Fashion in Helsinki returned this May, putting Finnish designers and their approaches to clothing in focus. From May 21-24, the event brought together fresh talent, established brands, and art institutions across the city, proving Finland’s growing influence in the fashion world.

The week began with a show at Merihaka, the concrete residential area built in the 1970s that provided an unexpected backdrop for the clothes. Five designers showed their work, each with different ideas about what fashion can be.

Ervin Latimer’s Latimmier presented pieces that started as costumes for an architecture exhibition, now reworked as everyday clothing that plays with ideas about how men dress. Rolf Ekroth‘s collection focused on practical clothes made to last, using Finnish traditions of making things well but with a modern feel. Sini Saavala worked with materials others might discard, like leftover fabrics from Chanel, to make clothes that question why we think some stains or imperfections should be hidden. Her delicate silver details, made by a jewelry designer, added something special to the simple shapes. Linda Kokkonen showed how different materials can work together, light fabrics with heavier leather, all sewn by hand in Helsinki using only recycled materials. Hedvig, the newest name of the group, mixed stories from family history into their collection, with looks that referenced both formal elegance and the roughness of island life.

Check out our favorite looks shot by G Roujas below: