Shila Louise Gaonkar wins Designer's Nest competition

By

Cajsa Lykke Carlson

Published
Aug 12, 2016

Shila Louise Gaonkar from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts has been named the winner of the Designers' Nest Award SS17.

The design contest is organized by the Revolver Cph Int. Fashion Trade Show in collaboration with Eyes on Talents, and aims to expose and promote up-and-coming Scandinavian designers.

The jury said of Gaonkar's work: "The winner is someone whose work is marked by an exploration of genders. She is interested in finding a third place between "boxes", bodies, norms and genders. She pushes the bounderies between awkwardness and perfection."

Julie Amalie Svensson from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts came in second place, with the motivation: "The judges appreciate her clever approach to the role of fashion in society. Re-appropriation of old items, repair and up-cycling speak to the overproduction in the fashion system."

In third place was Maija Mero from Aalto University, School of Art in Finland. The jury said it was impressed by "the designer's technical skills and high level of craftsmanship, and found that there was a fine balance of artistic and commercial interest."

Tobias Birk Nielsen from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts received the Eyes on Talents Special Mention "for his conscious and sustainable take on streetwear, whilst keeping a high level of quality and aesthetics."

The Designer's Nest contest marked the opening of Copenhagen Fashion Week on August 10-12.