Design Finland

Ivana Helsinki Private Shopping in Helsinki

All you Ivana Helsinki lovers - here's another reason to come and visit Helsinki!

Ivana Helsinki, the evangelist of fennofolk style, is opening a private shopping premises near downtown Helsinki, in Kallio. Kallio is a rough neighbourhood favoured by students and creative people as  well as alcoholics and drug addicts . And it all takes place in the apartment where designer Paola Suhonen used to live. This is a first time in Finnish clothing scene, where a specific property is dedicated for private shopping.  Here's the details:

IVANAhelsinki has a marginal but loyal following worldwide, including people like Helena Christensen, Nina Persson (Cardigans), Eva Röse and Mew. Now the label is taking intimacy to a new level. Founder, designer Paola Suhonen will open her soon-to-be-ex-home to IVANAhelsinki clients.

What makes this concept unique, is the level of trust. Ten (10) keys will be available for anyone for two weeks at a time. During this time, the keeper of a key may go shopping to IVANAhelsinki Kallio store whenever (s)he wants – 24/7. Alone.

The idea is that future luxury shopping is not about presence but about giving people the time and space to do their shopping without surveillance and free of formal opening hours. IVANAhelsinki believes in the atmosphere of a home as a shopping stimulation. You may take along friends or maybe just visit alone and make some tea while peacefully checking out and trying the collection.

Should a customer of the store want to purchase items, all (s)he has to do is write down the specifics in a notebook and take the shopping with her. Invoice will be sent afterwards.

Though the new store will mainly be marketed to loyal customers, basically anyone can have a key. There’s a sales person present part of the week: Wed-Fri 12 -6pm and Sat 12-4 pm and at those times the store is open to anyone. (The only trick is to call a mobile number to get into the second floor apartment). Other times the store is solely for the keepers of the key. Should they need assistance, they have the number they can call.

This concept is an intriguing opening in retail. It suggests that “service overdose” is not the best way to serve demanding customers. It believes in people wanting independence, privacy and intimacy in creating their own personal style. To follow the same ideology, IVANAhelsinki believes in everybody being their own stylist: there’s no need for readily thought out, coordinated combinations. A person’s style is like an everchanging puzzle that people put together all their lives: something second hand, something borrowed from grandmother’s wardrobe, something ultra expensive and something homecrafted, perhaps. Certain refreshing roughness has entered the universe of design labels.

Ivana Helsinki Kallio Store is open from TODAY. All fans celebrate! The address is Franzeninkatu 21 A 7 - but you need to get the key or know the number...

This text contains excepts of a text written by Anna Moilanen to the Future Laboratory's Autumn06 Trends Newsletter. All pictures courtesy of Ivana Helsinki

Helsinki Design Week

Helsinki Design Week, a series of design-related events, is about to start. There will be a large number of different events from Sat the 23rd of September until Sun the 1st of October.

Some of the key event are listed below.

Tuunaa Stadi, or in English, Pimp My City, is a competition for creative students in Finland. The idea is to use creative designs to do something about the ugly construction projects in cityscape. The four finalists are available for the public at Stockmann and World Trade Center renovation sites (both located on Keskuskatu).

Desing Market is a open marketplace for design from on 23rd and 24th at Merikaapelihalli.

Open Studios event gives access to designers offices and KOTI will allow people to some of the private homes in Helsinki.

The main event of the week, Designpartners06 will start on Wed the 27th and last until Sat the 30th. Designpartners is hosting a number of seminars, events and award ceremonies.

Most of the design shops have special events and discounts for the public - really a great chance for design shopaholics - whether your're into Marimekko bags or Ivana Helsinki's fennofolk items - this is your week!

Also, do not forget the Habbo Hotel's pixel art event and charity event Empty Bowl - Tyhjä Kulho on Sat the 30th.

For more information in "traditional" web format - go to http://www.helsinkidesignweek.fi/english/

To see their web-tv, the right address is www.helsinkidesignweek.tv

A tribute to Maija Isola's Unikko by Marimekko

Marimekko is one of the best known Finnish design and fashion companies. Unikko (poppies) is their most successful pattern today with dozens of applications.

Unikko was designed by Maija Isola and first introduced in 1964. Walking in Helsinki today will make you see Unikko several times every day. Here is a collection of examples where Unikko can be seen. All applications pictured here are official Marimekko approved designs, but people have produced various other applications by using Unikko textiles.

Bed linnen, trivets, rubber boots, kitchenware, bags, towels, nordic walking sticks, shower curtains, chairs...

Just pick your favorite and enjoy the Unikko experience!

Tapio home textiles by Finlayson

Finlayson, a traditional Finnish textile manufacturer, has been modernising their brand image for a while. A good example of that is Tapio collection designed by Sami Vulli.

Tapio design is featuring moose, one of the emblem animals for Finland and Scandinavia. According to Finlayson, Tapio is ideal for those interested in hunting, but I've found that these cute moose figures attract animals lovers all over the world.

Tapio includes a duvet cover set and two towels of different size. Tapio is available through whole Finlayson retail channel.

(picture: Finlayson)

Real everyday fashion from the streets of Helsinki

HEL LOOKS is a website run by Liisa Jokinen (a fashion journalist) and Sampo Karjalainen (one of the founders of Habbo Hotel).

On their site they publish pictures of people with different clothing styles - straight from the streets of Helsinki. They also interview the people and ask them to tell what they are wearing.

HEL LOOKS is a very good gallery of original and mostly very stylish people. This really is something you can on the streets of Helsinki - every day.

Something for the fashion freaks to check out.