pandemic, lockdowns and therefore lack of jobs - I got myself a grant from a foundation for Swedish speaking artists in Finland and created myself a project. A project within which I could give myself the role of a designer, head of design, creative director and art director. No commercial goals, no industrial restrictions - just my view on an attractive collection.

I found inspiration in the background of both of my grandmothers. The other one from an old and nobel family from the Russian court of the tsarist period. The other one a woman from the outer archipelago of Åland - a place where the sea defined everything. Their stories gave me two captions; I was intrigued to study a Scandinavian take on a shameless amount of opulence and hedonism, yet combine it with the idea of fishermen's austerity. The collection consists of garments made of silk and garments made of dry and waxed oilskins. In addition I designed, in collaboration with Milla Vaahtera, jewellery made of brass and glass.

This is a collection to show my personal aesthetic based on my personal background.

"If you can not afford a show, fake a backstage."
-Sofia Järnefelt