REDDRESS

The Finnish Institute in London commissioned and produced REDDRESS for the London Design Festival 22–25.9.2011.

Designed by Aamu Song, REDDRESS, became one of the festival’s highlights both with the media and the festival audience. For the second year running, Finnish design was being showcased at one of the world’s most important annual design events, as a successful successor to Institute’s 2010 project HEL YES! pop up restaurant and exhibition.

REDDRESS is realised in over 550 metres of Kvadrat’s classic Divina wool fabric – and it is worn by a performer who will climb a concealed 1.5 metre staircase to immerse themselves into the billowing material. Reaching an impressive 20 metres in diameter, it can accommodate up to 238 people within the gigantic pockets of its vibrant folds so that visitors can fully engross themselves into the space and moment.

REDDRESS was exhibited in such a large scale for the first time; hosting a variety of events over four consecutive days. The international festival audience enjoyed concerts, talks, REDBOOK book launch, REDLOOKS workshop by Hel Looks and the REDSHOP in the legendary boxing venue York Hall in East London.

Both UK and international media were intrigued and excited by REDDRESS. Vogue, Elle Decoration, Harper’s Bazaar, LivingEtc, TimeOut, Guardian, Telegraph, Independent and the online magazines Dezeen, Design Week, Frame and Graphik Mag among others picked REDDRESS as one of this year’s top events. In the opening week, REDDRESS was on the cover of Financial Times and the acclaimed architecture and design magazine Blueprint published an extensive article on REDDRESS and Aamu Song and Johan Olin’s COMPANY in their October issue. In total REDDRESS was featured in well over 70 news pieces and, in addition to the UK, media from over ten different countries covered the event.

The debut collaboration between vocalist Emma Salokoski, guitarist and composer Jarmo Saari and the innovative Britten Sinfonia string quartet offered the REDDRESS evening concert audience an intimate and unique experience. “REDDRESS performance leaves the audience spellbound,” praised the Because London online magazine in their review of the concert.

REDSHOP sold red products designed by Aamu Song and Johan Olin’s COMPANY and guest designers. The shop offered, for example, a limited red edition of Vuokko Nurmesniemi’s 1960’s Myllynkivi Dress exclusively designed for the event, ‘Hot Legs’ woollen leggings by COMPANY, ‘Winter Tie’ and unique red ‘Mitsumaru’ wooden clogs by Nene Tsuboi.

REDDRESS is part of Finnish Design Museum’s permanent collection, and REDDRESS London is an international satellite event for World Design Capital Helsinki 2012.

More about REDDRESS:
reddress.finnish-institute.org.uk