Get to know our Talent Program: Steen & Strøm Talent Award

By Sara Flaaen Licius, 29.06.26 11:30. Photos: KHiO for Vårhild Berntzen, Bertine Monsen for Oslo Runway.

Curious about our talent program Steen & Strøm Talent Award? The award provides three nominated graduating students from the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHiO), Esmod and Oslo Met with unique industry exposure, and the winner gets a design residency with a Norwegian brand. 

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This is the Steen & Strøm Talent Award in 9 points:

1. Launched during ORW25, the Anniversary Edition marking our 10th season of Oslo Runway, the Steen & Strøm Talent Award aims to elevate three jury-picked graduating students from the three fashion and art schools in Oslo.

2. We also see it as a wonderful way to honor one of our main partners year after year and our longest standing partnership: the Steen & Strøm Department Store!

3. Early in June, the Jury of the year visits the three fashion schools KHiO (Oslo National Academy of the Arts), ESMOD Oslo and Oslo Met together with Sunniva Hartgen, Oslo Runway’s Head of Fashion.

4. The Jury looks at the graduate collections and meets the graduate students at all three schools. Afterwards, the Jury sits together to nominate one graduating student from each school.

5. These three graduates will have pieces from their graduation collection displayed at a designated Pop-Up at Steen & Strøm in the Karl Johan entrance the whole month leading up to the Oslo Runway Fashion Week. A prestigious prime location right in the heart of Oslo, allowing the department store’s visitors to get to know each emerging designer.

6. During the Oslo Runway Fashion Week, we will host an Official Schedule* press event in the Pop-Up, and bring international and national press to see the designs and meet the award-nominated students.

7. Prior to the Oslo Runway Fashion Week, starting from the announcement of this year’s nominees, Oslo Runway will include the graduates’ material in our Image Bank and make sure it’s shared with both international and national press, as well as introducing the nominees and promoting their work across our social channels and in our newsletters.

8. During our Official Opening Dinner, the winner of the Steen & Strøm Talent Award will be announced – alongside the winners of this year’s Tribude Award: Brand of the Year and Tribute Award: Person of The Year.

9. The graduate who wins the Steen & Strøm Talent Award gets a design residency with a Norwegian brand.