Since 2015, Oslo Runway has been the leading showcasing arena for the country’s most exciting design talents and brands, also highlighting lifestyle, art, and culture. The next step announced by the organisation is NEXT, to promote Norway’s emerging fashion brands. From a long list of applicants, the program committee chose three brands not only thanks to their design aesthetics but also for showing sustainable responsibility — and a great potential to access the international market.
— The chosen brands have not yet been influenced by the commercial scene and oozes of authenticity. This is an arena where we promote the brands just the way they are, but contribute to bringing them to the next level, says Sunniva Hartgen, Head of Fashion at Oslo Runway.
— The program committees’ varied backgrounds with different approaches to fashion and design, was a great advantage during the selection process and everyone showed great respect for the fact that such a decision can have a significant impact on the possibilities of a new brand, CEO Elin Carlsen adds.
The three chosen up-and-coming fashion brands will showcase their collections during Oslo Runway NEXT in mid-August.
Kine Ulvestad is the mind behind the brand 2 Much Pressure, where crochet is an essential part of the clothes’ identity. Since 2017, she’s worked with excess materials, second-hand yarn, ropes, ceramics, and paper, to create unique and sculptural silhouettes.
Tarinii Martinsen established her brand Tarinii, with the ambition to highlight handcraft, play with the expression of menswear and explore social stereotypes, and only use surplus materials and recycled fabrics.
Last year’s DS Fashion Talent Award winner, Margaret Abeshu will present another collection with a fearless approach. With an eye for details, her design references her personal and fragmented memories of fictional narratives in a creolized culture.
— New design talents often bring out something fresh and exciting, and give us access to clothes with elements we have not seen before. For us, it is important that both established and new, smaller brands get the opportunity to be seen, something the new applications portal makes possible, says Sunniva Hartgen.
