Idaliina Friman’s master thesis collection is inspired by her family’s migration history during the second world war, when parts of Finland were surrendered to Russia. She approached the theme of fleeing by examining what kind of items and clothing her grandparents took with them while having to leave their homes abruptly.

– I was especially inspired by the study of symbolic meanings and emotions related to the objects chosen for this journey and the way they were carried, stitched and hid inside the clothing, Friman explains.

The practice of hiding served as an inspiration for pattern making experimentation throughout the process. By attaching pearls, jewelry and accessories into the clothing, the weight of these objects transform the silhouettes unexpectedly. With the selected material she aimed to combine old and new, finding ways to use second hand and surplus materials whenever possible, but combining them with new and more modern materials. Second hand shearlings and surplus wools were accompanied with pearls made from recycled glass and hand knitted embroidered knits and silk tulles hand dyed to catch the faded colors of worn out clothing.

– I chose materials which portray my own personal memories, emotions and also represent the emotional bond to certain materials and objects. In this way, drawing my own connection and interpretation of my grandparents’ experiences and examining how these themes still, after generations, are shown in my own identity through the feelings of rootlessness and emotional attachment to objects and material.