Oskar Metsavaht was born and grew up in Caxias do Sul, a city in Rio Grande do Sul state in Southern Brazil. His paternal grandparents came from Estonia to Brazil ("Metsavaht" meaning "forest guardian" in Estonian). His father was a doctor and his mother was a teacher of philosophy. He graduated from the University of Rio de Janeiro with a degree in medicine and later worked as a physician. Later on in life, he became interested in clothing design as inspired by his multiple trips to mountain peaks. Oskar's work expresses the theme of preserving the forest, water and the empowerment and protection of the peoples of the forest, which he largely attributes to his Estonian roots. He is the founder and creative director of the brand Osklen, recognized as one of the forerunners of the New Luxury concept that strives for the fusion between ethics and aesthetics and advocates conscious fashion through the adoption of sustainable practices. He has also held exhibitions, shot documentaries and he has been appointed the UNESCO's Goodwill Ambassador for his work on preserving the Amazon rainforest.

In this episode, you’ll hear us talk about…

• his upbringing in a family of natural scientists and artists, between physics and philosophy;
• his student years studying medicine in South of Brazil in 1970s-1980s;
• the first time he visited the Amazon rainforest and the impression it left on him;
• the hints of minimalism from his Estonian background that he has incorporated into his maximalist Brazilian self-expression;
• how his clothing is not fashion but equipment;
• how fashion is actually a communication tool of society;
• how his creative process is triggered;
• the difference between art and design;
• and that he thinks creativity is a weapon that Estonians can never be stripped of.

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