ERKI Fashion Show
ERKI Fashion Show 2022 Backstage. Photo: Martin Buschmann
ERKI Fashion Show is one of the most prominent annual programs promoting art and culture, steadily evolving each year. It is dedicated to encouraging young designers and showcasing their work to both local and international audiences. The goal is not just to think outside the box, but to break boundaries and either set a new standard or bring something fresh and unique to the landscape.
The organization of ERKI is closely tied to the Fashion, Textile, and Accessory Design programs at the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA). Only the best and most outstanding emerging designers, selected through a competition, get the opportunity to showcase their collections to the public on the stage.
The preparation and execution of ERKI Fashion Show is carried out by young art students from the Estonian Academy of Arts. Notably, ERKI is one of the most comprehensive professional events in Estonia, organized almost exclusively by volunteer students and young people. Throughout the event, future renowned Estonian artists from various fields, including designers, architects, scenographers, painters, art historians, and fashion designers, collaborate creatively.
History
ERKI Fashion Show was established in 1982 by students of the former Eesti Riiklik Kunstiinstituut (ERKI), now the Estonian Academy of Arts. The show started as an expressive, playful performance and social event, infused with the rebellious spirit of the youth at the time.
The organization of ERKI quickly became an annual tradition. With some breaks in the early 1990s, the tradition has continued to this day.
In 2020, ERKI Fashion Show presented a new underground concept inspired by the 1990s, transforming it into a so-called fashion performance. During the approximately two-hour event, all finalists’ collections are showcased at the same time.
