FOCUS Student Magazine - Issue 19 by FOCUS Student Magazine

Issue 19

Bring ideas to life VIA Design

VIA University College

See pictures from projects and every day study life at #viadesign on Instagram.

@viauniversitycollege @via_design

Culture Shock and the Phases of Adaptation............................................................... 4 Made in DK: 5 Danes You Need to Know...................................................................... 8 VIA Incubator Q&A........................................................................................................ 12 TED: Ideas worth spreading........................................................................................... 18 What It Takes to Be a Furniture Designer.................................................................... 20 Knowledge for the Sake of Knowledge......................................................................... 28 The Quest to Find Form................................................................................................. 30 In the Spotlight: 12pieces............................................................................................... 32 VIA Design Rethinks Fashion......................................................................................... 38 VIA Experience & Experiment....................................................................................... 46 Travel like a (broke) pro................................................................................................ 49 Aarhus – 2017’s European Capital of Culture............................................................... 52 Innovatorium Herning................................................................................................... 55 Material Spotlight: All About Mycelium....................................................................... 58 10 Tips for great presentation....................................................................................... 60 How to get out of the Winter Funk............................................................................... 62

EXECUTIVE EDITOR SUB-EDITOR CHAIRMAN

Alexander Moroz

CREATIVE TEAM

WRITERS TEAM

CONTRIBUTORS

Alexander Moroz Olga Mangurova Tatiana Coelho de Oliveira Plamena Somova Odette Charles El-Hayek Miša Bednárová Janis Zirnitis

Cristina Maria Aela Nikolova Alexandra Munteanu Vanessa Kovacs Ugne Tusaite

Albena Georgieva-Christensen Alma Biseniece Petra Famlerova Makaila Stierlin

MARKETING TEAM

SALES TEAM

COVER ARTIST

Sonata Stačkūnaitė

Aleksandra Abratańska Alexandra Munteanu

Odette Charles El-Hayek

Cristina Maria Edvard Lucius Tramsen

Text By Alexandra Munteanu Illustrations by Odette Charles El-Hayek

Culture shock occurs when moving to a new environment, and that doesn’t necessarily mean a new country (although it can be experienced more intensely when the gaps between the cultures are quite big, as it is with moving from one country to another).

Culture is a fundamental dimension of our identity. Culture provides people with a multitude of selfhood elements, such as sense of self and space, mental processes, language and communication, dress and appearance, time consciousness, relationships, values and norms, beliefs and attitudes, food habits, work and learning practices, spirituality, etc. At heart, people create cultures in order to adapt to the physical environment where they live. Customs and practices for survival are passed along from generation to generation – a certain “accepted” behavior is specific for each country, region, city. Culture has significant influences on every aspect of human life, from the way in which the citizen relates to the state, to the ways in which individuals express themselves, publicly or privately.

It is also common to experience culture shock when returning to your home culture after having spent a long time in a different is known as ‘the reverse culture shock’. Although challenging, these changes help increase your self-awareness. Evolution and development take place, as you get out of your comfort zone. Needless to say, the experience of culture shock differs from person to person, as each individual has his or her own unique personality, way of looking at the world, adaptive mechanisms, etc. Nonetheless, stages of adaptation to a new culture have been identified – let’s take look at four main ones:

What is “culture shock”? When plunging into a culture that is largely different from your own, there are certain psychological reactions that emerge on the surface of your consciousness. This phenomenon has been studied in detail and it is generally referred to as “culture shock”. 4

Initial euphoria or “The Honeymoon” A brand new city, a new place to live, unfamiliar streets, undiscovered cafes, new people to form friendships with... exciting! You are enthusiastic about the change you made in your life. Everything is different from what you’re used to, from food to architecture to weather. You take loads of pictures. You’re curious about every little thing and you feel euphoric. This phase is fun indeed, and it can last for days, weeks or months.

Irritation or “The Crisis” During this phase, you begin to feel irritated and hostility starts to creep into your life. The excitement and the curiosity you felt in the beginning are gradually replaced by all sorts of unpleasant emotions and states of being, such as impatience, irritation, sadness, frustration, anger and even depression. The feeling of homesickness takes over. You miss your family and your friends. The weather is taking a toll on you if only it would be hotter/colder/less rainy. You focus more on differences – and even minor ones can feel not-so-minor. This stage is quite mind-boggling, and it can last for weeks - sometimes months. No matter how overwhelming it might be, it is temporary! 5

Gradual Adjustment or “The Negotiation Phase” If you haven’t packed your things and jumped on the first plane home, you now enter a more cheerful stage of deeper learning and change. You question your assumptions about the world and you start putting everything into perspective. You become accustomed to the new cultural logic. Its values and norms start making more sense. Now you might even prefer some particularities of the new culture to your native one. During this stage, you either learn to accept the local ways of being and doing, or you accept your negative feelings towards the new culture and find more effective coping methods.

Phase 4 Adaptation or “Feeling at Home” You’ve regained balance and you begin to feel at home. The cultural differences no longer impact your life negatively. This is your happy ending 6

Have you experienced culture shock after moving to Denmark? How was it for you? “Yes, about 2-3 months after I came to Denmark, I did feel there were many differences. Culture shock for me is a good experience – it’s good to adapt to a new environment. It just takes some time to get used to a new culture.” Xinyi Fan, China “Yes, I have [experienced culture shock]. It was very difficult for me to be so far away from my home, my family and friends. But I made many great friends who helped me a lot to get through this and I am very grateful for it.” Anna Mucalová, Czech Republic “I could say a bit. It is sure different from my home country, but I don’t really feel that that bad as the school is really diverse and I can catch a glimpse of every culture there is.” Samuel Šelmovitý, Slovakia “Coming to Denmark was one of the best decisions I made, and I think the culture and way of being stuck to me in the way that it was not that much of a shock, but more of a nice learning and accepting experience. I did indeed realize that Danish people are more reserved and it was easily observable that we (internationals) wanted to meet and know everyone while they were comfortable with their small group, in their hygge environment. I still experience their way of being after two years of living here. Personally, it was a big difference compared to where I come from, but I embraced it and took it as an educational experience of living and building friendships among different cultures while succeeding in a diverse environment.” Andreea Sîrb, Romania 7

VIA Design is a truly multicultural environment, with students and teachers from all corners of the world. All of us had (or still have) to face cultural changes, so let’s take a look at what VIA students have to say about their experiences:

It might happen that you experience symptoms of culture shock at some point or another, as even the most culturally sensitive people are not immune to it. Remember to be compassionate with yourself and to give yourself time to adapt to the new challenges you are facing. Remember to eat well, exercise and get enough sleep. Make friends and try to avoid becoming isolated in your room. Travel, go to cultural events, and visit museums. Expand your horizons about the new culture – learn about the new culture’s language, traditions, food, politics, religion, world views, music, literature, geography, etc. Make the most of it! All in all, moving to a new country is a wonderful experience, and it is definitely worth it in the long run. You will have highs and you will have lows, but you will also get to see the world in a whole new light and, you will have many stories to tell. Carpe diem!

Text by Cristina Maria Illustrations by Alexander Moroz Little old Denmark is a wonderful country, full of wonderful people, and considering the aforementioned size, it has shared with the world a whole lot of them. We all know that Hans Christian Andersen, and his slightly unhinged, barely qualifying as fairy tales body of work, was a proud Dane, but here at FOCUS Student Magazine, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to shed some light on a few personalities you might not have known shared a land with you at some point.

Architect by day and designer by night, Arne Jacobsen is the unsung hero who imagined what feels now like every single chair in existence, along with what is now known as Danish Design (Yeah, double capitals. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that important). The Series 7, better known as the Ant chair for obvious reasons (it looks like an ant) proudly populates VIA Design and especially the B-auditorium, as well as countless office buildings, airports, restaurants and any other space in need of a sturdy, good-looking, simple chair. Add in the Egg (which looks like half of an eggshell), the Swan (which looks like a swan opening its wings) and the Drop chair (which - you guessed it - looks like a drop of water), and Arne Jacobsen holds the dubious distinction of being one of the most copied furniture designers in the world. You might not have known it, but it is mathematically impossible for you to not have touched something that was at least inspired by this man. 8

From rich Danish socialite in the 19th century to one of the 20th‘s most celebrated writers, Karen Blixen is best known for her aristocrat-out-of-water work, Out of Africa, which chronicled her change in life philosophy after moving to Kenya and running a coffee plantation there. Babette’s Feast, another Danish classic, taking place in a somewhat familiar setting – a remote village off the Jutland coast – granted Blixen fame and fortune, as well as ensuring her place amongst the times’ hottest artistic commodities, like John Steinbeck, Richard Avedon and Marilyn Monroe.

Both aforementioned works were turned into Academy Award-winning films, and while she lost her due Nobel Prize to Ivo Andrić and Steinbeck, the Swedish Academy would admit its grave mistake later on. Even Hemingway, the man who once said that his work was only outclassed by the unbeatable Tolstoy’s, admitted that Karen Blixen was more deserving of the famous prize than him. Nowadays, you can visit her family estate in Ringsted, near Copenhagen, and enjoy her timeless Danish stories for a little bit of well-deserved hygge.

It’s hard to live on this planet and not have heard of Metallica. You know, old rocking dudes. But what you might have missed is that 25% (and some would argue that it’s the best 25%) of Metallica is actually Danish. We’re referring to Lars Ulrich, whose drumming talents have kept the band in rhythm for almost 40 years. Born in a family of professional tennis players, he was supposed to move to Los Angeles and learn how to become one himself, but instead of tennis, he actually learned how to play the drums, met James Hetfield and went on to make music history. Master of Puppets, arguably one of the best metal albums of all time, was actually recorded in Copenhagen due to Ulrich’s and the band’s disappointment with the quality of American recording studios, which goes to prove that the grass is always greener in Denmark.

In 1958, when the Australian government authorized the construction of what was to become Australia’s emblem, “the decision to hire Danish architect Jørn Utzon as head of the project was odd to say the least. That emblem was the Sydney Opera House. Picked from 233 much more famous and respected names, Utzon’s organic, naval-inspired style blew everyone away and started a new design current named

“additive architecture”. He stated that “If it grows naturally, the architecture will look after itself” - a philosophy confirmed in 2007 when the Opera House was selected as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. If you’re not ready for a 24-hour flight to Sydney, you can still see some of Utzon’s work right here in Denmark, such as the Kingo Houses near Helsingør, and the Bagsværd Church in Copenhagen.

Mads Mikkelsen needs no introduction to his Danish audience, who has followed his roles in TV dramas and films for years and even voted him the most handsome man in Denmark. To others, however, he was that guy with the face up until a few years ago. Made famous by his role as the James Bond villain who cries blood and whips Daniel Craig, nowadays he’s known as Hannibal Lecter, the impeccable doctor with a curious taste in cuisine. Add in some more villainous appearances in Doctor Strange and the latest Star Wars iteration, and Mads Mikkelsen is the hottest thing to come out of Denmark since Viggo Mortensen gave

up on being an international superstar, took up painting and befriended David Cronenberg. You might even spot him around Copenhagen if you’re particularly lucky since he still lives there!

VIA Incubator

Q&A With Thomas and Sorin Have a business idea but not really sure how to get things rolling? You live and breathe the entrepreneurial spirit, but fully formed ideas are hard to grasp? Shorten the idea incubation period in the VIA Incubator, Campus Herning – now with a new open space, the Garage, in VIA Design’s E building! To learn more about what the Student Incubator has to offer to all future business owners, take a look at the Q&A with Thomas Østergaard (an assistant professor at the Incubator), and Sorin Bogdan (a member of the student team itself), working closely on planning the exciting events awaiting us at the Garage this semester. Text by Aela Nikolova Photos by Janis Zirnitis and Petra Famlerova

Thomas Østergaard but also minor tasks - ideas, concepts, exhibitions, etc., which you are working with, as a student. You could actually divide our free offer into three parts: One is about counselling and inspiration- as an open space where you reach out to talk to either me or other consultants regarding an idea, concept or business idea. Another is about tuition – where you sign up for a course like the Idea Agent and LEAN Start

THomas: VIA Incubator’s goal is to assist students in realising their business ideas. Can you tell us a bit about the concept and exactly what kind of help does it provide?

At the Incubator you can get all sorts of assistance to help you build a business, 12

Do I need to have an entrepreneurial background to join the team?

Up– and get assistance over 4-5 sessions working on your idea, and then one which is about your innovative employability – then the last one in the InnoMatch Programme. First and foremost, the Incubator is for you, the students, as a free space where you can experiment, learn, build and work on your ideas.

Our aim is to make the students capable of realising and fulfilling their dreams and projects, no matter if they are strictly business, social or of a cultural character. It has to be fun, and it’s hopefully going to be a cool place to be, as we wish to attract all kinds of students and mix them even with students from other educations. As a VIA Design student, you will always have access to the Incubator if you are working on a concept or business - even after graduating!

Thomas Bredahl Pelle Ivan Olsen Alexander Moroz Ailin Denise Arias Virtus Janet Kljuzin Sorin Vasile Bogdan Kamile Baranauskaite Stefanija Vidzus Albena Christensen Roseanne Marie Kimber

Not at all. Everybody can join us. All kinds of ideas are welcome. You can reach the Junior Consultants (who are students themselves) or the Senior Consultants:

This spring, you can also get inspiration from a series of external start-ups. You can find an exciting array of activities on our Facebook page: VIA Student Incubator Herning.

Jan Detlefsen will make an intro to making a digital start-up. We’ll have a pitch have by Pitherific, a crowdsourcing presentation, film presentation, etc. All our activities are free and will begin at 15:00 at the Garage in Building E, Herning.

Going a bit back in time, do you know how the idea for creating the Incubator poped up in the first place?

The idea came from an international student, who was working and studying in VIA. After some years it became a circuit of Incubators connected to all the VIA campuses: Aarhus, Herning, Holstebro, Horsens, etc. We have a network of collaborating incubators – which is another great thing about this project. About practical info - how, when and where can I join the team? Are there regular meetings or some special admission criteria?

thob@via.dk peio@via.dk 236843@via.dk 249689@via.dk 222367@via.dk 142820@via.dk 206996@via.dk 249694@via.dk 224095@via.dk 222129@via.dk

What if I do not have a clear concept idea yet, but would very much like to start something of my own in the future? Can I also join the Incubator?

YES! That’s what we are made for! I hear a lot of exciting things lie ahead for the VIA Incubator this year. Can you tell us a bit about what we can expect?

Great stuff, we hope - all students will have a new space for hanging out, developing common projects and ideas. So here is the programme:

We have a scheduled plan – which can be found on the FB page, VIA Student Incubator Herning. We begin the IDEA Agent and LEAN courses on the 22nd of February and already on the 23rd you can meet the first start-up – Solve, Cristina Dan. On the 3rd of March, 13

events April 5th, from 3 to 5.30 pm at VIA Student Incubator, The Garage, Building E, VIA Design, Campus Herning: Do you know how to present your idea? Are you convincing? Meet the best of the best in pitching in Denmark. At Pitcherific and have a guided workshop to making better presentations, pitches and sales talks.

April 5th LEARN how TO PITCH YOUR IDEA PROFESSIONALLY

Can you go “Agurk?” New Fashion Startups: Meet “AGURK” and the award-winning designers: Vibbe and Kuus. The Danish female designer and entrepreneur behind the lifestyle brand ILSE JACOBSEN HORNBÆK has invested in the young and feminine streetwear brand AGURK. Ilse Jacobsen is an investor and mentor in the TV show Løvens Hule (The Dragon’s Den). In 2016, she invested in AGURK, when the design duo Vibbe and Kuus entered the TV show looking for an investor.

April 25th MEET the designer

behind AGURK Vibbe and Kuus April 25th, from 3 to 5.30 pm at VIA Student Incubator, The Garage, Building E, VIA Design, Campus Herning.

www.fannyposselt.dk from 3 to 5.30 pm at VIA Student Incubator, The Garage, Building E, VIA Design, Campus Herning: The World’s Most Beloved Hot Dog Stand: Meet “FANNY” – Creator of the world’s most travelled Hotdog stand, Social Entrepreneur & Opsnapper. Learn about her big Why – and why Social Entrepreneurship matters.

June 12th MEET the CHAOS PILOT and BUSINESS

DEVELOPER FANNY POSSELT

By joining VIA Student Incubator at the Garage in Herning, you can participate in all our activities. Courses like LEAN Startup, Idea Agent or InnoMatch and camps with companies will help you develop your idea, festival or business concept and will improve your employability skills. Remember - no idea is too small for being a part of the Incubator. We’re all working on it! At the Incubator you will find between 4 - 6 service-minded Junior Consultants, who are eager to help and assist you. There are also 4-5 Senior Consultants supporting and guiding you through your work, helping with networks, technicalities and all sorts of questions.

CONTACT Do not hesitate to reach us on Facebook: VIA Student Incubator Herning Follow us on Instagram: @viaincubator If you are interested, feel free to show up at our events or an e-mail to: Thomas Østergaard Assistant Professor VIA Student Incubator Coordinator thos@via.dk

sense of community, belonging and pride for both the students who will register their companies with us and the participants in our events. We’ve had a lot of fun setting up and planning the new semester and we want everyone to experience this fun atmosphere in the Student Incubator. What kind of help can students receive from the Incubator’s student board?

The Student Incubator has the role of helping students turn their ideas into reality and inspiring those who don’t have a fully formed idea yet. Sorin Bogdan

Which is the most valuable skill the Incubator can help students develop?

Sorin

I believe it is spotting opportunities and the means to pursue them.

As part of the Incubator’s student team, how is the atmosphere there like?

Which part of the whole experience do you personally enjoy the most?

Starting with this semester, we are looking to create a different culture and atmosphere within the Incubator. We want to create a 15

What makes me the happiest is having the opportunity to help in the process of guiding and inspiring students. I believe that our

Talking about the bigger picture, where would you like to see the VIA Incubator in the future?

Our primary goal with the Student Incubator is to provide the right conditions for students to create their own successful companies and be inspired by the entrepreneurial lifestyle. Therefore, we would love for the Incubator to become an integral part of campus Herning, as a central hub for entrepreneurship, innovation and social life.

work will bring genuine, tangible value for the students here at campus Herning and that is extremely gratifying.

WELCOME TO HERNING

Do you have questions about registrations, health card, housing options, cultural and leisure activities, networks and international activities? Contact our Newcomer Service.

Read more at international.herning.dk

Text by Cristina Maria Photos by Petra Famlerova As one of Herning’s residents, student or not, restricted to speaking no more than a few painfully awkward words in Danish, you cannot afford to miss any of the library’s English events and among these none other stands out more than the monthly TED Talks, followed by group debates. Topics vary wildly, with past subjects including leadership, creativity and (everybody’s favourites) dinosaurs and robots, respectively. No word on robot dinosaurs though. Artificial Intelligence, or AI for the sake of brevity, was Tuesday evening’s theme, and it was a popular one. The magazine section filled with people chattering in various languages, led by Brian Nygaard Bruhn, one of the library’s event managers. Starting off with David Otter’s talk, “Will automation take all our jobs?” and continuing straight after with Anthony Goldbloom’s “The jobs we’ll lose to machines and the ones we won’t”, Brian warned that these were the positive views. Technology in general and AI in particular is one of those things where you can’t help but form an opinion and, more often than not, your opinion will differ from your peers’. This was going to be obvious in the next stage.

This past Tuesday found me sitting on one of the library’s remarkably comfortable chairs (comfortable enough that I’d consider several times over whether it was worth it to lug one home on the bus from the local Inspiration), waiting for the night’s TED Talk to start and feeling like a real journalist, pen and paper pad and all.

Following the first two projections, a crowd of about 30 people was divided into small groups and assigned a series of questions to discuss, starting with the basic question of “Are they right?” and leading into AI’s impact 18

technology and personal views on progress. The point was never to determine a winner - “to AI or not to AI,” that kind of question but rather to shed light on what might have been an overlooked perspective. Upon a post-TED talk interview, Brian stated that the purpose of the event was “to think thoughts you haven’t thought [before],” but the alternative objective always lingered under the surface: the ubiquitous goal of creating an opportunity for people “to network”. Refusing to call himself the mastermind, he confessed that the idea was cooked up by the library’s event team, and it aimed to bring together both Danes and internationals who are looking for a multitude of things - everything from understanding the world around them to getting out of the house on a Tuesday evening. Expanding the roster of Englishbased library meetings was a must, and communicating this to the world was the next step.

on a personal level and our own personal impact on AI. The debate found its rhythm with more than a few surprising opinions from people who had fiery convictions of their own. Between hapless optimists and even drearier pessimists, regardless of your stance on the issue, you couldn’t help but notice with satisfaction that the event was a success. Noticeably, there were few similarities between the attendants. The people at the tables represented an impressive spectrum of ages, occupations and interests, not to mention nationalities. Yours truly had to look no further than her own little group, which consisted of a fresh Romanian marketing specialist, a Polish fashion designer, a Danish engineer and an American doctor. Cue in a third video - Sam Harris’s “Can we build AI without losing control over it?”and while the tone of the talks went from hardly cheery to downright depressing, the atmosphere couldn’t have been better. The crowd was engaged and active, and while it probably came down to the level of emotional attachment each had to

The process described above and the general flow of the talks were also heavily tweaked and continue to be a work in progress. From a humble start as a simple show and tell, the team observed carefully and diligently, asking for feedback from its audience and receiving immediate results. The number of attendants alternated between a mean six and a high of over thirty and continues to do so. Brian confirmed our suspicions that the theme itself is what seems to draw in the crowds, with today’s subject of AI - popular, personal, approachable - supporting the theory. “It’s a matter of trial and error,” said Brian, “and we’re constantly looking to update our model”. After all, the evening begged for an AI pun. So what comes next? Well, we hope you are ready for Geopolitics.

What it takes to be a

Furniture designer Text by Odette Charles El-Hayek Photos by Christan Torp (Project SPINE)

eciding on my professional path a few years ago, I was led mainly by my passion for design and the desire to express myself. I’ve always been a creative child and, of course, there’s nothing wrong with that. I was encouraged to develop myself and pursue a future in the subjective world of art and design. Yet there comes a time when the love for what used to be hobbies and dreams turns into doubt. And if you’re anything like me, then be honest - you’ve also asked yourself “Am I good enough?” or ‘Do I have what it takes?’. Sadly or gladly, depending on you, the only foolproof way to find out is to put ourselves out there. Show what we have to the cruelest jury ever: not our lovable moms, friends, nor the art teacher from primary school, but our potential employers and customers. Fortunately, there are several competitions to enhance and encourage young, aspiring talents.

around the country competing in mixed teams, with a focus on their cooperative skills and knowledge-sharing. It is a friendly competition, an opportunity for individuals to show their personal skills and learn from fellow students. Yet the main prize is much greater than just a tap on the shoulder and a great experience, and it takes more than love for what you do to win it. The main categories of the competition are: best idea and concept, best design and aesthetics, most feasible project, best team collaboration and workflow, and best visualization and presentation. Therefore, the teams are challenged to demonstrate not only creativity and great ideas, but also the ability to cooperate and perform with real-life professionalism. So, what is the main prize? Imagine 20,000 DKK - solid proof that the winners have what it takes to be furniture designers. VIA Design is part of The Talent Program this year, and it is represented by five contestants. Luckily, two of them agreed to share with us their thoughts about what it takes to be a part of the project.

Talent Program is a project among Danish design schools aiming to bring together future designers and well-known furniture brands with the purpose of bringing future innovations to life. It involves 4 to 5 students from educational institutions 20

business, it is required that you are able to sell yourself and your creative skills, and to do that you have to be able to describe your creativity. However, I try to approach projects with an open mindset and a desire to learn and gain new knowledge. For me, it would be foolish to think that my skills as a designer or just a creative person are enough to solve a design-related problem, when I clearly still have so much to learn. I strive to make creative projects, giving all I have in terms of new knowledge. I try to keep my creative process as open and intuitive as possible. Not putting up too many fixed frames around a project. I try to get in depth with the given with the given subject but listen to my gut at the same time, even though, my initial ideas may well be skewed. Doing this, I often find out that polishing said skewed idea makes it understandable and relatable for the endreceiver, whoever that might be. It’s all about communicating your thoughts and values, so that they are the same ones you saw in the initial idea, just without all the background noise. That is my job as a designer.

Name: Simon Benjamin Christensen Age: 24 From: Aarhus, Denmark Background: Simon Graduated from Risskov Gymnasium with a major in Music and Social studies. After that took a HGS at Neils Brock CPH, a 10-week business course. After finishing AP degree specialized in Furniture and Interior design, he continues his 5th semester at VIA Design with the same specialization.

2. How did you decide on pursuing a career as a furniture designer? I really didn’t know until I started. After working as a shoemaker for 2 years, I needed to stimulate my brain and body with new challenges. At this time I didn’t know what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. In fact, the whole idea of ‘deciding what to do for the rest of my life’ scared the living crap out of me. So I applied for everything that came to my mind - chef, paramedic, graphic designer and many more. Then I read the description of VIA Design’s Furniture studies, and I found the idea of working in a field where creativity and craftsmanship went hand in hand very appealing. I applied and, big surprise, my creative skills were good enough to get me through the admission test. After a few months I was sure that this

1. If you could put a tag on yourself and your creative character, what would it be? Putting a tag on your own or others’ creative characters can be very hard. And also a bit dangerous, in the sense that you can fall into a box where you start limiting your creativity and limit the possibility of expanding in ways you would have done, if you approached creative projects with a completely open mindset. I guess that’s already putting some kind of tag on how I like to be creative regardless of the media at hand. Nonetheless, as a student and in 22

what currently inspires you? I’m definitely still exploring everything that has to do with Design, whether it’s specific styles, materials, production methods, cultures or whatever. Again, I have to say that it would be very silly of me to settle on a style or a type of work. I’m relatively new to the world of design, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have my preferences. Right now I really like to work with design that reaches beyond the general needs related to a certain kind of item. For example, in this talent program I was lucky enough to work with the Danish company Innovation Living, a firm that specializes in futon beds. They wanted to challenge us with an interesting case that didn’t just say ‘make a new sofa design that will fit our target segment.’ Instead they asked us to design a sofa that would fit ‘the dynamic needs of a divorced family with kids, living in in an urban area with limited space and limited budget.’ That pushed us, as a group, to really try and understand the everyday

SPINE - codesigner Linnea Ek Blaehr was the right choice, especially because I grew a lot in terms of creativity in a very short time. I don’t see this as a journey towards a piece of paper with my name on it, stating some kind of bachelor degree in Furniture Design (even though it’s a nice thing to have). I choose to see this as an opportunity to fill up my personal toolbox. Something that will enable me to decide what I’d use those skills for in the future. I will figure that out exactly… a bit later. 3. What is your inner passion? Do you have a specific style or a type of work you focus on? Or are you still exploring? If so,

challenges that such a family would face. Even though the challenges might’ve seemed simple, we discovered that it was a very complex and delicate way to live. We had to conduct a substantial amount of interviews and research in depth; therefore, our creative process became long, deep and very detailed. This really helped us to come up with an innovative and original concept that was thought through and addressed those issues. It’s really nice to make pretty and aesthetic products, but it’s even nicer to make products that make a real impact and difference in people’s lives. 4. You are still developing your career, but you already have some experience. Could you share the moments you consider to be the best and the worst so far? What did you learn from the ups and downs?

Name: Liv Isabell Højsager Lindberg Age: 22 From: Kolding, Denmark Background: Liv went to a creative private school. She spent an internship in Portugal, where she got the opportunity to design and build a piece of furniture. She worked for 3 months in her uncle’s cabinetmaker company her uncle’s cabinetmaker company. She is currently studying at VIA Design - BA program in Furniture and Interior Design.

It’s all ups and downs. You can never know if something works even though it looks like it will on paper. You have to test it… and then test it again. It will sometimes fail and that can be more than frustrating, especially when you really believed that it was a bulletproof idea. But you simply have to keep polishing and working on those flaws until it operates the way it was intended to and… Here come the UPs! That particular moment when every piece fits in its rightful place. There is no greater feeling, especially if you failed the first 3-4 times. Even if a project never succeeds, you will always learn something new. That clears up in time and you get to channel the knowledge into other projects.

1. If you could put a tag on yourself and your creative character, what would it be? I think that’s a difficult question to answer - but it is also a positive thing, because if you want to be a free lance designer, you should be able to put your own design characteristics aside to suit the companies’ demands. I do however get inspired by nature. I like my personal designs to be somewhat unconventional.

5. If you could go back and change something, when and what would you change?

2. How did you decide on pursuing a career as a furniture designer?

If? Well, I can’t… And I will never be able to go back in time and change something. So… Why would I waste time thinking about that?! I try to focus on what I can do right now.

I think it was when I found out that I didn’t want to be a cabinetmaker (laughs). When I had this short internship, I was building drawers and I was standing there for 2 days just making those… It was uninspiring, so I 25

thought I want to do my own stuff. I wanted to both design and build what I’d make.

do something else, rather than this specific style, but I said no. I said I’ll do this, because I feel that’s exactly what is needed here. And I do think it’s important to listen to other people, so I sat down and I sat down and started to rethink my idea, but I still listened to myself. I also learned to be patient: frame, test and reframe, and then do it all over again and again, until it’s “perfect”. It’s always back and forth. Now I notice my horizons expanding and my work changing a lot. When I started, I knew only solutions I’d been taught, but now I think outside the box. “I learned to trust and understand the professionals, but I also learned to find my own solutions.

3. What is your inner passion? Do you have a specific style or a type of work you focus on? Or are you still exploring around? If so, what currently inspires you? Ooh, I really like organic forms and futuristic looking designs. I also found, that I am very inspired to design fore the aid-producing industry - where I currently get my inspiration from. 4. You are still developing your career, but you already have some experience. Could you share the moments you consider to be the best and the worst so far? What did you learn from the ups and downs?

5. If you could go back and change something, when would that be and what would you change?

I actually have these two moments related to a single project. We had this architectural competition for Billund airport, which I won, and that was the greatest thing ever. But then the real work came, the things I had to think through, because it was so much bigger than the projects I normally work with. So now, after a year, I see it’s actually being built. And it’s huge, but it takes so much time. I guess that’s normal in this kind of business. So I stay focused on it because of the people I work with. I definitely didn’t feel bored, but it was taking up all my time. Because of this project I learned to always follow my intuition. A teacher said I should

I’d get more structured with my work from the very beginning. Figure out my own method to get through my education - that’s the main problem I had over the years. You also learn a lot by being messy, but it’s a bigger challenge and you often lose key points and solutions in this kind of process. I think that if I was more focused and structured, I would’ve gone further with my concepts and ideas.

Text By Cristina Maria Illustrations by Odette Charles El-Hayek

The mix of colours simply assaults my senses, and I reach for it more out of instinct rather than reason. The letters are orange on a blue background. The name rings a bell. I swipe my credit card before you can say “What on earth are you planning to do with a history book on world politics?”. Hello, my name is Cristina. I’m a 21-year-old Fashion Marketing student, and I believe in knowledge for the sake of knowledge - or what is better known as curiosity. And “believe” is too small a word. “I live for it” sounds better even though it seems a bit dramatic.

equalizer, never receives this treatment. It must always promise to provide us with the type of brutish usefulness that we can wrap our meaty hands around. Change of scenery. You’re in class, the teacher is droning on about some environmental disaster, and the only thing you can think of is “When am I going to have any use for this?” It’s not ok to answer a question with another question, but I’m a rebel that way so I’ll only say this: “Why is the concept of usefulness so vital?” We can appreciate a painting or a song only for the way it makes us feel, and then we proceed to call it art, display it in museums, play it in concert halls and step back and stand in awe of it. And yet, knowledge, the great

Unbeknownst to the tunnelvisioned individuals, everything in this world is connected. Imagine you’re working for Prada and looking forward to your promotion. It never comes. You frown at your boss and curse under your breath, but it has nothing to do with him. What if I told you that you lost your promotion because in 2013 Xi Jinping assumed the position of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China? Jinping’s main governing agenda dictated that corrupt officials be stripped of their ranks and punished accordingly. 28

Expensive, high-end small items are a commonplace method of bribing, and your company just happens to be one of the most well-known providers of such items. Add in a contraction in the Chinese economy which causes your company’s profits to be halved and yet you’d never consider that someone halfway around the world shares a bit of responsibility for your predicament. Knowing this won’t bring your promotion back, but everything has a cause and an effect, and acknowledging it might just bring a much-needed kind of closure. An active search for knowledge, on the other hand, is what drives the world. You can’t be a writer without reading first. Imagine if curiosity never existed, if no one ever wondered, and subsequently tried to find out whether planes could be built or diseases could be cured. Our own personal, small, banal curiosity represents the exact same thing. It might not lead to inventing pe n i c i l l i n , but it will sure bring us closer to a better version of

ourselves. Is that useful enough? We have an incomprehensible amount of information at our literal fingertips; it should be our duty to discover even a little bit of it, even if that bit is nothing more than the millionth part of it, even if it’s a Wikipedia page on hydraulic fracturing. Call it fun fact or life hack. Unless you can see into the future, the answer to “When am I going to have any use for this?” will always be “Someday I just might.”

The Quest to Find Form A Short Essay on Art Text by Alexandra Munteanu

rt. Making Art. Your heart is beating. Your senses are activated. Your mind is connected. Your body listens. Your vision is clear. Life is what you hear.

It is a whole-hearted act of self-creation, where the mind, the spirit and the hands converge. It is a portal to that ineffable space of imagery and profound insight. It is penetrating into an extraordinary world, significantly different from the world of common perception and practicalities.

You take a piece of paper and a fountain pen, writing it down and reveling in the smell of the ink that changes subtly with every blink. Neurons switch on, synapses are formed. Your sense of touch is heightened. You feel the pores of the paper, as if they are an extension of your fingertips and palms. The simultaneity of consciousness absorbs you entirely. You hear the colours and taste the odors, seeing the sounds and touching the void of imagination.

Artists are aware of the relationship between thought, language and reality. Painters and movie-makers experiment with the language of form and colour, and they know that the two influence each other. They recognise the psychological workings of colour and form, as well as the impressions that these leave on the soul. Line by line, shape by shape, idea after idea, emotion after emotion, they discover their inner reality and tune it to the external one. Every line, every tone, every nuance, every shape and every shade is carefully considered, so that the composition as a whole achieves its purpose. Ideally, they reveal a harmony between colour – form – choice of object and, as Kandinsky beautifully states, this „harmony must rely only on a corresponding vibration of the human soul.”

The matter of Art is complex and multifaceted, to say the least. What is Art? What makes the Artist? How does the Artist arrive to the composition that passes the test of time? How does the Artist find his Forms? Following the same direction of thought, the questions continue to arise. They are countless. They are pervasive and permeating, and they can only be answered from that space of reflection and introspection, where they are also coming into existence. Art is an exploration of the self and an examination of the inner life.

There are many approaches to artmaking, and that is expected – after all, everyone has his own creative process, which is unique, 30

personal and intimate. This time around, we will succinctly mention Paul Klee’s advice for those who wonder how to become an Artist:

remarkable painter and Bauhaus teacher Paul Klee teaches us about approaching Art. There are numerous techniques for making the invisible visible and forms out of formlessness. Find the one that suits you best. Imbue your work with layers of meaning and accept that not knowing precisely how it will turn out is natural. Plunge into the pools of form and composition and embrace that uncertainty is and will be there, as it should. How boring would it be otherwise?

Take a Line for a Walk There are multiple ways in which a point can become a line. It is a great exercise to repeat the same form in as many positions as you can think of. This technique, Klee promoted, is a great foundation for the works of art and design.

Observe a Fishtank It may sound weird, but there is wisdom in it. Observing the movements and forms created by nature, or more precisely, by fish swimming in a tank, is a great starting point for creating movement yourself.

To wrap it up, it is such a thrill to immerse yourself in a creative process, to let your imagination stream without hindrance, to let your knowledge and intuition guide you, until you eventually get to the final state of that which you are creating. Occasionally, the fear of failure, the fear of rejection, the doubts and the creative blocks will pop up, but they can be overcome, and the process of overcoming them is revelatory in itself. Art is therapy, it is healing, and it is transformational and self-transcendental. It is liberating. It is freedom of expression, and it is transforming pain into power. So find your innate gift, find your medium be it painting or design, writing or music, sculpting or film-making, drawing or acting, photography or performance - and unleash your infinite creative potential! The rewards are everlasting.

Draw the Circulatory System Klee thought that this process reflects the way in which Art is created, and indeed, studying it gives more insight not only on the inner workings of the human body, but also on the processes of art.

Weigh the Colours. „Color and I are one. I am a painter,” - Paul Klee Now that we have studied lines and planes, movement and form, we can move on to colour. Klee adapted Goethe’s color wheel into a sphere, a framework which contains all aspects of colour, including saturation, value or hue – both Goethe’s colour wheel and Klee’s colour sphere are worth checking out, so give them a try next time you are searching for inspiration.

Sources: • Acts That Amplify: Ann Hamilton on Art, the Creative Value of Unproductive Time, and the Power of Not Knowing, Maria Popova, BrainPickings • Concerning the Spiritual in Art, Wassily Kandinsky • Estetica, Tudor Vianu • How to Be an Artist, According to Paul Klee, Sarah Gottesman, Artsy Editorial • Walk Through Walls: Marina Abramović on Art, Fear, Taking Risks, and Pain as a Focal Lens for Presence, Maria Popova, BrainPickings

Study the Greats There are so many lessons to be learned from the extraordinary people who have explored the realm of Art, or Design for that matter. There is so much experience to be drawn from the work of the Greats. But remember: “We do not analyze works of art because we want to imitate them or because we distrust them [but we do so] to begin to walk ourselves.” This is what the 31

Amir Hassan (@mramirhassan, @twelvepieces) 23 year old founder of fashion (and soon-to-be lifestyle) brand 12pieces. I’m proud to call him my friend and inspiration. So, one of these cold Danish Saturdays in February, I got to see a little bit of Egypt “in other words, I visited Amir in his studio.” We had an outstanding, almost 3-hour long conversation about his brand, background, achievements and plans. Read on and find out about the newest addition to Denmark’s fashion scene!

Text by Santa Adele Krastina Photos from private collection 32

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NUMBER 12 IN AMIR'S LIFE Amir: I don’t take pictures without sunglasses. Santa: Why not? A: Because now, as a designer and a representative of a new brand, I’m trying to build an image for it. So people will recognize me. S: I saw you more often without them, that’s why I’m asking. A: Oh, you did? Without?! S: Yeah, while you were working at VIA Design, and that was when I was seeing you most often. A: Well, now, when things are more serious and my image is getting more hyped, I gotta stick to it. S: Tell me about these particular sunglasses. A: They’re by a brand I’m collaborating with right now. They’re actually working on some special lenses you’ll be able to wear in the dark and they’re doing it for me. S: Oh wow, so the next trend will be sunglasses on 24/7? A: Yeah, I wanna be the new Karl Lagerfeld,

I’m trying to make a revolution happen. S: Is that the only pair you wear? A: No, I have over 12 pieces, so I always change them. S: 12? Is your whole life built upon the rule of 12? A: Yes! Everything! S: Is it like an OCD thing for you now? A: Yes, it’s beginning to turn into a real issue… It affects my daily life. For example, when it comes to social media pictures I post or share, they should always be uploaded at 12:00, otherwise I’m not doing it. So if I miss this time – I can’t do it later. S: Do you also like the sound of 12? And in which language do you like it most? Danish, Arabic or English? A: Yes, I do, for sure. And to answer the second question, English is my favourite. S: How do you say it in Arabic? A: Etnosh (writes it on a piece of paper) S: So you can both speak and write in Arabic? A: Yeah, and read as well.

ABOUT THE BRAND S: So, Amir, what’s the origin of 12pieces? A: My roots, my dad, who was an artist - a painter, actually. When I was little, I wanted to become an architect, so I’d sketch all the time, alongside with being into fashion and redesigning clothes. At the age of 18 I found a paper, an old sketch of mine, that I made many years ago, and that paper had 12 pieces/styles drawn on it. So that’s how I came up with a name for my brand. S: And what’s the story behind your first collection? A: Egypt was my main inspiration. I was born and raised in Aarhus, Denmark, but both of my parents came here from Egypt in the ‘70s. And I’m incredibly proud and thankful to them for working hard and

raising me and my two sisters. All of my family (except mother and sisters) are now in Egypt and I would normally spend 3-4 months a year there, but I didn’t have this chance for the last 4 years because of the revolution. I simply can’t enter the country, so all this is reflected in my first collection. I tried to make a statement, I AM making a statement. The only words you can find printed or embroidered on my garments are: “freedom”, “brotherhood”, “fighting”, and “justice”. This collection, and my brand in general, is made for people who want to make an impact, stand out from the crowd, people with free minds. 33

COLLECTION S: Going through your lookbook, I can see that all the pieces are unisex. A: Exactly, everything I’m making is unisex. S: What about accessories and shoes? A: I have a few collaborations in process now because I don’t know anything about shoe production. So I just come up with the ideas and share my aesthetics with people who know the area. I have a lot of contacts. (Opens the lookbook and shows me some pictures) I work with the best photographers in Denmark, so I’m really blessed; I have a lot of good friends. (Keeps going through the lookbook) That’s the bestselling piece for now – the bomber jacket. S: Could you tell us about some details, like how many styles go into production and sales?

A: I design 12 styles in total and I produce 12 pieces of each. They’re all numbered. S: Is that something that brings more value to each of your products? A: Definitely, that’s why it’s unique. No other brand is doing that. S: Fair enough, but what about sizes? A: See, I got S, M, L and XL – 3 of each. S: Very limited. A: Yes, there are 144 pieces, all together. So it’s not something you can live up to or try to outgrow, therefore I have to expand the concept. S: 12 capsule collections a year, maybe? A: No, that I can’t do. I’ll be making 3 collections a year. And there will be no season. Ever.

MODELS S: Tell me about the models taking part in your campaigns. A: There’s one model that joined my team recently. His name is Earth (@earth2down), he comes from Thailand. I found him on the streets of Copenhagen and I told him: “I have a job for you!” (shows pictures from the latest photoshoot on his phone). There’s also an

amazing model from Los Angeles – Adesuwa Aighewi (@adesuwaaighewi), she walked on the last 3 Yeezy shows and I got her to come from USA to Denmark. S: How do you feel when someone like that is willing to be a part of what you’re doing? A: I’m honoured. In the last three weeks 34

(since the release date of the first collection) I’ve been receiving e-mails and calls from important buyers in the fashion industry, not only from Denmark, but from all over the world. I still can’t believe all this is actually

happening because if I look back one year ago it was just me trying to approach them and now the tables have turned completely. So, I’m blessed.

FINANCES/RUNNING A BRAND S: How are you dealing with all this? Do you have any extra help? A: It’s pretty hard to run a company because for now I’m doing it on my own – starting with the design process and finishing with packing the products and sending them out to customers. S: Have you thought about actually hiring people? A: Of course, I have to expand. S: Friends and acquaintances only, right? No one external? A: Yes, and I already have some people willing to join, once I have things settled properly. S: How are you dealing with the financial aspects?

A: I just found an investor. S: So, before that you were covering all of the expenses on your own? A: Yes, I started everything alone. 12pieces is my life, my studio is my home. S: You’re saying that your current life is dedicated to 12pieces? A: Yes, I work all the time. No off-days. S: How much are you willing to sacrifice for 12pieces? A: Everything. I already did. I don’t have 1DKK left, honestly, it’s all about my brand. So I’m grateful that there’s someone willing to support this whole process.

CPHFW/EDUCATION/INTERNSHIP S: You told me in January that you’ll be taking part in February’s Fashion Week; how was it? A: Well, I didn’t have a stand there this time, so I made a little “show-off” at one of the most hyped designers’ shows. I took several models with me and they were all wearing my clothes. S: Okay. So it wasn’t really official. Whose show was it? A: MUF10 S: What made you choose this brand? A: I knew that there’s gonna be loads of people and media at this show because it’s a new designer. S: So, was it all about self-promotion, or there was something else behind it? A: Yes, I don’t like him.

S: How nice: “I don’t like him, so I’m going to ruin his show!” A: Yes, exactly! S: Did you get thrown out of there? A: No. There’s nothing illegal about coming to someone’s show with a bunch of friends and wearing your own clothes. But it’s a protest! Because everyone there was looking at us, instead of the show. I got a lot of reactions from the media. S: How did you come up with this idea? A: It just turned up in my head. I thought: “I have to do something which would draw attention.” Everything I do has to be different, I don’t wanna have a 9 to 5 job, I wanna work whenever I feel like it. I don’t like the usual way of doing things. When I was still at VIA Design and all the projects we 35

had were for womenswear, I was still making menswear, even though the teacher kept on saying “Don’t do that!”. It’s funny because I was still getting 12s at the end. S: 12s…again, all about 12! A: Yes, I told them when I got in: “I’m Mister Twelve!” S: Which degree did you get? A: I finished an AP Degree in Fashion Design in the summer of 2016, and I started 12pieces right after. S: And you didn’t have any previous education in fashion? A: No, VIA Design taught me how to sew. Before that I could only draw and I had my fashion blog for 4 years. So I was aware of everything happening in the industry, but I had no practical knowledge. S: Why did you choose VIA Design? A: Because I’ve heard that in this school you’ll get to learn a lot of techniques and

that was a thing I was looking for. I gained a lot of knowledge at VIA Design, like mastering Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, not mentioning the sewing itself. S: Are you planning on getting a full BA degree? A: No. And not because I think it would be useless or something, but because, first of all, I don’t have the time for it, and second of all – I’m living my dream right now, so why would I? S: Where did you do your internship? A: Trine Lindergaard and it was the best internship ever. She taught me everything about prints, she was my inspiration and I tell it to everyone – I love her. And she also only does collections with stories, with a meaning. S: Have you ever considered working for any other brand first instead of launching your own? I mean, mostly in order to get more experience. A: No, the 3 months that I spent doing my internship with Trine was enough for me to see how the industry works. I saw how Trine was running her business. And I thought that if she can manage this, why can’t I? And I did, I’m doing it right now. So, I didn’t need more experience, I don’t like working for other people.

FUTURE PLANS S: What is your next plan, other than working on the second collection now? A: I have my first shoe line coming out, and afterwards, I’m also working on a furniture line. I’ll have a collaboration with one artist who is going to paint on papyrus papers I brought from Egypt and I am also working for Yūgen (a techno and lifestyle brand), that’s a company we’re running with 7

other friends of mine. Each of us has their own creative way of thinking, we all come from different backgrounds – we have DJs, barbers, stylists, me as a designer, a yoga coach, and photographers. And, actually, I have to move to Berlin soon, but everything is going so quick right now! I got a deal with Highsnobiety and Hypebeast, and that’s one of my biggest dreams, it feels huge.

12 RANDOM QUESTIONS FOR MR.TWELVE S: What’s your favourite season? A: I don’t have one. S: Do you have any tattoos? A: No, no tattoos, no piercings. I think of my body as a temple. S: If you didn’t happen to do fashion, what would it be then? A: Architecture. Or painting. S: What time do you wake up? A: At 9:00. S: Favourite designers? A: Rick Owens. S: Do you have a timetable or a planner you’re following, like a daily routine? A: No, every day is different. As I said, I travel a lot and some of the trips can be spontaneous, some are planned.

S: Coffee or tea? A: Cappuccino, once a day. S: Do you drink alcohol? A: No, I hate alcohol. But one of GRISK’s sponsors is Tuborg, that’s why I have this mini beer fridge in my studio. S: What are your favourite destinations? A: I don’t have any. I haven’t explored enough to choose one yet. But I love New York. S: Favourite movie? A: “12 years a Slave” S: Snapchat or Instagram? A: Instagram S: And one last question. Favourite number? A: (Laughs) 12.

VIA Design Rethinks Fashion: Your Backstage Pass to the Culture Capital and CPHFW’s Fashion Highlights Text by Aela Nikolova Photos by Hans Henrik, Josh Lawrence & from private collection

Where is the meeting point between the Nutcracker, synthetic nature, Polish hooligans, Pope John Paul II and David Bowie? Let us Rethink – where else, except for the Cultural Capital of Europe and Copenhagen Fashion Week itself!

STEFANIA: In the process of creating my final collection I was under the strong influence of the concept of synthetic nature. Long before the period of preparing our BA collections started, I have discovered a very interesting method of preparing prints called water marbling, so I decided to incorporate it into my collection. The other important inspiration were collages of Superstudio that I have seen in Rome during the summer. The architectural interruptions and grid patterns in my collection are a direct reference to their artwork.

VIA Design’s recent graduates set the two venues on artistic fire during the Aarhus Rethink Fashion event in Rådhuset and on CPHFW’s coveted catwalk, sprinkling glitter, pins and talent all over the place. Both shows were attended by the press and industry professionals (among which Vogue Italy!), generated an Instagram craze in less than a few hours and made yet another step towards defining the fashion scene of tomorrow. In case you have missed the events this winter, I managed to get us all a backstage pass and speak to Mateusz Miszkiewicz, Dániel Rózsahegyi, Aleksandra Pisiewicz, Stefania Świtkowska, Riëlle Magnée and Pavel Vlodarski about their post-graduate fashion experience.

Stefania

Credits: Hair: Hanshenrick.com, @woduwillst.de MUA: Rosalina Lova Nadine Christiansen assisted by Alberte Bilde Models: Divamodels.com Photos: Josh Lawrence, Szabolcs Nagy, Styleconverters.com, VIA Design and graduates’ personal archives 1. The designs presented at Rethink Fashion Aarhus were part of your BA graduation exam. What was your inspiration for the final collection? 38

DÁNIEL: My inspiration was male ballet, more specifically The Nutcracker form Tchaikovsky. I have been involved with ballet throughout my whole life because of my family. I wanted to bring attention to the dark side of ballet, and show that it can be mentioned among brutal, more masculine sports such as: American football, water polo and boxing… I have mixed all these sporty elements with feminine detailing and wrapped it up in a retrospective 1950’s American College style. ALEKSANDRA: My inspiration was based on my newest artistic fascination - graffiti. Not only the artworks, but whole ideology standing behind the street art- layering, speed, the sense of leaving the sign of yourself in public places. RIËLLE: My main inspiration for the collection is the irrelevance of gender and age, I think that nowadays we live in an era where it should not matter from what gender you are, or how old you are. What matters is who you are and to express it in the way you want to express it without being judged to do so. Additionally, I decided to work with Iris Apfel and David Bowie as my muses, as I think they are both standing for what my concept is all about. MATEUSZ: With key words like technokitsch aesthetic and urban space motley, my collection is a mocking blend of eastern European characteristics and the expression of exaggeratedly muscular hooligans from the outskirts. With a story based on today's realities, my designs are inspired by a nostalgic trip to the past. It is a story of how something created to be ironic about a particular group can become essential when it is accepted, instead of rejected. PAVEL: My collection is a manifesto against conservative politics in Poland. It is inspired by a made up story where Poles have to escape to space to save the catholic nation after Polish pope John Paul II dies. I titled it 21:37 because that is the actual time of death of the Polish pope. I used a lot of references, bits and pieces from Poland. I created this

collection out of nostalgia and celebration of life’s absurdity.

2. The first show took place in Århus Rådhus and attracted a lot of media coverage. What is your personal impression of the venue and the organisation of the event? DÁNIEL: The organisation was very professional, all the models, hair stylists, coordinators and organisers were on point. They helped us create a wonderful show and let our collections shine. ALEKSANDRA: It was really nice - I got a lot of positive feedback, had the opportunity to talk with the audience and actually found the very first customer in my life. MATEUSZ: The City Hall in Aarhus is a very impressive place to present your collection. The big chamber inside the building looked elegant and was well prepared for the event. Thanks to the fact that Aarhus became the European Capital of Culture in 2017, we got an additional attention from the media. Our show attracted quite a lot of interest and there were many articles about it. 3. What was the atmosphere both backand frontstage like? STEFANIA: Backstage everybody was very

Daniel

DÁNIEL: I would say it is both. There are many things to concider before the show starts. There are fittings which can be difficult because of the short timing and the delays of the models. You have to make sure that the clothes you are sending out to the runway are going to look perfect so you might have to use some pins and handstitching on the spot. ALEKSANDRA: Well, first of all, we didn’t know the models’ sizes before the show, so we had to adjust our clothes, solve the issue of too small shoes, etcetera. Then it’s a lot of photos, excitement, and ironing. 5. Some of you were chosen to participate in both the Aarhus and Copenhagen VIA fashion shows. How would you compare the two venues in terms of audience, atmosphere, and experience? DÁNIEL: I have to say Aarhus show had the better mood and backstage atmosphere.

excited and stressed. The funny thing about the show is that you have literally no idea how did it go and if the guests enjoyed it. Only after the show you have the chance to ask your guests if they liked it and what was their impression. ALEKSANDRA: I have no idea about the frontstage - we were all the time at the back, helping the dressers, eating catering sandwiches, taking photos with our phones, falling in love with models and keeping an eye on everything. RIËLLE: I have mostly been backstage and I can tell you that the atmosphere was great. Of course, as the hour of the show came closer, there were some there was some static in the air. After the show we could go on the stage with our clothing racks and talk to people. This was a great opportunity and there were a lot of good reviews. 4. Speaking of backstage – we are all curious to know what is the designer’s role behind the scenes at fashion shows. Is it hard, last-minute work or simply the pleasure of seeing your ready outfits on the catwalk?

STEFANIA: Before the show, you need to prepare your collection. All clothes need to be steamed and fitted on the models. There is a lot of waiting and making sure everything is clear and ready. There are always some last time corrections. Before the Arhus show one of my shoes broke and we had to quickly repair it. I was really stressed that something will break on the catwalk, but everything turned out well.

I met some young fashion addicts and business insiders which was super cool. However, CPHFW has a much more influential audience. It was very different. The pressure was bigger but the reward was as well. Minutes after the show our

designs were posted on blogs and Instagram accounts of bloggers from around the world, so I am really grateful for both opportunities the school offered me. RIËLLE: I was indeed very delighted to be selected to present my collection on both of the shows in Aarhus and Copenhagen. It is funny how different the shows have been, as Aarhus was in the city hall with big wooden floors and more vintage surroundings. The Copenhagen one was at Bella Centre in a very big and open space - very new and raw looking, with white high ceilings and black curtains around the stage. But if you ask me, on a personal level, I liked Bella Centre the most, as the show takes place next to CIFF and there are so many interesting people walking around the fashion convention, who want to have a peek at new talents. PAVEL: The show in Copenhagen was a bit more professional, definitely more press and industry people were present there. Also, I prefer the venue there because it was more spacious and industrial, with better lightning. In Aarhus we had much more time, since the show was in the evening, so it was way easier and less stressful - I also preferred the models there. Both shows were really good and I’m glad that I got to present my work in both locations.

Aleksandra

Pavel

6. Which part of participating in events did you enjoy the most?

Photographer: Josh Lawrence www.facebook.com/PhotographybyJLawrence/ Sjoshual2011@hotmail.com +45 50 78 56 17

STEFANIA: The moment when you see the models in your clothes on the catwalk – it is indeed magical. DÁNIEL: I believe the most exciting parts are the fittings and the final results. Seeing your work walking down the catwalk in front of hundreds of people is invaluable. ALEKSANDRA: I really liked the fact that we had the opportunity to talk with the audience - listen to their impressions of our work, explain the process of making the garments, exchange contacts. MATEUSZ: The most exciting part is the fittings. First of all, it is challenging

to choose the right model for the right outfit, regarding his/her appearance and physique. Second, the visual experiences are indescribable. PAVEL: Meeting people after the show and fishing for compliments. 7. Riëlle , you are one of the chosen VIA design graduates to participate in Designers’ Nest in Copenhagen this year. 41

very nice feeling to realise that you are not the only person who likes your work. Some business people were taking my contact info, so it is a good idea to have your business cards prepared before such events. ALEKSANDRA: Yeah, people were curious about the technical details, techniques used, and the story behind our concepts. From what I heard, they really enjoyed the diversity of our work. That kind of a collective fashion show really represents a festival of creativity. I hand painted my materials, some people made embroidery, fabric manipulations, dyeing, printing… there was a lot to see. MATEUSZ: Yes, there were many online articles and bloggers’ posts. I am very excited for example about the feedback from Vogue Italia, as they wrote an article about me and posted pictures of our designs.

Can you tell us about the event – what does the preparation process consist of, how is the competition and the venue like? RIËLLE: That was one of the opportunities I got after graduating my BA. Having the experience of being one of the participants of Designer’s Nest this year has been a dream come true. It has been an amazing experience, even though it was very different from the other shows. Designer’s Nest took place at Hotel d'Angleterre in Copenhagen. It was great to meet students from other design schools in Scandinavia and see their work. Besides showing three outfits from our collection, we had to prepare a small fiveminute presentation for the jury, and what I didn’t know was that they were very important people, representing Vogue Italy for example. 8. Did you get any feedback from the audience or media present at the shows? STEFANIA: Yes, people were coming either to ask about the print or fabrics and it was a Riëlle

• www.vogue.it/vogue-talents/ news/2017/02/09/copenaghen-fashion-week/ • www.glamthug.com/2017/01/30/via-designshow/ • andyou.dk/designtalenter-via-graduateshow-2017/ • headstartfashion.dk/via-design-graduationshow-2017-var-en-succes/ • www.katoni.dk/blog/via-graduateshow-2017/ • uk.fashionnetwork.com/galeries/photos/VIADesign,28398.html • www.knaeckekind.com/singlepost/2017/02/02/VIA-Design-CopenhagenFashion-Week-2017 • www.scandinaviastandard.com/the-futureof-fashion-is-now-at-via-design-aarhus/

9. Did you get something out of the experience in terms of new contacts or professional opportunities?

has a lot of contacts and their branding has been working for us - so we are still getting benefits from it. For example, a cool fashion magazine stylist just borrowed Mateusz clothes for a photoshoot - those are bloggers publishing articles about our work… the word is spreading.

STEFANIA: After the show in Copenhagen I had an interview with people from Inditex. We will see what will happen in the upcoming weeks. DÁNIEL: Sure! Besides of personal experience, I have got a fair amount of cooperation enquiries and even orders for my designs. ALEKSANDRA: I got some business cards and contacts from really nice bloggers and online magazines. Also, one of the guests bought my jacket, saving me from starvation, which was nice. MATEUSZ: Yes, I got the opportunity of collaborating with BON and MY magazine for their editorials. They used my garments for photoshoots, which are going to be published in their next issue. PAVEL: In Copenhagen I met an amazing upcoming singer from New York and we made a spontaneous photoshoot with my clothes together. I’m still waiting for some life-changing offer though.

11. Let me casually drop the muchdreaded final question – and what now? STEFANIA: I would like to do a Master’s degree in England. DÁNIEL: I hear this question a lot nowadays! My short-term goal is to continue my education. I have already applied to Menswear MA at Westminster University, London. I really believe that for my longterm goal, which is opening my own label, is essential to finish a Master in a good school, in a city which is one of the “capitals” of street-style and a cradle for young upcoming designers. RIËLLE: This is a question I am still asking myself from time to time, but for now I have been searching for a job – hopefully, as a designer, so I could save some money to do a Master’s degree in a more art-related programme, starting September 2018. MATEUSZ: At this moment I'm in the process of appllying to Ma Menswear programme in Westminster College, London. PAVEL: I’m applying for a Master degree in Menswear Fashion Design in London. Before that I’m going to travel and chill, and I’m also thinking to finally get a car license… ALEKSANDRA: Now I need to dance some more. I am waiting for the world, because I am sure the world is not really into waiting for me.

10. Most upcoming brands rarely organise their own fashion shows, relying mostly on on-line channels to raise brand awareness and generate sales. How important are catwalk shows for young designers nowadays in your opinion? DÁNIEL: I believe that online platforms such as Instagram are the newest, best way to advertise your designs since you can reach out to exactly those people you are targeting. However, to be able to participate at fashion shows boosts the reach of your followers a lot, so it is a great way to become more popular. ALEKSANDRA: Well, young designers like me and my friends don’t have a wide network. We can make the best jacket on the planet Earth - but what then, if its only 240 people following us on Instagram? VIA 43

Stefania Riëlle

Riëlle Riëlle

Stefania Mateusz

Stefania

Daniel

Photos Provided by Hans Henrik, Josh Lawrence & from private collection

VIA Experience & Experiment A Day To Remember Text by Alexandra Munteanu Photos by Janis Zirnitis

FOCUS Student Magazine is delighted to bring you a fresh story about a new initiative of a fellow student at VIA Design: Ragnar Roostalu, who brought students together this April to experience a real life fashion photo session, entitled “Experience and Experiment”. This collaborative event reunited Fashion Design students with Multiplatform Storytelling & Production students from Aarhus, as well as students from AUH, to share a day and create together.

between the designers, the photographers and the models, the whole process can only get smoother this way. When you also add humour, fun, and passion to the mix, you have an experience to remember. Both presentations clarified the approach to the project and they paved the way for the actual photoshoot, which took place after the designers discussed their concept with the photographers and made choices about the appropriate locations, while makeup artists worked their magic on the models. The outfits for “Experience and Experiment” were provided by three young promising fashion designers studying at VIA Design, who, much like everyone else on the set, poured their heart and soul into their work. Let’s meet them:

The “Experience & Experiment” gathering started with Ragnar’s presentation of a project he worked on last semester, showing and discussing video commercials, and behind the scenes videos. Afterwards, Janis Zirnitis and Luca Levai presented a project that they had been working on. They described not only the creative process it implied, but also the story behind the collection – a universe of colours and moods put into pictures, as Luca expressed it. They also explained how the general atmosphere during the photo-shoot changes when the people who are working on the set get to know each other on a personal basis. They feel free to communicate and speak their minds and since there is an emotional connection

Cristina Dan One of the designers is Cristina Dan, a bright and remarkable fashion designer, artist, and founder of Solve apparel. “Form Follows Feeling”, says Cristina, and this can truly be seen in her designs. For this photoshoot, Cristina chose one of the three pieces of her collection, and in this case one means in fact many. This single article can change into more than 10 pieces of clothing 46

with a timeless design. It adapts to your daily needs and it saves you the hustle of everyday styling or a wardrobe where your clothes are packed together tighter than two coats of paint, for that matter. It’s the pinnacle of versatility, it interchanges into so many clothing shapes and forms that you can choose whichever outfit you please, be it elegant, casual, classic and so on. You can really be creative when picking which article of clothing to wear and you can basically be your own designer and express yourself as you wish.

“Experience & Experiment” photoshoot with two pieces: a gripping, dark coloured jumpsuit with subtle stripes and a complimentary coat.

The white fabric, softer than silk and cooler than linen, with a clean, simple, and fluid look, is made out of wood fibres and it is 100% biodegradable. Solve represents conscious fashion and it takes matters of sustainability and circular economy seriously, and this is to be seen in the garments themselves, a product to fall in love with and really take care of.

As Misha puts it, the design is a contemporary interpretation of classical menswear. The silhouette represents an exaggeration of a man’s body proportions, with very wide shoulders and sharp shapes. The design’s construction is essentially architectural and geometric, maintaining a balance between chicness and avant-garde. The piece is independent and it doesn’t belong to any collection. The idea behind it arose instinctively as a reinterpretation of classical menswear in a minimalist, architectural way, combined with Japanese influences. The jumpsuit and the coat flawlessly fit the model – Andu Mihala, who is modelling for the first time at this event. He definitely found the whole experience interesting, adding that after all the hours of modelling, he gets why it’s harder than it seems. The other models, Inga, Andre and Milad, felt the same way about it at the end of the day.

Solve is launching Omdanne this spring, so make sure to keep your eyes open for the new line that is about to be set out into our world soon. And while we’re there, if you haven’t done so yet, you can also check the Sustainable Business Design and Entrepreneurship Hub at VIA Incubator, set up at Thomas Østergaard and Cristina Dan’s initiative.

It was clearly fun for the whole team working with Misha’s designs, as they explored the buildings at VIA and the outdoor surrounding area, looking for the perfect spot for their pictures. They were thrilled to find out that you could take interesting shots, just by using the art that is already displayed at school.

Misha Ursu Misha Ursu, a talented, up-and-coming fashion designer, contributed to the 47

or two. It’s always a conversation starter.” Come to think about it, the golden jacket was actually the starter of our conversation during this wonderful gathering of creative minds, so why not have a golden jacket indeed?

Taavi Turk Taavi Turk participated in this photo-shoot with two of his designs – fun, glittery, glamorous over the top jackets. He specializes in menswear and he strives to make it as far from boring as possible. Anyone with a trained eye could spot his fine skills, which he probably started to form during his fashion experiences before joining VIA Design. He has a tailoring background from Estonia, his home country, where he was a part of Tallinn Fashion Week.

The experience ended with all the participants taking pictures while standing up in the E building, in the shape of a V – for VIA, of course. It was a fun and creative day and we can only be appreciative of this kind of collaborative events, which show us how beautiful it is when artists gather to create.

Taavi enjoys experimenting with light and patterns and his designs of the jackets illustrate it. As he is making a stitch or two on the model, so that the jacket suits Milad, one of the two models collaborating with him on this project, he tells me sincerely that “Everybody should have a golden jacket

Travel like a (broke) pro! ~ From Shelter To Shelter ~ Text by Alexandra Munteanu Illustration by Alma Biseniece

The memory of winter is fading. Now, the smell of spring is in the air, the sun is shining and it is warm again. This is a great time for packing your bags and taking an awesome trip! Denmark has

so much to offer when it comes to travelling, so take a look below at our travelogue article for this issue. We focus on travelling in nature, or more precisely – to shelters!

WHAT?

WHO?

It is way more fun if you share the experience with your friends and loved ones. Think about the people you enjoy spending time with, or the people you would like to know better, and give them a call/drop them a message about this great spring opportunity. Check your schedule and pick a date for your journey – it’s going to be worth it for sure! You can even surprise your loved one with a spontaneous out-in-the-wild weekend, since you don’t need a lot of preparation for it and most importantly, it is a budget-friendly, romantic weekend getaway!

Shelters? What on earth are those? Shelters are these interesting camping spots that make for the perfect place to sleep when exploring Denmark. They are scattered across the whole country, and they are generally located in nature areas. They are built out of wood and are quite spacious. They’re also FREE! You don’t need to pay any fee for spending the night in a shelter. You can just go there. Isn’t this fascinating? So, are you up for a wonderful shelter trip in the mesmerizing Danish nature?

WHY?

WHERE?

There are plenty of reasons for going on a shelter trip! Here are just a few: to rejuvenate yourself and gain new forces, to reconnect with nature, to take a break from the stress of the city, or to discover the incredible palette of places that Denmark is so proud of. Just the idea of waking up with the view of the natural landscape in front of your eyes is enough for a loud YES to the shelter trip!

We recommend that you enter research mode and search the mighty internet for the places you would like to see most in the country of ‘hygge’. It is entirely up to you which shelters you choose to spend the night at. You can be strategic about it and choose the locations that are the closest to the travel landmarks that you wish to see in Denmark. 49

Believe it or not, there is even an app called ‘Shelter’, which allows you to check which shelters are built in Denmark and more. You can find it in the App Store or Google Play (for more information, check www. shelterapp.dk). There are so many shelters available that the map is literally filled with location icons, so just pick a route together with your peeps and go for it! In addition, you can even build your own shelter for a sum of approx. 4500 DKK. I guess you won’t go as far as building your own shelter, but it’s nice to know that the possibility exists.

tool for travelling in Denmark. You never know when it will come in handy.

IT’S TIME TO PACK YOUR BACKPACK!

When packing for a shelter trip, remember to keep it simple. Pack only what’s really, truly necessary. Here are some suggestions of what to pack for travelling light: • Choose comfortable clothes that will keep you warm at night and fresh during the day; (check how many pieces of clothing you need, depending on the number of days you will spend travelling) • Sleeping bag or warm blankets • Hygiene kit • A good book, preferably not too heavy: reading in nature is lovely • A camera (or your mobile, for that matter), for pictures of the moments worth remembering • Fruit, snacks and whatever else your heart pleases.

WHEN?

Whenever you and your friends are free and up for it! You can reserve a weekend for it, or even a week or two, if you want to choose a long route. Remember to check the weather to make sure the sun will be on your side. Don’t back down if the forecast does announce some rain here and there; just prepare for it. There is no point in getting scared by some raindrops – this is Denmark, after all. Besides, the shelter will keep you safe from the worst of it and the cold wind. In the end, this kind of weather has its own charm, so be positive and try to see the beauty of it. Who knows, maybe you’ll even feel like singing in the rain.

ADDITIONAL TIPS

• It’s comfortable to make the ‘bed’ using green branches of trees as a ‘mattress’ and then putting the blankets on top. • Register on booking.naturstyrelsen.dk. It’s not mandatory, but this way the people who want to use the same shelter area know that someone will be there. If you cannot find the shelter in that list, check for other booking portals. There are quite a few. • You can also make a fire there; so if you want to cook, bring your lighter, a light pan and some food to grill or boil.

HOW?

Again, it is up to you to choose how you want to get to the shelters. The means of transportation are plenty: buses, trains, cars, ride-sharing – you know what works best for you. You should also know that Denmark has a friendly infrastructure for biking, so if you are brave and ready for action, you can even choose to travel the country by bike! Bikes and shelters – that’s a very fun way to discover this country on a minimal budget, isn’t it? In addition, we recommend that you install the app called ‘Rejseplanen’ on your mobile phone, which is a great and accurate

This is it - now it’s time for adventure and discovery! Are you ready?

Bornholm

Aalborg

Holstebro HERNING

Aarhus

Copenhagen Esbjerg

Kolding Odense

Text by Cristina Maria Photos by Joes Chester & Stefan Ravn

et’s rethink. Rethink art, rethink culture, and, most of all, rethink our impact on both. You read that right - OUR impact. These two notions bring us together, as one European nation and as one human race, while at the same time celebrating our differences as individuals. Elected Europe’s Culture Capital in 2017, Aarhus is all in, no knives to a gunfight. Food,

music, performance art, urban design, you name it - it’s happening this year in our lovely, quasi-neighbouring city. FOCUS Student Magazine has dutifully selected a (very) small handful of events for you, dear reader, so you can experience the best the city of Aarhus has to offer. After all, we’re always the main characters of our own art.

APRIL – The Aarhus Story presented by Den Gamle By Date: 12th of April – Permanent Location: Den Gamle By

vernissage each, inviting visitors to turn their gaze upwards and witness how art has moved on the next floor, how architecture connects us to our aspirations and the means through which we can observe and appreciate its effect.

Have you ever wondered how Aarhus got to be the city we know today? Den Gamle By, or the Old City, is celebrating its rich history with a cursory glance at each of its stages, from the always appreciated, fearsome Vikings, to life as a medieval market town, to its rapid industrialization and up to the wonder that we can witness today. With the use of scale models, artefacts, cinematics, sound, smell, engravings, films and even interactive games, you too can immerse yourself in the complete Aarhus experience and get a headstart in the culture capital.

JUNE – NorthSide Festival Date: 9th – 11th of June Location: Aadalen, Aarhus NorthSide Festival needs no introduction these days. What started as a gather-up of stars with a conscience has turned into one of Denmark’s most important music events with a sustainable edge. This year, it will play host to acts such as Radiohead, Frank Ocean, The Prodigy, Mǿ and many more. Another milestone this year is the festival hitting the 90% mark on organic food across stalls and 75% on organic beverages, while the main goal still remains to be the first trash-free music event in the world. We can lend them a hand, right?

MAY – UP! Presented by ProKK Date: 1st of May – 30th of October Location: Various sites in Aarhus How often do you look up? Well, you’re about to do it a lot more. For the merry month of May, 10 streets in Aarhus will host a public

sonic spaces, innovation camps and maker workshops, run by young students and designers, this event will prove once and for all that Aarhus has the fashion chops too and won’t hesitate to (literally) send them walking on water.

JULY – 29th Aarhus Jazz Festival Date: 15th of July – 22nd of July Location: Various sites in Aarhus Keeping in line with the musical theme, albeit a little more relaxed this time, Aarhus brings its 29th edition of the annual Jazz Festival, and everyone’s invited. With more than 230 concerts scheduled across a myriad of cafes, art museums, town squares and – of course – concert halls, this festival promises to attract both dedicated fans and mere spectators alike, in the wonderful world of jazz.

SEPTEMBER – Food Festival presented by the Food Organization of Denmark Date: 1st – 3rd of September Location: Tangkrogen If seaweed safaris, sausage-making, cabbage workshops and gourmet picnics on the shore don’t pique your interest, then we give up. There’s no hope left for you. If it does, however, this Food Festival, specialized in Scandinavian cuisine, is ready to greet you with its Nordic beer, served alongside fish which you can catch yourself and season with some newly discovered plants. All of this can be found in one place: Tangkrogen. We’ll leave the correct pronunciation to the Danes.

AUGUST – Aarhus Walks on Water presented by Aarhus University Date: 1st of August - 1st of September Location: The Aarhus Canal The Aarhus Canal, Dokk1 and the Aarhus Harbour have teamed up with Aarhus University to bring fashion into the future. Using everything from digital façade projections to interactive e-textiles and 53

running to dancing and skipping, this event will rethink exercise and inspire you to see how it can be integrated in every aspect of life. Just as a quick example, cyclists will generate the electricity for a live concert while a museum will be open for a midnight run. Are you ready to get moving?

OCTOBER – The Good Madness Festival presented by VIA University College Date: 26th – 27th of October Location: Campus C – Ceres Byen De Splitergale, a music and theatre group, will collaborate with VIA UC and Aarhus City to bring you this unique festival which will explore the role of art in public social work, uncover the resources used by people living on the fringe and in marginalized groups, as well as give its own definition to “normality” as a concept. Three activity tracks will be available to you: gypsy festivals, musical shows organized by minority groups in collaboration with VIA students, and a documentation piece. Missing any of them is not an option!

DECEMBER – World at Your Feet, presented by Flamenco Teatret Date: 22nd of December Location: Turbinehallen Christmas markets and tree lights surely can’t be missed in December, but FOCUS Student Magazine suggests shaking things up a bit. World at Your Feet is the pinnacle of two years’ worth of work by leading flamenco artists who were inspired by Danish folk music and dance. A true cultural melting pot, this show celebrates Danish customs and the little things that make life so enjoyable in this small part of the world.

NOVEMBER – Move for Life presented by DGI Østjylland Date: 4th – 5th of November Location: Various locations across the city Move for Life is more akin to that training movie montage made famous by the likes of Rocky Balboa. Featuring everything from

a.k.a possibilities in the local neighbourhood..

xploring what Herning has to offer to students and graduates we stumbled upon a place called Innovatorium - a business center locally referred as a lighthouse to developing talents, entrepreneurs, and innovators. To some it is a place that rents commercial leases. However, in this article we chat up two women of different age, nationalities, and aspirations, who both have found their “vision of success” at the same place – in Innovatorium. Gulle Rasmusen is Innovatorium’s daily supervising leader. She has worked here for almost 14 years, and says “my job in Innovatorium has always been great - it’s an awesome place in general”. I think it is wonderful that my work can make a difference and connect people. Aurelija Norkūnaitė, a fashion graduate from VIA Design, found her entrepreneurial success in a start-up hub called Wildskab, which is also a part of Innovatorium. She runs a company called Creator’s Lab claiming, “Wildskab can kick start your story of success, if you are creative, hard-working, and willing to walk that extra mile for your dreams”.

any students connect their idea of prosperity to future jobs, be it a mindblowing position in an exclusive company, a splendid entrepreneur’s career, or simply an enjoyable work that daily motivates a person to get up from bed. Whichever you prefer, it is highly possible, that Innovatorium is a place that will house your exciting story too. In this article we give the best brief review of a business center which is known to provide value-driven facilities, services, and top growing conditions to its tenants. It is home to more than 80 companies, and a start-up nest called Wildskab. Here is all you need to know about it! 55

GULLE about Innovatorium & her work..

nnovatorium is characterized by elegant and straightforward Danish design, spacious bright rooms, and the luminous atmosphere that permeates the entire building.

As a daily leader, I get to work a lot with the “bigger picture” of the entire house, securing a stable and functional framework, and a constant improvement of the membership value. I organize activities that enable collaboration between tenants, and encourage information or skill sharing in the house.

Alongside the beautiful office space our tenants are provided with a fully equipped working environment for administrative purposes, storage rooms, and a fast speed internet connection. For business affairs, we offer 13 modern meeting and conference rooms, suitable for various crowds and projected presentations. Furthermore, our canteen is ready to supply food & drinks and Inno-team is always there for you.

There is a great diversity among the companies, which all together form a solid synergetic community. It is a very dynamic place, full of inspiring people – no day is the same here.

GULLE & AURELIJA about Wildskab.. ..& how to get in..

ildskab is a start-up hub united by like-minded creative people who share equal business culture values, and appreciate being a part of entrepreneurial eco-system based on trust, co-operation, shared knowledge, and openness.

Wildskab is based on straight forward, honest, and brave people who can create, and use their dreams as GPS to reach their goals. If you are not sure, whether you are one of us, here are some bullet points that describe personal characteristics we share.

In less fancy words, this is a place to startup a company, scale up your small company, or help other companies to establish and develop. Wildskab is a huge, well facilitated and modern work space for self-employed people. Here we share our competences with a cluster of other companies, build trustful networking, and benefit independently from helping each other, and by holding on together. If one wants to become a part of Wildskab, one must start to act upon it. The procedure is easy and pain free. First, you contact us. Step 2 is normally a meeting, during which you present your business idea. In the end, it is up to them to decide whether you are In our Out.

..You are “Wild enough” if.. You are positive-minded, proactive, and creative. You have “The Drive” & motivation to work on your own. You are brave and will go through obstacles to become self-employed. You are decisive, initiative, and can put theory/word to practice.

You are collaborative, can contribute to surrounding environment, and appreciate the humour.

AURELIJA about & starting up..

fter I graduated, I figured, I had too many ideas and excitement to settle for a regular office day. I wanted to do something with creative direction, and the fact, that my art education started more than 10 years ago, and this is how Creator’sLab was born.

“Creator’sLab is your outsourced design department, in case you need aid in visual communication, 2D or 3D graphics for media or press; It’s a design support team ready to assist in design development, trend forecasting or SoMe management within the fashion industry.”

Today I am a creative entrepreneur, who works with fashion design and visual graphic solutions. Our potential to reach customers is very broad, which makes it difficult to write a single sentence about our services without sounding too abstract. However, here is one I like to tell to my customers.

Our vision is to become a design studio that helps most talented students and graduates to gain work experience, find their place in job market, and try out their skills in real fashion/graphic projects. We are growing, and with that said, we begin to scout for skilled and trustworthy designers who share similar work values and attitude.

onestly, i have been lucky to jump the “wild-ride” at it’s very start, when nothing but a few desks decorated the place. It’s been less than a year, but the leap I took from having an idea, to managing that all projects within the company run smoothly, was huge and surprising. Using my own example, I am convinced, that this environment can turn anyone with a right attitude from an ordinary day-dreamer to aconfident business owner.

INNOVATORIUM

Gulle Rasmussen Daily Supervising Leader gjr@innovatorium.info

WILDSKAB

Ole Overgaard Development Manager ole@innovatorium.info 57

CREATOR’S LAB

Aurelija Norkūnaitė Creative Director / Co-Owner an@creatorslab.dk

MATERIAL SPOTLIGHT: MYCELIUM, FROM MUSHROOM TO TEXTILE

Text by Vanessa Kovacs

taying up to date with the latest innovative solutions is vital if you wish to work in the fashion industry, whether you’re specializing in textiles, design or retail. Thinking forward in design and fashion means rethinking the available resources surrounding us and moving away from traditional techniques of textile creations. Using something unusual in your design is a journey towards self-discovery, not only exploring sustainable solutions but making a positive impact on our environment and quality of life. If you are interested in sustainability and you’re open to learning about unique materials, then this article is for you!

pure mycelium, or in other words - from the mushrooms’ roots. Mycelium has incredible natural properties: it is flame retardant, water absorbent and an isolator. On the other hand, it is skin nurturing and naturally anti-microbial. These properties can be well utilized in textiles, especially in the fashion industry.

THE PROCESS

MATERIAL MADE FROM MYCELIUM The initial idea of creating a textile out of a living material was the base for developing a biodegradable matter made out of mycelium, which forms the structural foundation and nutrient delivery system of mushrooms. A Dutch textile designer named Aniela Hoitink worked it out and created a fibre called MycoTEX, which is made from 58

It all starts with growing the fungal fibre. It takes approximately two weeks to produce the material without any chemical use. Only the needed amount is grown, so there is no waste during the process. A new way of making garments is applied, since full textile pieces are grown, so it is much quicker and, at the same time, environmentally friendly. After two weeks, when the mushrooms are ready to be harvested, the product is shaped, dried and ready for use. It can be repaired whenever needed and if it is not being used anymore, it can easily be composted. In addition, it serves as a breeding ground for other plants when placed back in the soil.

APPLICATION

When you have found the one precious gemstone you feel most curious about, you have the possibility of using the microscope in the room to examine its details and properties. This inspiring library helps you broaden your professional horizons. So don’t forget to take your sketchbook, to look around, take pictures, discover and learn!

Mushroom mycelium can be applied in different areas apart from the fashion industry such as in architecture, furniture and packaging. For example, in Denmark, product designer Jonas Edvard uses mycelium to create a fibre called MYX, which he uses in lampshades. He works with a similar process as mentioned before, but he grows the mycelium together with plant fibres into a flexible material. Being open for new ways of making garments can lead to amazing ideas. When it comes to the future of fashion, it is not enough to create new materials. It is essential to think about the process and method of making clothes and other everyday products.

Raw materials – Back to basics. You can examine the different raw materials in the library to get a better understanding of textiles and their properties. Learn how to distinguish polyester, cotton, flax and so on.

The wall of materials – You can examine the different materials hanging on this wall. There is a description tag attached to all of them, which provides useful information about the chosen material.

DO YOU WANT TO EXPLORE MORE? You have the choice to visit VIA Herning’s Material Library in building E any time you feel like expanding your knowledge about a large variety of innovative materials - not only textile, but wood and plastic as well. 59

Discover - Take advantage of the opportunity to look into details and discover fibres, textiles and other materials.

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tips FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION

A N A L

M R E

S S E

R A

S S A G D

K I O

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1. FIND YOUR MESSAGE

Text by Vanessa Kovacs Illustration by Plamena Somova

Start with selecting a core message. What is your story? Craft your main message and make it flow through your presentation - with appropriate repetition. What are the major elements you want to highlight? Create key points and use pauses to emphasize them while presenting. Remember to keep your story simple and concrete, so your audience will be able to follow you.

resentations are a common way of sharing your ideas and the steps of your working process. Presenting a week-long project, sharing information about your last design, or defending your final exam all require that you are wellprepared if you wish to impress your audience. You may have good knowledge, a deep understanding of your study and amazing ideas, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not enough if your story is not interesting for those listening to you. Keep reading and use these tips for your future performance to give powerful and completely mind-blowing presentations!

2. ANALYSE

Know your audience. What do they want to hear? Analyse your target group and adapt your presentation for them. It can help you decide on major issues: the style of your speech, the design of the layout and the amount of information you are delivering to them. 60

3. KISS : KEEP IT SHORT AND SIMPLE

7. VISUALIZING

Be specific and always have brevity in mind. Don’t make long and complex sentences, as you can easily confuse your audience. Keep it short and simple!

If you already know what you intend to say, then figure out how to visualize it! To make your story even more understandable, spend time on good visuals for your speech, either using PowerPoint, Prezi, Emaze or any other platform you like.

4. RED THREAD

8. THE POWER OF YOUR SLIDES

5. USE YOUR BODY LANGUAGE

9. DIY SLIDES

Give an appropriate design to your visual presentation and remember that less is more! Match the font type with the style of your story. Put only one thought per slide so your listeners won’t get tired before the first slide change. Highlight the most important parts by zooming in and out or using colours. Lastly, find a balance between your required presentation time and the number of your slides.

When you have designed your message, create an outline. Split your work into an introduction, body and conclusion. Mold your core message into the body section and circle back to it in the end. Build your speech to have “a red thread” running through it, meaning it follows the same thoughts about a topic from start to finish. Shortly, make sure it is a story!

First, find the right volume for your voice. Don’t be too loud, or too quiet, as the focus will be on your voice and not on your presentation. Secondly, make eye contact with your listeners, and, in order to make them feel comfortable - simply smile. Remember to use hand gestures to bring movement to your pitch and retain attention. You can even use the space you have and walk around. But one rule to rule them all: be natural!

Now you know how to make perfect digital presentations, but what about being brave and creating wonderful posters by hand? If it fits to the style of your speech, be creative and amaze your audience with your handmade collages and layouts. Make your own design on cardboard and visualize your work process to ensure a good understanding of your project.

10. LOCK IT DOWN AND GET SOME REST

6. PRACTICE LIKE CRAZY

Avoid adding new slides or ideas at the last minute. Untimely additions cause more mistakes than missing one additional slide. Presenting with self-confidence is more important than two little changes you want to make! Believe in yourself - if you’ve followed the previous 9 points, you are good to go. All that’s left is to get some rest before the performance!

Take your time and practice. The 10/4 rule will help you out: practice your presentation 10 times by yourself and 4 times in front of an audience, which can be your friends, family, flatmates or anyone around you. If it is a shorter presentation, you can adjust the rule to 5/2 instead of 10/4. You will definitely feel more confident if you know your material! 61

Text: Ugne Tusaite Illustrations: Olga Mangurova

any of us are familiar with the rather exotic phrase that is seasonal funk. Unless you were blessed to spend days enjoying the not-so-changing tropical weather and this phase didn’t take such a toll on you, you may find this piece helpful to get your spirits and motivation up. Apparently, this happens every four months or so, when your body experiences a change in temperature and a variation on the

First of all, start your day early! We tend to get quite lazy around winter time, blaming it on the few hours of sunshine and the cold weather, so staying in bed until noon sounds way more appealing. That never helps with productivity and moreover, there is a whole chain of emotions which gets affected by that one bad decision you made in the morning, or should I say, afternoon. So wake up, make your bed and start your day before the sun is gone, make a cup of coffee, put on some good music and just use the morning to wake your body up. I promise, your whole day will go a lot better.

amount of sun and vitamins it receives. Of course, we all feel a little depressed after those cold winter months, but I’ll explain this later. You may think it’s an innocent change and there can’t be many consequences, but this is where you are wrong, my friend. Quite a few people think that it’s all in our heads and all you need is a bit of fresh air and a good night’s sleep. While there is some truth to that, it’s not enough to get you out of this funk so let’s see if we can help out!

Once you get off to a great start, get your body all the nutrients it’s shy of after all these cold months of comfort food. Make sure to eat foods with plenty of vitamin D such as carrots, fish or mushrooms. If those options are not on your favourites list, there are many more, but I personally choose to get some fish oil vitamins to just get it done without much discomfort… It’s quite magical what nutrition can do to your state of mind. Many situations change from terrible to bearable, and if you keep reading everything gets even better. 62

always better to share your frustrations than to keep them inside of you and, most likely, you’ll find a few others who are going through the same struggles. Also, wine. It’s one of man’s greatest inventions, you know… Cures all the problems. For a night at least.

Though it may sound self-explanatory, we’ll take the time to talk about it anyway. It doesn’t mean that all of a sudden you need to go and get a gym membership, buy the protein shakes and make those promises that we all know we won’t keep; that’s not the point. Maybe choose to walk to uni instead of taking the bus. Just being outside, getting some fresh air, sun and some movement in your day will do wonders for your mood and, in the long run, your health! Since you’ve already woken up a bit earlier, you can afford to spend that time enjoying the weather and the fresh air.

It’s scientifically proven that the artistic/ intuitive parts of your brain can help you in understanding the parts of your life that you cannot logically comprehend. It all sounds very smart, but basically when there are things that you cannot express through words, you can use your creative side, engage your senses, or move your body through dance as a way of expressing yourself. It helps you to let out all the negative, heavy emotions and make you feel a lot lighter and happier. It just takes a weight of your chest, so to speak. It’s a win-win situation, declutter your head by painting and get a piece of art for your wall.

Once you did all of that hard work, it’s time to play. Don’t underestimate the power of a good conversation and a cozy evening, with a glass of wine. It might sound quite silly, but sometimes we forget to get out and be social. School, work or laundry are on your mind at all times, so much so that it’s difficult to find the time to just enjoy some good company and complain about your winter funk. It’s

There is no magical formula to treat your winter funk, but you can try at least one or two of these easy fixes to spice up your day. Try to be open minded and let some sunshine in your routine, it’s fascinating how your attitude can change the flow of a day! Smell the spring flowers and let us know your tips on how to fight the scary winter funk by using our hashtag #FIGHTWINTERFUNK !

For more information visit www.facebook.com/ktkherning or www.kvindetilkvinde.dk

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