What’s up, Laura Väre?
Featured in Protoshop 2017.
You participated in Habitare’s Protoshop some time ago. How are you now?
I participated in the Protoshop exhibition in 2013, 2014 and 2017, and in the Protoshop10 exhibition in 2018. In 2015, I had my own stand at Talentshop.
I’m doing very well at the moment. In the spring of 2019, I graduated with a Master of Arts degree from Aalto University, and in the early autumn, I was chosen as the Young Designer of the Year 2019. The autumn and winter have been very busy. This period has included many interesting projects, including the Young Designer of the Year award exhibition at the Lokal+ gallery and a concurrent exhibition at Habitare. I also made trips to Lapland and China. In China, Henri Judin, Lassi Alestalo, and I had a small stand at Chengdu Creativity & Design Week.
Kuva: Aleksi Tikkala
What was the Protoshop experience like for you as a designer: what did it teach and offer you, what opportunities did it open up, and what insights did you get?
Being featured in the Protoshop exhibition was a big deal for me. It was still early days in my design career, so gaining visibility and affirmative feedback was absolutely crucial. Through Protoshop, I received important new contacts and visibility, and, for the first time, a product designed by me made it into production. I think being featured in Protoshop is a great springboard and a sure career boost for a young designer. At least, this is what happened to me.
Kuva: Aleksi Tikkala
What are you up to at the moment?
I’m currently working as an independent designer. I’m working on a few product design projects, as well as a project for the Asian market, in cooperation with Lassi Alestalo and Henri Judin. In January, I will leave for Paris, where I will participate in the IF Studios artist-in-residence programme, run by Institut finlandais, the Finnish Institute in France. Participation in the programme is part of the Young Designer of the Year award.
Kuva: Annikki Valomieli
What are your dreams and aspirations as a designer?
I want to design beautiful and thoughtful products for ordinary people, to make everyday life easier. In my work, I don’t want to be limited to a specific scale or material, but I enjoy variety and working on different types of projects. It would be great if, at some point, I didn’t have to market my own skills, and instead people would contact me. I also hope that (in ten years) I will gain a foothold as a designer and continue to enjoy and be enthusiastic about this job.
Laura Väre