle” and “Free People Must Stand Together”. As well as the clothing items, Gritsfeldt also offered a collection of tote bags printed with similar slogans. 50 percent of the sales proceeds benefit the Fedor Shpyg Foundation, which works to rebuild cultural institutions for children that have been destroyed across Ukraine.
Anastasiya Rozava, designer of the Ukrainian brand Chereshnivska, follows a similar message and says in the description of her collection: “First and foremost I wanted to support everyone who is currently [für ein normales Leben] struggle and remind them that they are not alone on this ‘journey’. At the same time, we want to once again draw attention to the war in Ukraine. After all, art is also a weapon”. The brand’s sustainable collection, ‘2402’, reflected the different phases of the war through the use of colours, materials and repurposed second-hand items, and included a collaboration with Ukrainian textile artists.
A pet-friendly future
On the first day of the event, HFW keynote speaker, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Senior Public Relations Coordinator Sascha Camilli, spoke about another societal issue that she believes calls for drastic change. In her speech, Camilli discussed the organization’s work in the fashion industry and how she hopes to steer the industry towards a more animal-friendly future. PETA’s presence at the event builds on its longstanding relationship with HFW, which began in 2018 when fashion week agreed to PETA’s request to no longer feature leather on its runways.
Camilli pointed out that while leather, which is a major contributor to environmental problems and is often made using toxic substances, comes mostly from cows and other farm animals, PETA studies have found that some of the leather originally used in Asia, can also come from cats and dogs and has been proven to have reached the European market. Camilli went on to list other negative aspects of using leather and similar animal-based materials and called on the industry to reconsider the use of these production methods and to use animal-friendly alternatives.
“The most important lesson I would like to take away from the fashion industry is that if we really want to call ourselves ethical, sustainable or humane, we have to say goodbye to animal skins, overproduction and the high consumption of animal materials,” Camilli concluded.
Sustainable innovations
Continuing the HFW focus on sustainability, other participating designers also offered their own take on eco-fashion, many with a particular focus on upcycling. While 7585’s SS23 Middle Voices collection explored recycling through avant-garde designs, Ghana’s Boie&Bill by Ellisha Boie showcased a collection that incorporated plastic waste and second-hand clothing collected from Accra’s markets for the brand’s line used.
On the other hand, virtual reality (VR) focused company Only One On Planets’ (OOOPS) took on the issue of sustainability by examining the use of digital advances. As part of its collection, OOOPS offered one-off vintage pieces as physical and digital garments, using NFT (Non-Fungible Token) technology to add value to the pieces.
The idea of merging the physical with the digital is something HFW has explored before. Previous editions of the event have featured collaborations with digital worlds and VR designers. On this topic, event director Weissmann said: “The digitization of the fashion industry is definitely having an impact on physical fashion. It makes them more inclusive, which we see as a priority at HFW. Digital and physical fashion should go hand in hand and not be viewed as separate opposites. Craftwork has never been more valuable and attractive than it is today, and we see that as something that we really need to shine a light on.”
As the HFW continues to evolve, the organizers hope to further advance its mission and incorporate more statements into its overarching message. When asked about the plans for next season, Weissmann said: “We are already thinking about how we can make next year even more sustainable by focusing on material innovations as well as social sustainability and inclusivity. You can expect diversity on the runway, phygital collections and even more amazing sustainable designers.”
This item originally appeared on FashionUnited.uk. Translated and edited by Simone Preuss.