3D animation by Coline Cherry

Costume Awards 2025: Activating Brand Identity and Community Energy

COLLECTIVE OSLO has been the creative force behind Costume’s most important annual brand moment since 2019. More than just an awards show, the event serves as an expression of brand identity and emotional connection - an experience designed not only to reflect Costume’s personality, but to strengthen its community through participation, atmosphere, and memory.

CLIENT
Costume / Bonnier Publications

LOCATION
The Vigeland Museum

CATEGORY
Brand Activation

DELIVERABLES
Creative Direction & Full-Scale
Production
Concept Development
Guest Experience
Spatial Design
Show Direction
Brand Integration
Artist Collaboration
Talent Booking
AV & Lighting
On-Site Production
Post-Event Content

Film by Ask Sunde / Huge.

Connecting the Brand

For the 2025 edition, we transformed the iconic Vigeland Museum into a living, breathing Costume universe, curating everything from spatial design and guest experience to talent programming and show direction. The award itself served as a pretext for deeper interaction: a reason to gather, to celebrate, and to connect the brand with 450 industry voices and brand ambassadors.

Micro-narratives

A woman singer performing in front of a large white sculpture of several human figures, with five dancers around her wearing white outfits.
A bouquet of white flowers, including roses and hydrangeas, with green and pink anthuriums and greenery, against a gray stone background.
An indoor event with a seated audience watching a performer who is playing the saxophone. The event is illuminated with warm lighting and a brick wall backdrop.
Three performers engaging in a dance or theatrical performance indoors. One person is standing with eyes closed and hand on chest, another is lying on the floor in a pose with one hand reaching out, and a third in the background is playing a violin. The setting includes a wall with a black decorative sculpture resembling a dragon or mythical creature and a blue wall.

The open courtyard, framed by its arcades, became the stage for the main event. Awards were presented across twelve categories, while live acts, film, fashion, and movement interwove as micro-narratives creating a rhythm of surprise, beauty, and shared emotional cues. The event created resonance and moments the audience could feel, not just observe.

The Highland Museum building made of red brick with three arches at the entrance, surrounded by greenery and flower pots.
Four photographs of diverse people, including women and a man, smiling and laughing, displayed on a red surface against a brick wall with wooden double doors and an arched window above.
A woman in a dark red velvet gown with a dramatic, pointy, gathered hem at the bottom, standing in front of a white sculptural artwork. She is wearing a matching velvet hat and a high-neck collar.
Three performers in a dance or theatrical scene inside a room with blue walls. One woman is on the floor, supporting herself with one hand, in a pose that resembles a breakdance move. A man stands nearby with one hand on his shoulder, watching her. In the background, a woman is playing a violin. There is a black decorative sculpture and a spider web artwork on the wall.

Our approach blended red carpet energy, awards ceremony structure, and live entertainment with site-specific storytelling and emotional branding principles. The experience began in the museum’s grand vestibule, where a dance installation set the emotional tone. Inside the monumental Fountain Hall, an intimate and contemplative performance by the Norwegian National Ballet and singer Tolou unfolded—creating a moment of quiet presence and sensory impact in one of Oslo’s most symbolic rooms.

COLLECTIVE OSLO led the full creative production—from concept development and artistic direction to technical build and on-site execution. Every element was crafted with intention, from lighting and scenography to host scripting and motion direction. We also facilitated content from brand partners, staging their presence through differentiated animations and activations that integrated seamlessly into the Costume universe.

Our Approach

“Together with Collective Oslo, we have taken the Costume Awards to new heights at spectacular venues such as the Opera House, Ekeberg Restaurant, and the Vigeland Museum. Each time, we’ve succeeded in creating a unique universe with elements and contributors that leave an indelible impression.

It is always a pleasure to collaborate with the team from Collective Oslo because just like us at Costume, they aim to place culture, art, and aesthetics at the heart of everything they do. Collective Oslo understands the world of fashion and sees only opportunities and solutions where others might choose an easier and duller path. Collective Oslo is an agency that brings a completely distinct approach to creating grand experiences. With their artistic eye and professionalism, they establish a framework that ensures a high international standard at every level. They come with my warmest recommendations.”

KINE B. HARTZ
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, COSTUME MAGAZINE