Risteyksessä – At an Intersection

Nhung Huynh’s graduate collection “Risteyksessä – At an Intersection” presents is a unique vantage point where East meets the West, Finland meets Vietnam, and Rovaniemi meets Helsinki. The work collides modern with tradition by painting a mental image of a busy intersection pulled out from Saigon and planted in Helsinki.

Huynh draws inspiration from her personal experience living at the crossroads of two unique, beautiful, and inspiring cultures: the Vietnamese and the Finnish. In her collection she combines Vietnamese folk art, traditional dress and everyday objects with bold material exploration, innovating a collection that is undoubtedly contemporary fashion.

– I use my work to encourage other second-generation immigrants to bring forth their multicultural backgrounds to create something new. I am not only interested in using the official cultural heritage of the ancestors, but especially in finding everyday things and ideas that easily go unnoticed in both cultures, Huynh explains.

In her work materials play a major role. The designer has handmade or recycled nearly all the materials used in the collection, following the traditions of both Finnish and Vietnamese handcrafts that aim at sustainability through a clever material reuse. She also takes material innovation a step further by creating items from wood fiber cellulose.

– I approach materials without prejudice. This means that I utilize existing things such as rice- and coffee sacks, bamboo mats, and metal wire. I explore how materials behave, what shapes and clothing purposes they could be used for, and, by shaping and processing them, I gain insight into potential uses of them.

The material choices led Hunh to experiment until she found new and unforeseen shapes and characteristics. Her main techniques include handweaving, jacquard and hand embroidery which she carefully matches with modern materials. This is highlighted in the use of metal wire, for example, which gave woven fabrics life and shape. The interplay between materials and Vietnam-inspired designs and patters created the overall design language of the collection.

Contact information:

Nhung Huynh

nhung.huynh@aalto.fi

+35844 9700630

@nymiht