High fashion|The designers consider the fashion event, which is open to all people, a “unique opportunity”.
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The Finnish Ateneum Gala fashion event will take place next week at the Ateneum, and the public will have free entry.
There are thirty Finnish fashion designers who will present their unique party dresses on the museum’s staircase.
Ateneum only pays the designers an exhibition fee of 500 euros, but many are happy to do the work because of the visibility and the prestigious framework.
The designers emphasize that they usually have to pay for attending fashion events themselves, and many guests at Linna’s parties ask for free costumes.
Next week Ateneum’s main staircase turns into a catwalk of its own when the first Ateneum Gala is held in the museum. The unique couture suits of 30 Finnish fashion designers will be seen in the event, called Finland’s “Met Gala”.
There is free access to the place. The audience is also expected to dress festively.
The original, to be held in New York Met-gaala is a super party of fashion where celebrities and designers showcase spectacular outfits to benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. In the Finnish version, it’s not about raising money, but a cultural gesture: fashion is raised alongside other arts and new audiences are attracted to the museum.
The costumes will remain on display until February.
The stylist is responsible for the “fashionable curation” of the event Mint Vesalawhich has gathered a number of top domestic names.
“The designers on display at the gala are artists who boldly interpret our times, some of whom have just graduated, others who have already had a longer career. The skillfully designed creations are like sculptures that come to life on top of their wearer, creating a living overall work of art,” says Vesala in the press release.
Stylist and gala fashion curator Minttu Vesala photographed in 2020.
The event the ideology is also connected to the fashion designer Emilie Flögen to the reform dress, which at the time freed women from the Victorian corset and created space for individual self-expression.
The designers interviewed by HS are of the opinion that Ateneum is a great event for top Finnish designers.
“It’s great that anything related to fashion is being done in Finland at all, because there are so few opportunities and the budgets are usually non-existent”, says Because Otsamo.
“When I first started, I made wedding dresses for four hundred. Since then I have seen them in many places, but never in an exhibition at the Ateneum. It is of rare quality,” Otsamo says.
Fashion designer Mert Otsamo during the continuation of the Independence Day celebrations in 2023.
Finns the enthusiasm of the top designers even seems excessive, as Ateneum only pays an exhibition fee of 500 euros for the outfit. It seems small, because a unique party dress for, for example, Linna’s party requires a lot of work and can cost thousands of euros.
However, the interviewees reveal the reason. None of the designers interviewed by HS were required to make a completely new suit, although several ended up making one.
Several designers say that they often have to pay to be able to participate, especially in fashion shows. At worst, the designer also has to pay the fees of, for example, the make-up artist and other professionals.
Otsamo considers the package offered by Ateneum with models, hairdressers, make-up artists, insurance, publications and plans to be worth at least thousands of euros.
“Exhibition compensation is a great thing, but honestly I would have done this for free,” he says.
“It’s great how young designers and older creators are brought together in this way.”
Fashion designer Anne-Mari Pahkala also appreciates the fact that a large number of Finnish designers have gathered around a unified theme.
“This is a wonderful tribute to Finnish fashion in such a magnificent environment as the Ateneum. I think it’s a really great thing,” he says.
Significance is naturally also due to the fact that the made garment is only “on loan” at the exhibition. Therefore, the created creation can be sold later at a good price at the exhibition, having increased its value. Alternatively, you can keep the suit on yourself.
The designers also have experience with guests at Linna’s parties, who suggest free work in exchange for the “visibility” the costume gets. All indicated that they would politely decline such a thing.
The same formula based on visibility has been used more generally in the industry.
“If we’re talking about any beauty fair or others, the designers pay to be part of the show,” says Otsamo.
“The fact that compensation has been received for it, and in such a great framework, is quite unique.”
“Those selected for the Ateneum are a famous gang. All of them have already received articles in magazines and done well in competitions, so you can’t buy them by visibility alone”, Rolf Ekroth in turn says.
“I would like to see how even the Flow festival would succeed in such a way that the artists were sold visibility instead of a fee.”
The fashion presentations, which are open to the public, will be seen on the Ateneum’s main staircase on November 27 at 2:00 p.m. and at 4:30 p.m. Later they will be displayed in the museum.