Summary:
- Galib Gassanoff presented the INSTITUTION SS27 collection YAD at the National Gallery of Denmark.
- Zalando awarded INSTITUTION 50,000 euros alongside business mentoring and network connections.
- The two-day Zalando Visionary Space at Copenhagen Contemporary featured past award winners and digital art by Gabriel Massan.
Fashion platform Zalando returned to Copenhagen Fashion Week for the fourth edition of the Zalando Visionary Award. Designer Galib Gassanoff won the 2026 prize with his label INSTITUTION. The brand debuted the Spring/Summer 2027 collection, titled YAD, inside the National Gallery of Denmark. In the Azerbaijani language, YAD translates to both foreigner and memory. Gassanoff constructed the garments to show a direct path from raw material to finished product, focusing on identity, heritage, and regional roots.
Gassanoff grew up in Georgia and brought traditional techniques directly into his design process. Artisans from local Georgian communities created the knitted garments in the range. Models walked barefoot across the runway wearing handmade jorab socks, honoring Caucasian home traditions. Structured pieces built from cotton rope added sculptural forms to the presentation. The work highlights traditional skills passed across generations within regional artisan communities.
Winning the award provides INSTITUTION with a 50,000 euro cash prize. Zalando also supplies business mentorship, industry access, and tailored resources to support long-term growth. The selection panel evaluates brands based on sustainability rules established by Copenhagen Fashion Week. Applicants must display meaningful contributions to social impact, design innovation, or representative diversity across the fashion sector.
Zalando complemented the runway show with a public exhibition space at Copenhagen Contemporary. The venue opened for two days, displaying projects from current and former prize recipients including IAMISIGO, Paolina Russo, and Sinead O'Dwyer. Brazilian artist Gabriel Massan contributed a large digital sculpture created for the event. Interactive workshops and physical installations gave visitors direct access to process-driven design practices. Zalando hosted an evening gathering at Superbon restaurant to bring designers, press, and industry workers together.
You observe how independent designers scale operations through strategic corporate backing. INSTITUTION demonstrates a model where cultural preservation meets commercial infrastructure. Gassanoff uses specific regional knowledge while accessing European supply chains and major presentation platforms. Your understanding of modern fashion shifts when independent labels maintain cultural integrity without sacrificing international reach.
Zalando established the Visionary Award in 2023 to highlight future industry leaders. The initiative offers young brands high-profile runway visibility alongside strategic commercial support. By requiring alignment with environmental guidelines, Copenhagen Fashion Week ensures participating designers address contemporary resource challenges. INSTITUTION joins a growing list of labels taking advantage of this structure to expand beyond local borders while keeping traditional garment construction methods active in contemporary menswear and womenswear.
Kristin Kaye
Insatiably curious about human expression, she immerses herself in literature, theater, art, and dance. Her academic journey led to degrees in Modern Literature, where she delved into The Furioso, and Historical Sciences with a focus on Contemporary History. Her studies took her to the prestigious Erasmus University Rotterdam, broadening her international perspective.
Her passion for culture isn't confined to personal enjoyment—it spills onto the pages of various publications. There, she explores not only artistic endeavors but also civil rights issues and the myriad ways human culture manifests itself. For her, writing about these topics isn't just a profession; it's an irresistible calling that stems from her deep-seated fascination with the human experience.
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