Fashion movie “Living Spirits” promotes sustainable fashion design

Two Master’s students from the fashion design department of the Estonian Academy of Arts developed a concept for their self-initiated art project “Living Spirits” to promote the idea of sustainable fashion design through a medium which is not very common in Estonia – a slow motion short film. Special costumes were created from recycled materials and from industrial leftovers provided by the PLC Baltika Group. In addition to the short, a thematically related fashion collection was created which is presented as the next recycling collection of the Estonian Academy of Arts fashion design department’s clothing brand Hula at the Design Night festival.

The short was filmed in the unique cyclorama photostudio XL-Studios which is one of the largest in Northern Europe and is situated in Harjumaa. A director-cameraman from Switzerland, professional models and dancers under the guidance of a choreographer took part in the project. An original song by the young singer and composer Anneliis Kits was created for the video. Thus, the widely-distributed short also features music by a young Estonian composer.

Fashion short film

The short film talks about the essence of the fashion and clothing industry in order to promote sustainable consumption. A symbolic performance of the processes in the clothing industry starting with growing the cotton plants and spinning warp thread is created through coordinated movement. The film culminates with a massive and majestic dress installation. However, doesn’t beauty perish in time? The short raises several questions but the answers are hard to find. We offer our solutions in the form of a fashion collection which was created following sustainable and economical principles.

TEAM

Director/cameraman: Martin Jäger form Switzerland (http://vimeo.com/pudingflim), assistant Johannes Arro

Producer: Evelyn Mikomägi

Screenwriters: Britta Laumets and Piret Mägi (Estonian Academy of Arts fashion design MA)

Costume designers: Britta Laumets and Piret Mägi (Estonian Academy of Arts fashion design MA), assistant Kristi Pedanik

Models: from the Estonian modeling agency Living Models Agency (www.livingmodels.com)

Dancers: from the Dance Academy and other places around Estonia

Choreographer: Veronika Vallimäe (Dance Academy)

Music: Anneliis Kits (member of the band State of Zoe)

Make-up artists: Kaia Triisa, Gaida Talu (magazine “IluGuru”), Ellen Walge

Hair stylists: Kati Vaikre, Sergej Rakovski (salons Sergio Beauty and Goodhair)

Lighting designers: Taivo Tenso, Martin Randalu, Markus Orav and Madis Reimund (Filmivabrik)

Studio and equipment: XL-Studios (www.xl-studios.com), Aveli Nurk, Svenne Englund

Stuntmen/solutions: Margus Terasmees and Andres Mirme (Trikivabrik OÜ)

“Making of” photos and video: Martin Saar, AndrusPurde, Evelyn Mikomägi

Warm thanks to our partners:

Puding Film Limited, XL Studios, Uuskasutuskeskus, Sushi Cat, Sangar, Living Models Agency, State of Zoe, Goodhair, Maybelline, Baltika Moetänav, Red Bull, Taisto, Estonian Academy of Arts. 

The short film together with the reuse collection which was inspired by it are presented as a part of the Design Night festival 2012 programme at the Nisurukkiveski (Rotermanni 6) in Tallinn on Sunday, 23 September.

Additional information:

Producer Evelyn Mikomägi, evelyn@livingmodels.com

Concept and costumes: Piret Mägi, piret.magi.design@gmail.com