Extinction Event //DesignMars 2026

For DesignMars 2026, fashion designer Theo Ike presents the event Extinction Event, offering a unique insight into the relationship between prehistory and the future through the lens of fashion design. The event takes place at the Nordic House, surrounded by wetlands where life first emerged approximately 400 million years ago.

Homo sapiens have existed for less than 0.007% of Earth’s history—long enough to leave irreversible marks on the planet, yet we continue to act as if its resources are infinite. We know that our actions cannot sustain us forever, yet we persist: to innovate, design, produce, and destroy. Rarely do we pause to ask: what if we were one day the fossils, or the lesser species?

Extinction Event touches on our deep fascination with scientific processes and the philosophical questions that science alone cannot answer. Visitors are taken on a journey through time as envisioned by Theo, exploring different garments and scenographies as they delve deeper into the experience.

Throughout the week, visitors can excavate lost garments at dig sites and leave behind contributions to be preserved for the future. Some will also have the opportunity to design their own dinosaurs on garments, which they can take home as a keepsake from the exhibition.

The presentation reflects Theo’s broader philosophy of Global Affairs Design: that everything is more interconnected than we might assume. Species that lived 98 million years ago may have shared the same instincts, desires, challenges, intelligence, and obsessions as we do—we will simply never know.

Accessibility to the Elissa auditorium is good. Accessible and gender-neutral restrooms are located on the same floor.

For information about accessibility and opening hours, click here.