Mind, body and sole: Introducing Zomer and KARHU’s very zen trainer collab

Last September, Zomer presented its SS25 collection at Paris Fashion Week, which was described as a “harmonious blend of floral motifs”. At the show, structured separates in primary hues floated down the runway, as did blossom-covered headgear, clashing bouquet prints, and enormous paper poppies clasped in models’ hands. Backstage, the founders of the brand – designer Danial Aitouganov and Dazed fashion director Imruh Asha – said the collection was born from the question ‘what would the Zomer garden look like?’ The answer to that question seemed to be ‘in full bloom’, which makes a lot of sense given ‘zomer’ means ‘summer’ in Dutch.

As well as tending to their garden, Aitouganov and Asha also debuted a collaboration with Finnish sportswear brand KARHU at the show – a re-up of one of its most well-known silhouettes. “We had just finished our first season, and it made a strong impact that we were really happy with,” says Aitouganov over email. “That caught the attention of KARHU, and the idea was to refresh and redesign their classic Mastari trainer through our creative lens. We instantly fell in love with the project.” The result? Laceless, two-tone bowling shoes with contrast tongues in a variety of vivid colours and floral patterns – as one would expect from the mind of Zomer.

Now, the design duo are back with another KARHU collab, and a limb-stacked new campaign to go along with it. Lensed by photographer Dan Tobin Smith, the images feature scores of models wound around each other, the total sum of their bodies tesselating into new shapes and forms. “Imruh’s work is often sculptural,” says Aitouganov of his partner’s styling process, “and he had the idea to create a kind of human mandala using nude bodies in an art space setting, putting full focus on the shoes by stripping down all the clothes.” To complete the vision, Asha brought on Tobin Smith for the intricate forms you see now. “Dan was the perfect fit for this vision,” said Asha. “His work is very detailed, stylish, and often features abstract, mandala-like shapes. When he said yes to the project, everything came together perfectly.”

Originally, the idea behind the shoot was to create something resembling “human flowers” but, as Asha says, by the end, it simply became “a beautiful composition shaped by the models” under the direction of choreographer Benjamin Jonsson. But besides the floral concept, of which the brand is clearly well-versed, the human pyramids were representative of coming together, or a strength in numbers. “In terms of symbolism, you could say that with a team you can create something much bigger than just alone,” says Asha. “This shoot is basically a visual presentation of teamwork and collaboration – and also, the images are just pure beauty.”

As well as the KARHU collab, the young brand also has its AW25 Paris Fashion Week show on the horizon – and the small matter of an LVMH Prize nomination, too. “We are now in the semi-finals, so the pressure is high, but it only motivates us more for the show,” revealed Asha, before adding that the upcoming collection “weaves together multiple storylines, with a few surprises in store for our audience.” And according to Aitouganov, the KARHU collab will play a role in the show, so keep your eyes peeled. “For SS25, we had to stick to certain limits, which worked well for our first collaboration – the structure gave the project direction,” says the designer. “But for the second one, we had more creative freedom, giving us the chance to push our ideas further. The result is something very exciting.”

Scroll through the gallery above for the entire KARHU by Zomer campaign, and revisit the SS25 collection below.