Young Designer of the Year 2016 is Laura Väinölä
Laura Väinölä combines graphic design, marketing, design, and creative ideas. She has received Design Forum Finland’s Young Artist of the Year 2016 award.
Laura Väinölä combines graphic design, marketing, design, and creative ideas. She has received Design Forum Finland’s Young Designer of the Year 2106 award.
Designer Laura Väinölä (born 1982) was chosen the Young Artist of the Year. Winner of this recognition by Design Forum Finland since 2000 was published on Thursday.
Väinölä’s trump cards are her strong insight and determined implementation. She graduated from the Lahti University of Applied Sciences’ Design School in 2010, after which she has expanded her field of action from graphic design to 3D spatial design and event planning. Her works can be described to be multisensory.
Väinölä’s career kicked off in an advertising agency, and she has made her mark by marketing some of the top brands, such as Artek, Iittala, Marimekko, Ikea and Stockmann. She has received many Top of the Year awards by Grafia.
“I sell ideas and style. Creativity first and foremost means new thoughts while the methods of doing can vary,” Väinölä explains.
Her CV is versatile, to say the least; she has styled fashion articles for magazines, designed a seat and a Christmas calendar, and founded a service called Elsa Eventful. She is also the brand director of Pre Helsinki fashion organisation and the creative director of photo and video agency Duotone.
Virtual flower shop
Most of all, she is a maker, not only a conceptualist. One of her obvious strengths is brand experience management.
“I learned by doing in Steiner school. We went to see sheep, carded and spun their wool, and finally used it in our own knitting. I think this has influenced my way of doing.”
A child’s world and fairytales and stories are fascinating. Väinölä’s works often reflect playfulness.
So far, Laura’s most well-known project is her virtual flower shop Flora & Laura, founded in 2013. It is an example of her 3D design.
The award exhibition will open in the Empire-style Cupola room of the National Gallery on 5 September 2016.
“It is a magical place. I’m creating something that allows people to peek into different worlds. Space is important because its defines the frame, but architecture and what happens within also mean a great deal.
Young Designer of the Year 2016 prize exhibition
5.—17.9.2016
National Library, Unioninkatu 36, Helsinki