FOC Home 10Oct2007

Shoe designer Julia Lundsten (b. 1975) and designer Janne Kyttänen (b. 1974) have been awarded the Design Forum Finland’s Young Designer of the Year 2007 prize.

The awarded designers have both received their design training abroad – Julia Lundsten in London and Janne Kyttänen in Barcelona and Amsterdam. Lundsten established her shoe-design company FINSK in London, and Kyttänen the Freedom of Creation company in Amsterdam. Based on the designers’ strong personal conception of design and intelligent insight into design and methods of manufacturing, these companies display international promise in both content and business skills.

The award jury noted that Julia Lundsten and Janne Kyttänen represent the best of Finland’s internationally oriented young designers. Through their bold decisions and uncompromising work they are deepening the diversity of design and expanding its international character. At the same time, they express in their works the traditions of Finnish design – clarity and pure lines without ignoring a playful light touch.

The members of the jury were CEO Mikko Kalhama, Design Forum Finland, and curator Jukka Savolainen, Design Museum Helsinki.

Previous recipients of the prize are designers Harri Koskinen and Ilkka Suppanen (2000), interior architect Karola Sahi and architect Eeva Lithovius (2001), designer and cabinetmaker Tuuli Autio and designer and silversmith Pyry Tamminen (2002), graphic designers Antti Hinkula and Teemu Suviala (2005) and industrial designer Jukka Korpihete and furniture designer Mikko Paakkanen (2006).