Design Finland

PimpMyLaptop.com

PimpMyLaptop.com is a hilarious service for those who want to tune their Apple laptop computers. They provide you a high-quality sticker that doesn't do any harm to your computer. It actually provides even some protection against scrates etc.

For the picture, you can choose from their own pictures, including the prints from Ivana Helsinki (Paola Suhonen) and CTRL. Or, you can upload, scale and crop your own pics or graphics.

This popular Mac tuning service is now available easily all over the world. Payment works conveniently with a credit card or PayPal. Price range varies from 18 - 22 Euros + 4,99 for worldwide shipping.

To check out some real life examples, check out their photos on Flickr.

Limbo - clothing for the young and wild

Limbo is a Finnish clothing brand that produces unique style in small quatities. Designed by the owners, Riikka Lassila and Heini Lindström, Limbo style is very energetic, colourful and wild, full of very interesting details. The brand has existed since 1994, and is well known by certain audiences, but not with the wide public. Lindström and Lassila have won some international awards for their innovative designs.

As their style makes people cheerfull and make them look good, I believe we will hear from Limbo again.

These pictures are from their Summer 06 collection. We are just looking forward to see their next collection.

The Limbo range can be found in small boutiques in several countries, but the widest selection is of course available in their own Helsinki shop in the corner of Annankatu and Uudenmaankatu (The address is Uudenmaankatu 13), right around the corner from Ivana Helsinki.  In their own chop they also carry some other Finnish brands such as ChoCho bags.

For more information, please check www.limbo.fi

Designer Shoes from Finland

Tarsala Creation is a Finnish company specializing in designer shoes for women. All the shoes are designed in Finland by Juha Tarsala and produced in Italy according to the traditional shoe making methods .

Women from northern Europe often have problems with the fit of the southern European shoe models. The shoes in Tarsala collection look much like the Italian, French of Spanish shoes but they are designed especially to fit the foot of northern woman. So if the shoes in Milan, Paris or Barcelona are not good for you, Tarsala may have the solution.

Designer Juha Tarsala is considered as one of the most creative fashion designers in Finland. He has done special projects such as champagne shoes for Mumm and models for the Finnish representative Hanna Ek for the Miss Universe beauty contest. He is also a well-known speaker and lecturer in the shoe industry.

The small Tarsala shoe store is located in Kämp Gallery shopping mall. At the time, there are around 60 different shoes models to choose from. If you get lucky, mr. Tarsala himself may be in the shop to help you with the selection.

If you are in designer shoes and looking for something truly unique yet stylish, you should take a look into Tarsala's fine collection of shoes.

Tarsala webpages will be soon available at www.tarsala.com

Moomin Shop in Helsinki

Moomin troll is propably one of the best known cartoon charcters in the world. Originally created by Tove Jansson, this chubby creature teaches children about rights and wrongs of the world.

Since Moomin is from Finland, obviously the most extensive selection of Moomin-related products and sights can be found here.

The original Moomin world is located in city of Naantali and another one in Tampere. Visiting Helsinki, the best thing to get in the mood is to visit the official Moomin Shop downtown Helsinki. This shop is the only shop run by the Jansson family, the owners of the Moomin copyrights.

The Moomin Shop is located in Kämp Gallery, a small shopping mall just off the main shopping strip in Helsinki, Esplanadi. Just find Cafe Strindberg and get in to the mall on either side of this cafe.

In the shop you can find all kinds of Moomin memorabilia, from t-shirts and Iittala Teema mugs all the way to children's tableware, cell phone charms and Kalevala Koru jewelry. Not to forget the huggable figures and the cutest little rubber boots.

The staff at the shop are very friendly (Finnish hospitality), multilingual (some speak even Japanese!) and very helpful.

Just check out the rest from the pictures.

Also, some links to Moomin websites:

• Moomintrove
• Moomin Voices
• Henna Laurikari's Moomin Page (Moi!)