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Meet Oskar Metsavaht, Founder Of Osklen: Reviving Sustainability In Fashion

Our new Creator is the mind behind the Osklen brand, bringing high concepts into fashion.

Twenty years ago, the world’s nations convened in Rio at the Earth Summit to discuss the future of the environment, a conference that resulted in a document called Agenda 21, a plan of action for how the world’s population should deal with the natural world around them.

Soon after, a phrase entered our vernacular that would soon become a cliché of the contemporary world: sustainable development. Though its hollowness increased with its ubiquity, the central concepts of sustainability are increasingly relevant in a world that can’t quite seem to achieve it. Seeking the to realize the importance at the core of sustainability, fashion designer Oskar Metsavaht, head of Osklen, has dedicated his career to finding different ways of incorporating it into his work.

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Metsavaht’s inspiration comes from his perception of the world, and he incorporates things that evoke his creativity into his work. Osklen’s most recent winter collection is called A21, and draws on the effectiveness and failures of Agenda 21. A21 calls on society to save the planet by following Agenda 21's principles.

During his panel discussion at The Creators Project: Sao Paulo 2012, Metsavaht explained his ideals to the audience. Rather than have his brand go “eco-nuts,” he prefers to promote a mindset of consciousness regarding the world around us. He also talked about the challenges of inserting sustainable fashion options into the Brazilian market without scaring people off with the sustainable development cliché. Metsavaht made his presentation as a VJ, mixing photos from his latest fashion show with images of forests and places that are under the watch of the A21 Manifesto.

Metsavaht's main idea is to create concepts within the environmental, green perspective, and then to devise a resonant fashion campaign for Osklen. The brand strives to be in synch with nature's elements and the ideals of environmental protection, whether it's by being involved with projects such as [instituto-e], researching sustainable materials, or promoting the Traces project, a partnership with the Italian government to track down the environmental impact of luxury products.

A21 Manifesto (2012)

A21 Manifesto (2012)

A21 Manifesto (2012)

Below, check out the A21 Fall/Winter line fashion show at SPFW: