Last Friday, the 24-year-old Finn presented her BA collection at Aalto University’s reputable graduation show, Näytös 23. Afterwards, she was announced best in class, literally, and won the Näytös award for the best collection.
— I’ve worked with this for a little bit over a year and now, I’m overwhelmed and so grateful, she said right afterwards.
In her collection, Vuori is breaking away from the physical outlines of the body and liberation from the self. With a background in dancing, she values how it feels to be in the garment, how it senses the skin, how it moves, and how one moves in it.
— I think a piece of garment is a gesture that evokes a sensory experience. My work has developed by experimenting, with a process where one’s body is the subject. I have tried to listen, analyze, and illustrate the information the body-subject has internalised and present it in a wearable form.
And what can you say about the styles that you showed at the catwalk?
— I love doing things by hand, so that was a big part of the process, she explains. And for me, the inspiration came from the terms embodied knowledge, which was one of the starting points, and expanded personal space. Some of them are handmade and yes, that’s a very important and big part for me in the process, The rest is deadstock, so no new materials are used.
Which one is your favourite piece?
— The one with the toes peeking out on the hem. It’s one of the earliest ones and I feel there is something very special about still loving my work after a while, plus the simplicity — and a bit of fun. The pieces, such as the last one, are a lot about safety and feeling secure because the balanced weight makes you feel very secure and safe and you have your own space, which is only for you.
The fragile linen threads planted, grown, lured, and spun by her great-grandmother are linked to the designer’s own bodily experience.
— The hypnotic rhythm of the handwork while weaving, knitting, cutting, and sewing has deepened my relationship with both inherited and newly acquired materials.
