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The theme of the Young Designer of the Year competition this year was sea.

‘I was inspired by the situation of the Baltic Sea as well as the traditional clothes used in shipping’, says Friman, a master’s student in clothing design at Aalto University.

The collection is made of surplus and recycled materials and their finishings have been made as ecologically as possible. The yarn used in the knits is made from seaweed, which is used in conjunction with wool. The wool in the outfit is recycled and some of the polyester used in the outfit is made from waste plastic collected from the sea. Used wadding, in turn, is made from recycled plastic bottles.

The outfit consists of a cover jacket, wide-legged sailor trousers and a headgear. The outfit is designed for women, but it is also suitable for unisex use.

High quality competition

The jury describes the competition and the professional level of the finalists as very high quality. The other finalists were Laura Rusanen, Eetu Kemppainen and Anna Semi, all from Aalto University's Fashion, Clothing and Textile Design program.

Idaliina Friman says the competition was a good experience: it offered her the opportunity to work with experts in different fields as well as a good experience for her coming master's collection.

‘Through the competition, I was able to create the concept of the collection from start to finish—the background research, materials, products, styling and photography.’

Earlier this year, Friman won the Designers’ Nest 2021 competition for young fashion designers. She is currently making a collaborative collection with interior and textile company Vallila: she is planning a pajama collection coming to stores in 2022. Her inspiration was the style of the 60s and 70s and the idea is to create pajamas that can also serve as a party dress.

Idaliina Friman's winning collection is on display at Kämp Garden, Kämp Galleria, Helsinki until 17 October, 2021.

The Young Designer of the Year is one of the world's oldest fashion competitions, and its goal is to find new ideas and solutions for clothing design and to encourage young designers and highlight the Finnish clothing industry.