Iiris Latva-Somppi

In her MA thesis collection, “Rakas, sun laahus!”, Iiris Latva-Somppi explores the embodiment of friendship through joy, security, devotion, and a hint of clumsiness from a personal perspective. Latva-Somppi studies how the experience of friendship manifests itself in bodily presence. She views sentimentality and devotion as ways of protecting friendship and, at times, revealing oneself to it. "I find it important to spark discussion about why it’s difficult for us to declare our friendships or our longing for them. There’s something about coexisting that gives you comfort, confidence, and a smile." Latva-Somppi focuses on visualising the feelings of comfort and confidence gained from friendships through garments by interpreting, imitating and referencing her visual research, which draws on mundane self-captured photos of life and friendships surrounding her. In her work, Latva-Somppi focuses on large, light, soft, and gentle elements that embody the feelings of experiencing friendship. "I was interested in the feeling or effect created by the fit, shape or purpose of a garment. Amusement and awe often served as rewards during the process, making the interaction with the garment in progress even more meaningful." By combining and experimenting with printing techniques and working with fabrics, Latva-Somppi explores a multisensory approach to the collection. A playful attitude towards the strictness of context and norms in clothing is a key element of her approach. Humour plays a part in the collection, sparking a kind of almost rebellious joy. "It was maybe 4 in the morning, Venla and I walked home from the club. Along Vaasankatu, it started to rain, so we ran, Venla in a black dress and me in a white one with a train that was now soaking and dirty. Across the street in front of King Kebab, a lady yelled: Rakas, sun laahus! (Darling, your train!), I yelled back: Ei se haittaa! (It doesn’t matter!) and then we continued on running."