Tallinn Creative Incubator Birthday Conference: Uncovering Meaningful Design

The conference will take place on Wednesday, 24th of September. The focus will be on the future and how design can relate to the fast paced changes that are taking place. What are the urgent problems and topics on agenda in the society? Should design take up on these and if yes, then how? How is this changing the design process as well as being a designer?

PROGRAMME

9.30-10.00am Morning Coffee

10-00-10.15am Welcome and Introduction

10.15-10.45am Arko Olesk – Scientific advances that will shape our future

Science keeps changing our world and our lives at a fast pace. From self-driving cars to mind-reading devices, the stuff of science fiction is about to become an everyday reality, providing us new amazing opportunities but also challenging us as consumers, as citizen and as humans. The talk will explore some of latest scientific advances that will shape our future and discuss the role of social scientists, designers and public in contributing to these advancements.

10.45-11.30am Steinar Valade-Amland (Three Point Zero)

The role of design and the inseparable professional identity of the designer have changed dramatically over time, presenting the design community itself, educational institutions, and the political domain with an interest in exploiting design’s potential with the challenge of adapting to new agendas, new facts and new discourses. The journey design has made – from being an arts and crafts-based professional endeavour with the designer as creator to being an integrated element of a wide number of value-chains in both the private and public sector with immaterial as well as material outcomes – has left both the design community and its closest allies somewhat bewildered. What is the true meaning of being a designer today and tomorrow, what will it take to deliver meaningful design services in the future, how is the market changing and what will it require from design practitioners to adapt to it? Steinar Valade-Amland raises the questions and suggests where the answers can be found, but most of all, his presentation is a call for reflection on and reframing of the professional practice and identity of design and designers.

11.30-11.45am Break

11.45-12.30pm Päivi Tahkokallio (Tahkokallio Design+) – Design thinking beyond the borders of the known world.

My talk will focus on how we in Finland see the future of design. The talk will be wrapped round design thinking and the mega trends that affect all of our lives whether we are in Estonia, Finland, or on another continent altogether. I will also talk about the Arctic, ‘Ultima Thule – the boarder of the known world’, and how mega trends affect this huge and vulnerable part of the world – my part, too, now that I am living in the Arctic since five years. And I will elaborate how we have developed Arctic Design and a road map for it to meet all the challenges we face in a sustainable way.

12.30-12.45pm Steinar Valade-Amland’s and Päivi Tahknokallio’s joint QA session

12.45-13.15pm Lunch

13.15-14.15pm Geraldine Wharry (Trend Atelier ) – Fashion forecasting: trend hunting gathering

The exciting and fast-paced world of fashion is constantly evolving and trend forecasting has become a key tool for businesses involved in fashion and design, who wish to be inspired, but also validate their design choices and manage the risks they take.
In our seminar, I will discuss how trend forecasting can be used to as a tool for innovation and a key player in the growing need for sustainable models.
I will give an overview of some of the key design trends for 2015/2016 encompassing womenswear, menswear, accessories as well as print and graphics and address them in the context of how designers are transcending technology and artisanship in the post digital era. Trend Atelier’s goal is to inspire and not dictate, rather inform you on the key trends that are shaping the fashion landscape. With this in mind, the presentation will walk you through key design philosophies and design direction showcasing macro and some actionable product direction.
In the second segment of the seminar titled “Responsible by design”, we will discuss what is currently driving fashion industry leaders and small businesses alike towards sustainability and accountability. This is a new era in ecology where design has the opportunity to redefine itself in philosophical, technological and sustainable ways never before seen in our society.

14.15-15.00pm Elissa Bloom – The Retail Experience: What are the next top 5 retail trends for emerging designers

Emerging designers are seeking strategic ways to launch and sell their brand in the marketplace as they strive to build sustainable and scalable fashion companies. Entering the wholesale market presents a challenge as it is more competitive and riskier than ever before. Retailers are less likely to take a chance on carrying new designers until they have a developed brand and their fit, production and shipping perfected. Designers risk late payment and returns. As a result, designers are embracing selling direct to consumers and are becoming savvy retailers in the process. Implementing retail sales strategies in their business models, designers are taking control of how, where and who their collection pieces are sold to while building a customer base and creating buzz for their brand.

The conference language is English.

The conference is free to attend and takes place as part of Creative Incubator 5th birthday celebrations. The event is taking place in Baltika Quater (Baltika Fashion Stage), Veerenni 24, Tallinn.

Please sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/19csz03jHkiljGomWLqXb6MTO5nEHos1l-pA84aeoeuw/viewform?embedded=true. 

The registration closes in 19 September