CURRENT POSITION

Doctoral Candidate at Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, 2017 –

EDUCATION

Aalto University | School of Arts, Design and Architecture | Department of Design | Doctoral Programme, 2017 –

Aalto University | School of Arts, Design and Architecture | Fashion and Clothing Design + Art Theory as a minor subject, Master’s Degree, 2008 – 2013

Universidad de Buenos Aires | Faculdad de Arquitectura, Diseño y Urbanismo / Diseño de Indumentaria, exchange studies in spring 2005

Lahti University of Applied Sciences | Institute of Design | Fashion and Clothing Design, Bachelor’s Degree – Designer, 2002-2006

Helsinki Upper Secondary School of Visual Arts, Matriculation Examination, 1999-2002

WORK EXPERIENCE

9/2016 – 9/2017, Bildy Oy, Freelance Copywriter & Content Creator, Helsinki

8/2016 – 9/2017,  Inditex – Zara Finland Oy, Commercial & Visual Merchandiser, Helsinki

6/2013 – 8/2014 L-Fashion Group Oy, Designer of J.A.P Company, Lahti/Helsinki/Suzhou 

11/2006 – 4/2013, 6-9/2015, Inditex – Zara Finland Oy, Responsible Sales Associate/Part-time Sales Associate, Helsinki

5/2009 – 9/2009 Palillo Enterprices Oy (Daniel Palillo) Trainee/Design Assistant, Helsnki

7/2006 – 10/2006 Marimekko Oy, Sales Associate, Helsinki

8/2004 – 7/2006 Finnkino Oy, Part-time Theatre Worker, Lahti

5/2004 – 9/2004 Muotilehto Oy, Sales Associate, Lahti

8/2003 – 10/2003 L-Fashion Group Oy, Trainee / Design Assistant, Lahti 

+ freelance designer & writer since 2008

+ maternity leave with 1st child 1/2012-11/2012, with 2nd child 10/2015-8/2016

+ various jobs in the service sector between 1998-2008

FREELANCE WORK AND PROJECTS

Costume design:

2013 – 2014 “Legally Blonde”– musical: costume design and realisation, for Musik- och kulturskolan Sandels, premiere in February 2014, Helsinki

2011 – 2012 “Rent”– musical: costume design and realization, for Musik- och kulturskolan Sandels, premiere in February 2012, Helsinki

2011 “Worship!”– play: costume design and realization, together with Lisa Martelin for Teater Nya Rampen, presented in Baltic Sircle Internatioanal Theatre Festival (Helsinki) and Nordwind Festival for Nordic Performing Arts and Music (Berlin), premiere in December 2011, Helsinki/Berlin

2009-2010 “Chicago” -musical: costume design together with Lisa Martelin, and realization, for Musik- och kulturskolan Sandels, premiere in February 2010, Helsinki

2004 – 2005 “Lemmenlatu” -musical: costume design as a member of a team for Lahti City Theatre, in honour to the 100- anniversary of Lahti City, premiere in February 2005, Lahti

2004 “Max & Moritz” -play: costume design and realization together with Milja Nevalainen, for Lahti Polytechnic’s Department of Music, spring 2003, Lahti

Editorial work:

2014 R-Collection-catalogue/anniversary publication, SS2014, “Vaate ja vastuu”– text about responsible clothing

2013 Public Action Magazine

No.3, April 2013, “Work to Play”, style

No.2, February 2013, “War is Over”, style and introduction

2010 – 2012 Oy Basso Media Ltd. / BASSO -magazine

3/2012 (September-November) “DDD” – an article about 3D-printing in the fashion field

4/2011 (December-February): fashion story “Käsityön aika” (= The Time for Handicrafts)text together with Miika Särmäkari + photo for the “Kuniyki”-story

1/2011 (March-May): fashion editorial “Suojaa nahkasi” (= Protect Your Skin) text + style together with Lisa Martelin

4/2010 (December-February): fashion editorial “Muodinmuutos”  text + style together with Lisa Martelin

Research:

2013 – Open Source Fashion Workshops organized together with PhD candidate Anja-Lisa Hirscher and professor Alastair Fuad-Luke. Member of Mode Uncut-project, http://modeuncut.com/

2011 – 2013 “Fashion Openness: Applying an Open Source Philosophy to the Paradigm of Fashion” , Master’s thesis (178 pages, 40 ects, language: English).  Investigating  open sorce philosophy as a trend/future trend and discussing its appearance in fashion field. Reflecting on the possibilities to change the paradigm of fashion into more sustainable system through “openness”, changing the roles of designers, producers and consumers. Methods: literature review, systems analysis and Delphi-expert panel. Tutors Cindy Kohtala and Leena Fredriksson.

2010 “Suomalaiset muodin käsityöläiset”  (= Finnish Fashion-Crafters), a research exercize for “Research of the Finnish Design Culture”-module (42 pages, 7 ects, language: Finnish). Mapping Finnish designers, who produce their designs completely or partly themselves. Investigating fashion processes from the point of view of localisation.

2009 Trend Report (42 pages, 15 ects, language: English) for the “Trend Forecasting”-module, together with Lisa Martelin. The report is based on a questionnaire and other trend forecasting methods.

Design and concept development:

2013 – Assisting with content creation in my husbands company Särre Music & Media

2013 Design of record/cassette cover and merchandise items, such as stickers, t-shirt and a jumper for Loost Koos -rap band’s mixtape “Wincave vol.1”

2011 Participant in Peloton Innovation Camp (coordinated by Demos Helsinki), Seinäjoki, member of the Seinäjöki Camp’s 1st Prize winner team “Hukkatila”, which was later developed into a company with help of Sitra and Demos Helsinki. The goal of Hukkatila is to maximise the use of empty, partly empty or temporarily empty spaces.

2009 – 2010 Shanghai Expo 2010: clothing design for the workers of the Finnish Pavilion (15 ects), together with Cecilia Hammarén and Matti Liimatainen, tutored by professor Pirjo Hirvonen.

2003 – 2006 Student Fashion Shows for Lahti Institute of Design, 2003, 2004, 2005 & 2006 (in charge for the last one)

Illustration:

2011 Payperwork & Andy Gymhill, Motor Man-record: the illustration of the CD and the cover

2009 Illustration for Finland’s Zara (Z-Fashion Finland Oy) the personnel magazine

2005 Illustration of the brochure, pianist Julia Mustonen’s Debussy-project

TRAINING

11/2014-5/2015 Tamora Oy, service design and “transformational design”-project, with clients mostly among Finnish public sector. Finding possibilities of designers’ skills to help the progress of well-being and business.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Native: Finnish & Russian

Fluent: English

Basics: Swedish, Spanish, French & German

ICT SKILLS

Mac / Windows

Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator & InDesign

Microsoft Office

Contact:

+358 50 532 2018

natalia.sarmakari@gmail.com