Ervin Latimer challenges the definition of masculinity at Pitti Uomo
Can fashion and clothing enact change to culture?
If you ask the Finnish Young Designer of the Year 2020 Ervin Latimer, the answer is a definite yes. Studies show that social responsibility is a key factor in the ways millennials and younger generations make consumer decisions. These generations believe in companies that take clear stands and exist for a greater purpose . They also research if companies put their words into action when it comes to social responsibility.
Ervin Latimer is a graduate from Aalto University, Helsinki with an international career in fashion working for brands like 1017 Alyx 9SM. Latimer’s own work has been presented in publications such as Vogue USA and Vogue Italy, and currently his work is on display at Design Museum Helsinki. In addition to his work as a designer, Latimer has written and lectured on the intersections of queer-culture, anti-racism, masculinity and fashion. Latimer’s brand aims for an international market and will be launched at Pitti Uomo fashion fair in Florence in January 2022.
“The definition of masculinity is narrow. Our new collection is not unisex, nor defined as ‘menswear’, but rather aimed for anyone who wants to highlight or examine masculinity within themselves” says Latimer.
“We challenge both who can perform masculinity and what kind of clothing can be used to do that. Furthermore, we also expand what Nordic fashion looks like. Our collection features suits and shirts, but also dresses and skirts. Our design language draws from the history of masculine clothing with a contemporary approach and thought-through, high-quality details.”
The new brand has been named Latimmier after the designer’s surname. Latimmier is an Old French term that translates to ‘One who knows Latin’ but also more broadly to ‘interpreter’ or ‘translator’. Interpretations and purposes are at the heart of Latimer’s design philosophy. “In addition to sustainable materials and design, we also need a deeper purpose for clothing to justify its existence. At the moment the fashion industry seems to lead with either ecological materials, diversity or strong design vision, but our challenge is to combine all of these in a meaningful way.” Latimmier wants to enact change in the practices of the fashion industry in other ways as well, including a 4-day work week and a slower collection cycle. “The objectives of our company are ambitious. There are very few international success-stories in Finnish fashion, and therefore there is less courage to invest in our industry.
In order to produce our collection after the presentation at Pitti Uomo, we are kicking off a crowdfunding campaign on the Finnish Mesenaatti -platform on Tuesday the 16th of November. We want to prove that expanding masculinity with clothing is not a niche or a trendy thing that is on the surface only now. Everyone can join us on this road to change.
The launch of Latimmier is a part of SSAW Magazine’s and Juni Communication’s ‘Palazzo Finlandese’ -series that introduces Finnish designers to an international market. In 2019 the event launched Rolf Ekroth and in 2020 Fiskars by Maria Korkeila. Finland was the guest nation of Pitti Uomo in 2018.
Website: www.latimmier.com
Instagram: @latimmier
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