Award-winning concept and design for Estonian Fashion Showcase 2013, for LFW International Fashion Showcase. Final MA project for Creation of Narrative Environments course in Central Saint Martins College, London
Ministry of Creative Affairs is a fictitious ‘establishment’ – a conceptual platform aiming to showcase design talent from Estonia and to explore innovative ways of presenting fashion/design through multidisciplinary means. Based on the contrast between a rigid, traditional facade of Estonia and the immersively creative content, the Ministry manifests in a creative installation setting of a twisted ministry office, complemented by an audiovisual narrative of moving image and soundscapes.
The showcase took place during London Fashion Week in February 2013 as part of the International Fashion Showcase, where this umbrella-narrative introduced four emerging fashion and accessories designers from Estonia- ‘Ambassadors’ were Kadri Kruus (leather bags), Kristina Viirpalu (womenswear), Karl Annus (wooden spectacles), and Kristian Steinberg (menswear). The Ministry transformed a renowned arts venue- The Horse Hospital- into an immersive journey by characterising the designers’ products into a fairy-tale like scenario: a world that had its own ‘breathing’, inspired by Nordic nature, ancient mythical animism traditions and the country’s unique aura. All in the framing narrative of a ministry, the experience moved the viewers from a distant viewpoint to a mysterious Ministry basement- to ‘inside the story’ with a help of a specially produced narrative, set design, fashion film and various events.
The fashion film ‘After Beyond’ acted as the ‘key’ to the spatial concept, drawing lines between the fairy-tale like plot and the way it has been interpreted into the specially designed space, following a similar journey through the exhibition as the film.
The experience also involved a specially composed experimental soundscape, which transformed the visual pixels of the film visuals into sounds, mixed in with violin and cello.
Photography: Jana Solom, Indrek Arula, Hannah Laycock
Companies
British Fashion Council
- Fashion and Textiles
British Council
- Charity