Lindström Award 2010 workwear design competition is now under way. The task is to design a brand-enhancing workwear collection for KONE Corporation’s maintenance crew. For the organizer, Lindström Group, the purpose of the competition is to bring new ideas and innovative solutions to workwear, as well as spark conversation about the significance of everyday design.

 Textile services company Lindström is organizing its 5th Lindström Award competition for students. The competition is the only workwear design competition in the world. Students from over 20 design schools from Europe, Asia and North America have been invited to participate.

By organizing the competition, Lindström wants to inspire promising young designers and highlight the importance of workwear. For students, the competition offers a real learning experience with an opportunity to showcase their talents.

The task is to design a functional workwear collection for elevator and escalator service company KONE Corporation’s global maintenance personnel. Workwear has great significance for companies like KONE because they communicate the company’s brand and personality in the customer interface.

In the first phase of the competition, participating students will send their submissions for evaluation. The jury will pay attention to the overall concept, freshness of ideas, workwear practicality and functionality of design.

The jury consists of clothing design and brand management experts, as well as Lindström and KONE representatives. Its chairman is Dutch fashion design professor Mascha van Zijverden from ArtEZ, Arnhem School of the Arts.

KONE Corporation’s Anne Hyvönen, Director of Maintenance Services and Ritva Seppänen, Director of Brand and Events, are all members of the jury. Clothing design insight will come from fashion designer Tiia Vanhatapio and Lindström’s Design Manager Anna-Kaisa Huttunen. The media are represented by Saila-Mari Kohtala from Finland’s leading marketing and advertising newspaper, Markkinointi & Mainonta. Lindström’s CEO Juha Laurio is also a member of the jury.

In the second phase, the five finalists chosen by the jury will see their designs turn into prototypes. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony in June 2010, where all the designs will be presented on the catwalk. The winner will receive a paid traineeship at Lindström’s Design Department worth 5,000 euros, or in case the winner is not able to accept the position, he or she will receive a cash prize of 4,000 euros.

For more information, contact:

Kati Myllärniemi

Communications Manager

Competition Secretary for Lindström Award

kati.myllarniemi@lindstrom.fi

Tel. +358 400 922 615