14 companies from eXpression Umeå are participating during Umeå Fashion & Design, which runs from 26-28 September. During these days we will have the opportunity to get acquainted with Östensson design studio (formerly Ecodesign & inredning), Pattern by Malena, design by björk, Urberg design and the artist Natalie Carrion. Also participating are companies from the Future Retail Lab and designers from Summer eXpression

Already on Thursday at 12:00, eXpression Umeå and Future Retail Lab will start with a conversation about the future of sustainable trade in the square in Utopia. The conversation will be led by Annakarin Nyberg, program manager Future Retail Lab, and will be attended by Peter Juneblad, head of business Umeå municipality, Mona Lidén, center leader Utopia and Martin Lindfors, center leader Visit Umeå. The Future Retail Lab accelerator programme is represented by Pia Johansson, Pia Stylist & Concept, Lars Åkerlund, Duå and Simon Norberg from Childrenshouse.se.

In the Creative Studio in MVG, which is project-managed by Ida Hillebjörk, Eljest, you can meet Karin Björk, design by björk, who sells fashionable clothes for wheelchair users, Stina Urberg, Urberg design with unique handmade jewellery made of, among other things, scrap metal. Students Karl Lind, Tove Brunberg and Meimei Montan from the Summer eXpression programme will also be present. You can also meet Malena Hjerpe, Pattern by Malena and Linné and Grankvist in workshops and discussions.

- I see this as a great opportunity to be seen together with other local, creative people and other companies, where I mainly showcase my products in a fun fashion context, but the trousers are also available for purchase. It's important that my target group is a natural part of the whole community, says Karin Björk, design by björk.

On Friday morning, the Future Retail Lab is hosting a breakfast lecture on the future of the experience store. During the lecture, Maria Östensson, interior designer and project manager for Design during Umeå Fashion & Design, will talk about the aesthetic impact and how it can be used advantageously to promote the future of retail.

Maria Östensson, Östensson design studio is also responsible for a Future Shop inside Utopia. The shop will inspire both customers and companies in what a future shop could look like. Here you can discover several zones where Umeå Centre's various design products assist in the interior design and where the concept for the store has been developed with Umeå as the core.

In Utopia's Fashion Pop up you can be inspired by bridal wear from Sisters in Law, and you can also meet designer Kristina Grahn. 

Pia Stylist & Concept, one of the companies participating in the accelerator programme, will be on hand at the Elite Hotels fashion brunch on Saturday to share their best tips and knowledge on fashion and styling. On Saturday evening, selected pieces of Bigaro's sustainable fashion can be seen at Rex.

As a grand finale, Anna Parry, Proto projects will show the results of the intensive workshop that she together with Maria Östensson and students from the School of Design and the School of Architecture and Business Administration conducted in order to prototype an environment in the area of the MVG where eXpression Umeå will take place from the end of September/October.

The vernissage can be seen from 17:30-20:00 on 28 September in the MVG. There will also be music from Natalie Carrion, artist and entrepreneur, in conjunction with the MVG's Fashion Mingle. John from Random Bastards will document the opening through filming.

For more information and times: https://visitumea.se/sv/umea-fashion-design