The Nordic Heritage Museum and fashion collide.

In the Middle Ages, hordes of Norse Vikings wandered westward from Greenland in search of warmer weather.  But today, Nordic natives don’t come to the Northwest to soak up the rays. Let’s face it — few voluntarily vacation to our rainy state in the hopes of going back to work with a nice tan. Rather, Scandinavians will be storming Seattle in search of fashion.  And they’ll have come just to the right place.

On Friday, September 30, Seattle’s Nordic Heritage Museum will house the 2011 Nordic Fashion Biennale (NFB), a six-week long fashion exhibition titled “Looking Back to Find our Future.”

Curated by New York-based Icelandic artist Hrafnhildur Arnardottir (aka Shoplifter), the collection will feature the works of designers from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Since the show’s Reykjavik, Iceland debut in 2009, this is the first time that the NFB will take place in the United States.

But it’s not just a fashion show.  There’s a little something extra in it for us.

This year, the NFB will kick off with a two-day Fashion Summit that will bring top international designers, artists and you, to discuss topics such as slow fashion, sustainability and design, and the business of fashion. Sound like it’s right up your fashionista alley?  Check out the details below:

When: Fashion Summit: Sept. 30 and Oct. 1; Fashion Biennale: Sept. 30 — Nov. 13

Who: Featured presenters include: Áslaug Magnúsdottir (dubbed “fashion’s fairy godmother” by Vogue), Henrik Vibskov, Orlando Palacios (head designer of Worth & Worth), Annika Axelsson (one of the founders of DEM Collective) and Yvan Mispelaere (Creative Designer for DVF).

How Much: Fashion Summit – Museum members: $125; General Admission: $150; Students: $60. Space is limited. Click here to register now.

As Nordic fashion breezes in this fall, opt for tanning beds to get that sun-kissed glow.  Don’t flee for warmer weather — stay for the fashion. For a full schedule, click here.

Nordic Heritage Museum |3014 NW 67th Street, Seattle | (206) 789-5707