The fashion show of the University of Lapland’s Fashion and Textile Design degree programme makes a comeback after a nearly ten-year long break. The new fashion show concept will be piloted for the first time at the re:MUTE 2025 fashion show, held at Arktikum Science Centre and Museum in Rovaniemi on Thursday, 9 October 2025.

The fashion show of the University of Lapland’s Fashion and Textile Design degree programme (MUTE) brings together students, alumni and staff of the programme. The re:MUTE 2025 show is a shared encounter where fashion and textile design engage in dialogue with the past, present and future. The show offers a cross-section of the versatile expertise of the degree programme, and it also invites the audience to experience and reflect on the evolving voice the University of Lapland’s Fashion and Textile Design degree programme.

“The fashion show makes a comeback after a nearly ten-year long break. We started planning the show already a couple of years ago, when both students and audience members started asking for an event that would showcase the students’ skills in Rovaniemi. The fashion show project officially launched in October last year with a revamp of the show’s concept”, says university lecturer Karoliina Laxström.

The show builds a bridge from the past to the present – from the beginning of studies to graduation and working life. Simultaneously, the show presents the current visions and future perspectives of northern fashion and textile design.

Elina Puro: Utopia, from the collection FUTURES – dystopia vs. Utopia. The collection was inspired by the thought of different futures and the playful exploration of such futures. Photo: Lukas Aleksi Pitkänen.
Sustainable material choices and design solutions that challenge traditions

The key values of the show include the sense of community, diversity, research-orientedness, critical engagement and sustainability. The stage concretely expresses these values through the use of sustainable materials, bold experimentation and design solutions that challenge traditions.

The fashion show outfits carry meanings and stories that are rooted in artistic expression and research. The artworks offer the audience perspectives on northern fashion and textile design expertise. They also challenge the audience to reflect on the role of fashion and textile art within society and culture.

“The show highlights the values we emphasise in our education, which we also hope to see reflected in working life. It’s important for us to support the students in developing their personal career paths, while also giving space for their individual strengths, working methods and goals”, says university lecturer Johanna Oksanen.

The outfit created by Aliisa Turunen as part of a course is a counterargument for the simplicity that is often romanticised in the world of fashion. Turunen wanted to play with textures, materials and patterns. Photo: Lukas Aleksi Pitkänen.

The show features prototypes and individual course works, followed by fashion collections created by students and staff members. After the fashion collections, textile and costume art collections will be presented on stage. The show also includes a collection of argumentative works, originally presented in Arctic Pride shows, which explore themes of equality and diversity.

The show culminates in fashion collections created by alumni, reflecting how the students’ personal paths have evolved through working life into professional growth and individual artistic expression.

Anniliina Parkkinen and Ella Kärkkäinen: Outfit from the collection IN.a.VOID. The collection is part of an artistic, multidisciplinary collaboration project that explores the sense of emptiness caused by the overconsumption of social media and constant pressure to perform. Photo: Lukas Aleksi Pitkänen.
Tuuli Puisto’s outfit from the Lume collection of Tuuli Puisto and Milla Jokela. The collection is inspired by the wedding world, the use of recycled materials and costume history. Photo: Lukas Aleksi Pitkänen.

Pauliina Pitkänen and Henni Järvi have acted as the project managers of this fashion show project. Karoliina Laxström and Johanna Oksanen along with university teachers Silvia Joukainen and Jani Wathén have been in charge of leading the project. Overall, more than 110 people participated in the creation of the project, including the production team, models, designers and assistants. Thirteen companies and associations sponsored the show, and most of them are local operators.

The show is sold out, but it can be followed via livestream on Thursday, 9 October 2025 starting 19:30 (7:30 PM) at: https://ulapland.fi/tapahtuma/remute-2025-fashion-show/

re:MUTE 2025

Introduction to re:MUTE – past, present and future
Reshaping the voice of northern Fashion and Textile Design students
On Thursday, 9 October 2025 at 19:30 (7:30 PM)
Arktikum, Pohjoisranta 4, Rovaniemi
Sold out
Follow the livestream at: https://ulapland.fi/tapahtuma/remute-2025-fashion-show/

Emma Rahja and Reema: The graphic look of the show reflects the boundary between the past, present and future.
Further information:

University Lecturer Karoliina Laxström, tel. +358 40 556 2719, firstname.lastname@ulapland.fi
University lecturer Johanna Oksanen, tel. +358 40 484 4404, firstname.lastname@ulapland.fi

About the degree programme

Fashion and textile design can be studied at the Faculty of Art and Design at the University of Lapland, and it is offered in Finnish. The Fashion and Textile Design degree programme offers a diverse range of education and research in the field.

In the studies, students dig deeper into the responsible, sustainable, commercial and artistic design and research done in the field of Fashion and Textile Design. Furthermore, the studies explore culturally and societally relevant themes, as well as future challenges and opportunities across different circumstances and environments.