Categories 2026

Internationalization
The category of Internationalization recognizes a fashion brand or designer successfully expanding beyond Finland or showing great potential to expanding. The winner displays international relevance while retaining a Finnish identity.

In collaboration with Zalando.

Nominees:

Almada Label

Kalevala

VAIN

VIBAe

New talent
Finnish Fashion Awards has always celebrated talent. The New Talent category recognizes an emerging designer, brand, or creative voice that shows exceptional promise, originality, and professional growth and has made a notable impact early in
their career.

In collaboration with Miele.

Nominees:

Idaliina Friman

Linda Kokkonen

Enni Lähderinne

Nosapluna

Anni Salonen

Beauty
The Beauty category honors excellence in beauty, cosmetics, or grooming within fashion from photo shoots to catwalks. The winner combines innovation, aesthetics, and cultural relevance and elevates beauty as an integral part of fashion expression.

In collaboration with Make Up Store.

Nominees:

Fatma Bendris

Karo Kangas

Linda Lehto

Jonna Ojala

Branding
The Branding category recognizes an outstanding brand from identity to storytelling and all the elements that are essential to success in fashion. The winner demonstrates consistency across visuals, communication and values, and builds emotional connection together with long-term brand equity.

In collaboration with 1664 Blanc.

Nominees:

Arkive Atelier

Hagelstam

Paloceras

Pispala Clothing

Style Icon of the Year
A new category in Finnish Fashion Awards, Style Icon of the Year celebrates a person with distinctive and influential personal style. The person shapes fashion culture through visibility, attitude, and authenticity and inspires others beyond trends or seasons.

In collaboration with Flow Festival.

Nominees:

Anna Komonen

Mikko Puttonen

Alina Rolling

Turisti

Sustainability Act
The Sustainability Act category honors a concrete action or initiative advancing sustainability. The winner creates environmental, social, or ethical impact through actions and demonstrates (thought) leadership and responsibility within the industry.

In collaboration with LAB Institute of Design and Fine Arts.

Nominees:

Arkive Atelier

Sofia Ilmonen

Kalevala

Novita

Sini Saavala

Retail
The Retail category highlights excellence in fashion retail or customer experience. The winner innovates in service, concept, or omnichannel solutions and strengthens the connection between brand, product, and audience.

Nominees:

Beam

Inch

Karisma

Luxbag

Stockmann

Photography
The Photography category celebrates outstanding fashion photography or visual storytelling. The winner demonstrates strong artistic vision, groundbreaking cultural relevance and technical excellence and elevates fashion through imagery and narrative.

Nominees:

Sebastian Johansson

Hayley Lê

Mikael Niemi

Jukka Ovaskainen

Designer
The Finnish Fashion Awards honors a designer with exceptional creative vision and craftsmanship. The winner demonstrates consistent quality, relevance, and originality and contributes significantly to Finnish fashion culture in Finland or in the international scene.

Nominees:

Rolf Ekroth

Sofia Järnefelt

Mert Otsamo

Heikki Salonen

Juha Vehmaanperä

Community Award
Fashion never happens in isolation. The Community category celebrates the people, collectives, and initiatives that build the infrastructure behind the scenes. These communities help designers to grow, collaborate, and be seen. The winner strengthens Finnish fashion culture not through collections alone, but through vision, and a genuine commitment to lifting the whole field forward.

Nominees:

Aida

Fashion Community Helsinki

VAIN

Danny Wu

jury 2026

Emilia Gädda, Chief Advisor, Sustainability and Circular Economy, Finnish Textile and Fashion

Osma Harvilahti, Photographer

Jenny Jansson, Make-up Artist

Ervin Latimer, Designer, Professor of Practice, Latimmier, Aalto University

Ilmari Olkinuora, Founder and Owner, Kauppahuone Agency

Sanna-Kaisa Niikko, CMO, Marimekko

Jani Niipola, Writer, Senior Advisor, Finnish Design Info

Miia Koski, CEO and Founder, Fashion in Helsinki

Maria Veitola, Journalist, Screenwriter

Sofie Fuchs, Brand Manager, 1664

Mette Martin, Head of Marketing, Lyko Finland

Sebastian Becker, General Manager Nordics, Zalando

Tytti-Lotta Ojala, Dean, LAB Institute of Design and Fine Arts

Kati Jousimies, General Manager, Hotel St. George

Vilja Grotenfelt, Sales and Marketing Director, Flow Festival

Anne-Sophie Heichelmann, PR and Event Manager, Miele