ERKI Fashion Show 2026
Held on 23 May, ERKI Fashion Show 2026 carried the title “At the End of the Circle Is the Beginning” and drew inspiration from its venue, the Tallinn Port Cruise Terminal, through the metaphor of the sea.
The sea, like creativity, is a primordial force that knows no stagnation, moving ceaselessly through its recurring cycles. Although the water remains the same, every wave is always new—an endlessly repeating singularity. Likewise, fashion is not merely repetition or the appearance of novelty, but a process of inner renewal: breaking apart what already exists and reshaping it anew.
A true fashion designer does not simply follow the currents but directs the flow that shapes the next cycle. Genuine innovation is born from the courage to change, to disrupt, and to transform. Just as the sea shapes the shoreline, creativity shapes the landscape of fashion.
This idea also reflects the very essence of the ERKI Fashion Show itself—seemingly the same year after year, yet always new. This is where the show’s vitality lies: in the courage to avoid predictability, to reveal imperfections, and to remain true to creativity, which is always, in its own way, a small rebellion against stagnation.
Award-Winning Fashion Students
Representing the Fashion Department at this year’s ERKI Fashion Show were Hannabel Kaal, Rasmus Linde, Nataly Järvik, and Pauline Ööpik.
Hannabel Kaal’s collection “In the World, but Not of the World” won the grand prize in the Fashion as Art category and a chance to present her collection at Vilnius Sustainable Fashion Week. In the Innovative Approaches of Fashion category, which recognizes innovative methods and techniques in fashion design, Rasmus Linde took first place with his collection “Puzzles and Other Educational Logic Games for Enthusiasts.”
Nataly Järvik’s collection “In the Embrace of the Sacred Grove Tree”, which received a special award, earned a place at Vilnius Sustainable Fashion Week. Meanwhile, Pauline Ööpik was awarded the Young Designer Prize at the opening of the TASE ’26 Graduation Show Festival on 27 May for her collection “Draw : Draw” (viik : viik), which was presented at ERKI.
The winners were selected by a jury composed of renowned fashion designers and artists. The collections were evaluated based on their overall concept and coherence, technical execution, and innovativeness.
The jury consisted of designer Auria Nurm, designer Aki Choklat, model Carmen Kass, designer Katrin Aasmaa, designer Lena Lumelsky, designer Lukas Krob, fashion enthusiast, researcher, and writer Tjerre Lucas Bijker, and visual artist and Eyes on Talents representative Ellora Prior.