Fashion talents showcase innovative knitwear and prints

The exhibition Nordic Fashion Now – Knitwear and Print highlights fifteen new Nordic fashion talents. Through innovative design in knitted fashion and printing techniques, the exhibition at the Röhsska Museum offers new perspectives and approaches to understanding the cultural value of fashion.

"Museums with a focus on fashion have historically chosen to highlight the big fashion names and brands that in turn have been well received by a wide audience. The fact that we instead want to focus on emerging fashion designers who are not yet established is both about supporting and influencing a new generation of fashion creators and driving an active design debate about fashion as a whole," says Nina Due, museum director at the Röhsska Museum.

With the exhibition Nordic Fashion Now: Knitwear and Print, the Röhsska Museum wants to show that Nordic contemporary fashion is a highly relevant theme.

"Nordic fashion education, talent development, and the fashion industry no longer follow the other Western trends but are actually leading in certain areas related to fashion as artistic practice, as industry, and as identity creators," says Nina Due.

Twelve projects by fifteen selected designers demonstrate high levels of originality, creativity, craftsmanship, and responsible design. About half of the projects consist of knitwear and half of print.

The exhibition is curated by Ane Lynge-Jorlén, head of the organization ALPHA, and is part of a Nordic collaboration with fashion curator Lynge-Jorlén/ALPHA, the National Museum in Oslo, EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art outside Helsinki, and Copenhagen Contemporary. The aim is to support the next generation of fashion designers.

"Collaboration is a central part of museum work in order to build knowledge, share and stay relevant locally, nationally and internationally. Together we want to promote new talents in the fashion field and show how Nordic fashion is an innovative and transformative force, also within the international fashion scene. Together we are stronger in bringing Nordic fashion to a wide audience through exhibitions and programs in the coming years," says Nina Due.

ALPHA (formerly Designers' Nest) is a non-profit organization that supports fashion talents from the Nordic countries in an early stage after graduation from a number of schools in the Nordic region. Every year, ALPHA selects ten finalists who get to present their graduation projects at a joint fashion show during Copenhagen Fashion Week. The winning designer receives, among other things, mentorship, internships, and support to produce a commercial collection. Several of the participants in the exhibition are former Alpha finalists.

Participating designers in the exhibition Nordic Fashion Now: Knitwear and Print include Linda Aasaru, Serena Coelho, Monika Colja, Sasha Heinsaar, Rintaro Iino, Tuuli-Tytti Koivula, Maibritt Marjunardóttir, Mikaela Mårtensson, Matilda Sundkler, Juha Vehmaanperä, and Boram Yoo, as well as Elina Heilanen, Aleksandra Hellberg, Camilla Naukkarinen, and Noora Vihervirta, who present a joint project.

Nordic Fashion Now: Knitwear and Print

the Röhsska Museum

May 12 to October 1, 2023

On the same day, the Gothenburg Museum of Art opens a new exhibition with Swedish fashion designers Sandra Backlund, Martin Bergström, Helena Hörstedt, and Diana Orving. They will present entirely new works and installations created in dialogue with classical works from the museum's collection.