The Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle and Nordic House in Reykjavik announce the 2011 Nordic Fashion Biennale to take place this fall at the Nordic Heritage Museum. Launched by the Nordic House in Reykjavik, Iceland in 2009, this will be the first time this event is being held in the United States.

The highlight of the 2011 Nordic Fashion Biennale is an exhibition, Looking Back to Find our Future, curated by New York-based Icelandic artist Hrafnhildur Arnardottir. Arnardottir is well known for her collaboration with Björk and for her commissioned work for the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Some of the featured designers include Bibe Chemnitz, Hildur Bjork Yeoman, Guorun & Guorun, Vik Prjonsdottir, Steinunn Siguroardottir, and Aftur.

Looking Back to Find our Future will include fashion and jewelry from Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway. Cutting-edge contemporary fashion, design, and installations throughout the Museum will blur past and present, highlighting traditions of craft and creativity in Nordic design. The exhibition will demonstrate how important the influences of nature and heritage are for Nordic designers.

The Nordic Fashion Biennale will feature a three-day symposium with international speakers and will focus on themes of sustainability, cultural heritage and branding.

What does it mean to be inspired by Nordic design? Twelve emerging fashion designers are going to find out. An exciting new element of the Biennale is a fashion competition, North by Northwest (N x NW). The purpose of the competition is to inspire creativity, encourage emerging designers to seek out new directions, and spark awareness of new trends in Nordic fashion. Two lucky winners will win a trip to Iceland.

The competition is open to fashion students, recent fashion school graduates (received fashion degrees within the last 2 years), and emerging fashion designers; who reside on the West Coast of the US or Canada. There will be two winners: one chosen by a panel of fashion industry experts and one winner, the People’s Choice Winner, chosen by a public vote. The competition opens May 5, 2011 and the deadline for entries is July 15, 2011. Entries must be an original creation that is wearable and inspired by Nordic design: either an article of clothing, or a fashion accessory such as shoes, a hat, scarf, handbag, piece of jewelry, etc. The entries will be judged on creativity, feasibility, and execution.

12 entries will be chosen as finalists, and these entries will be displayed at the Nordic Heritage Museum in conjunction with the Nordic Fashion Biennale exhibition this fall, from September 30 to November 13, 2011. The finalists’ entries will also be posted online, and people around the world will be able to vote on their favorites. The two winners will be announced on November 15, 2011. Complete information about the competition, including how to enter, is posted on our website at www.nordicfashionbiennale.com.

Exhibition: Looking Back to Find our Future, September 30 – November 13, 2011
Fashion Symposium: September 30 – October 2
North by Northwest Fashion Competition: Deadline for N x NW entries: July 15, 2011
N x NW Finalists displayed: September 30 – November 13, 2011
Winners announced: November 15, 2011