The Pattern Lab course thrives on passion for patterns
21.03.2014
The significance for young students of the Pattern Lab study project – which concentrates on pattern design – is immense. The readiness for entrepreneurship accumulated during the course has encouraged many to establish their own businesses.
‘For example, Super Yellow – a well-known enterprise – has come into being this way. Also, many of the former students who have undertaken this course are now experts in companies such as Stockmann, Sokos, Anttila and Vallila,’ Dean Helena Hyvönen sums up.
‘I had already done pattern design for firms before I started at the former School of Art and Design (TAIK), but the skills I’ve obtained from the courses have served as support over the years,’ relates Liina Blom, a designer working with INTO C::D::C. Already during her studies, Liina set up a trade name, and subsequently her business activity has expanded to many countries.
The importance of print design is also great amongst consumers. Through print designs, the atmosphere of the season as well as how the period is interpreted are best brought into being. Historical changes are visible in the patterns.
‘The mark designers leave has unbelievable power,’ Päivi Grönqvist, Project Sales Manager for Eurokangas, exclaims.
‘The patterns of designers are anticipated in the same way as an author’s new book or a new film featuring a popular actor. The recognition of designers has grown considerably,’ Päivi Grönqvist adds.
Changing requirements and fashion require continuous development from textiles and fibres as well as new features. New ideas are still sought from international fairs, but over the years their role has changed. The products of businesses are currently more easily viewed on the Internet – seeing the products themselves is no longer the most important thing at the fairs but rather who are behind the products concerned.
‘Fairs used to be the window to the world outside. Now their social significance has grown. The students who were with Professor Pirjo Kääriäinen in the project she led in 2008 left for the first time outside Europe in 2012, with New York as the destination,’ Helena Hyvönen reminisces.
Where did it all begin?
‘The commercial design collection project which later developed into Pattern Lab got its start from our passion for patterns. We are all united by the idea that pattern design is one art form which should be brought to the fore, and we all wanted to look truth straight in the eye – in other words, get livelihoods for people,’ recalls textile artist/teacher Kaarina Kellomäki of the 1990s.
‘I wanted to embark on taking the course forward with Kaarina, and with the professorship in textile art, this became possible. We had a mutual target in mind: new jobs as well as better, strong quality and expertise,’ Helena Hyvönen emphasizes.
Professor Maarit Salolainen has already been involved in Pattern Lab at the time when it did not exist in its present form. Professor Salolainen functioned actively in the course project and moulded its conceptualization.
‘I regarded the idea of branding the course as important, because we already had interested clientele always waiting for the next year’s patterns. The Pattern Lab name was conceived with the course participants at the time, and is quite brilliant. The research-based character of the course, its university background and what we’re doing all come to the fore very clearly in this name,’ Professor Salolainen explains.
‘The strength of the current Pattern Lap group comes from the fact that our backgrounds vary and we’re from various countries and degree programmes. These different kinds of backgrounds and orientation alternatives are taking Pattern Lab into the future to more successfully take on a changing world as well as the challenges of business operations,’ declares textile art student Oldouz Moslemian.
Concentrating on Aalto University’s efforts in pattern design, Pattern Lab celebrated its 15th anniversary on Monday, 17 March. The afternoon occasion arranged at the Arabia campus collected together course participants, teachers and partners from years past.
Each Pattern Lab project is about one year in length. Professor Pirjo Kääriäinen is currently in charge of the project.