Fashion designer Jenny Hytönen’s unisex collection won not only the main prize at the Hyères International Fashion Festival, but also the audience award.
The designer, who is currently travelling home to Paris, said he was overwhelmed by all the attention he has received.
– All that positive feedback, it feels really good. It’s amazing. I’m trying to process this whole trip,” Hytönen says by phone.
The fashion competition in Hyères on the French Riviera is one of the most prestigious in the world. This year, the event took place for the 37th time. The competition is primarily aimed at young professionals who are in the final stages of their studies or have recently graduated as fashion designers.
Starting point contrasts
In Hytönen’s collection, sensitivity creates a contrast with violence. The starting point was the contrast created by extremely heavy leather and delicate pearl knitting.
– It’s almost as if these clothes I’ve created want to destroy each other, but still they live in perfect harmony, Hytönen says.
The collection has been inspired by two women artists from different eras.
In 2021, Hytönen won the Näytös21 main prize of Aalto University. Then the international jury praised the collection as really impressive.
In Hyères, Hytönen won over both the jury and the audience.
– I think that my collection spoke to both the audience and the jury, because it can also be interpreted in quite a few ways and it was sensitive, playful, with great contrasts and a touch of humor.
Willingness to do your own thing
Hytönen, who graduated as a designer from Aalto University last year, lives and works in Paris.
As a reward from Hyeres, Hytönen will receive a grant of 20,000 euros from both fashion house Chanel and Première Vision, which organizes fashion fairs. The prize also includes the opportunity to make capsule collections for the clothing brand Icicle and the Parisian department store Galeries Lafayette.