Exclusive: Diesel partners with Aalto University for latest Diesel Award

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
May 30, 2019

In a FashionNetwork.com exclusive, Italy's Diesel announced a new partnership with Aalto University in Finland to support new fashion talent, presenting the Diesel Award to one of the university's students.

Following an honorary dinner hosted by the OTB Group-owned label at Helsinki’s Hotel Kämp, in support of Aalto’s graduating class of 2019, the Diesel Award was eventually presented to Justus Kantakoski on May 29.

Kantakoski was one of five student contestants to compete for the award. The students had to design personalized Diesel denim pieces, which were unveiled during a fashion graduate collections show.

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Representatives said Kantakoski will receive “an economic reward to develop his first collection” as the Diesel Award winner, although a value could not be confirmed.
 
The award marks the latest collaboration between the Italian label and the Finnish university. Earlier this year, the pair partnered on the ‘Window Project,’ a contest that asked students to create mock window concepts for Diesel’s Helsinki store, in which student Jim Bergstrom was named the winner.

The design award partnerships are part of the OTB Group's efforts to support emerging fashion talent, seen through a series of initiatives planned for Diesel in 2019.
 
Upcoming projects will include Diesel’s tie-up with the ANDAM Fashion Award-winning labels Viktor & Rolf, Gareth Pugh and Y/Project to celebrate the ANDAM Fashion Award’s 30th Anniversary. The labels will collaborate on denim pieces that will be debuted in September 2019.

Also slated for this year, Diesel will continue its partnership with ITS, an international talent contest founded by Barbara Franchin in Trieste, Italy. This year, in honor of the contest’s 18th anniversary, ITS finalists have been tasked with creating a custom, denim ensemble as part of their overall collection.

The 2019 winner will receive financial support and the possibility of an internship with Diesel’s style and design office.