The Architecture & Design Museum award was presented to fashion designer Bethel Degefu for a collection that powerfully embodies values central to the museum: cultural dialogue, innovative design thinking, and a compelling combination of form, colour, material and technique.
Growing up between two cultures – Ethiopian and Finnish – Bethel Degefu drew on personal experience to create a forceful and moving statement about the beauty, aesthetics, and ethics of expanded cultural horizons. Her collection brought together traditional Ethiopian dress and contemporary skater wear in tribute to the young women of Addis Ababa’s skater subculture, combining daring creativity, rigorous craftsmanship, and an inspiring sense of optimism.
Photo: Aalto University NÄYTOS26 Runway / Kristian Presnal