A unique fashion school MOEPÖÖRE will launch in Ida-Viru County, allowing fashion lovers to create their own fashion collections under the guidance of famous fashion designers and to practice Estonian. Applications for the free fashion school can be submitted until 26 February.
MOEPÖÖRE is an initiative of the Integration Foundation, the Viljandi Culture Academy of the University of Tartu, Estonian Fashion Festival, and Uuskasutuskeskus, which aims to involve learners of Estonian in the creation of green transition-inspired fashion.
The fashion school will accept up to 40 people, who learn Estonian and want to express themselves in the world of fashion (such as creatives, sewing enthusiasts, stylists, students, and novice entrepreneurs). They will be provided with everything they need to create a green transition-themed fashion collection starting from workshops with Estonian designers and suitable materials and ending with a public show and a money prize.
‘This unique fashion school brings together people from all over Estonia to make the green transition a reality. We have gathered knowledge and experience on how to make recycling commonplace in the creation of new clothing and accessories. Ida-Viru County has talented people who have a real need to do things in a new way as well as a history of knowing how to do that. Together, we will carry out the transition that we want by combining all these factors,’ said Juko-Mart Kõlar, the Director of the Viljandi Culture Academy of the University of Tartu.
In the MOEPÖÖRE workshops, the students can create a collection of clothing and accessories inspired by the green transition and present it publicly. They will pay particular attention to the potential of recycling and reuse in fashion and creation of their own collections. The list of mentors includes successful fashion designers, such as Margot Vaaderpass who is the head designer at Ivo Nikkolo, Kätlin Kikkas and Liis Tiisvelt who promote sustainable design, and Anu Sirkas, a creator of knitwear collections.
In addition to creating their own collections, the fashion school students can develop their Estonian language skills. All the activities are in Estonian and are supported by experienced teachers from the Estonian Language House of the Integration Foundation in Narva.
‘Creative work can help overcome anxiety related to learning a language. There are many talented designers and seamstresses in Ida-Viru County and elsewhere in Estonia, who do not have good opportunities for starting their own fashion business due to a lack of language skills. We don’t want anyone to miss out on their dreams because of skills that can be developed,’ said Julia Viirsalu, a teacher at the Estonian Language House in Narva and the project manager.
Fashion school MOEPÖÖRE is expecting fashion lovers, whose proficiency in Estonian is at least on level A2 and who want to pursue fashion. The fashion school will start on 5 March. Contact learning will take place at the Estonian Language House in Narva on Sundays over the following three months. The completed fashion collections will be presented at a fashion show in Narva on 11 June.
To be accepted to this one-of-a-kind fashion school, you must submit an application together with your creative work on the website www.moepoore.ee no later than on 26 February.
