Design Finland

Vepsäläinen to Resell Ivana Helsinki

Vepsäläinen is the largest design furniture store chain in Finland with over 20 stores in larger cities of Finland. They carry large selection of well-known Finnish and international brands.

Ivana Helsinki, number one in fennofolk, and Vepsäläinen have agreed on reselling Ivana's home and office ranges. The selection will have bed linnen, binders, notebooks, photo albums, CD case, pen cases etc. with recognizable prints such as Tiira, HEMMA, Ponitarha (Ponygarden), Tent and Butterfly.

In the beginning, Ivana Helsinki product can be purchased from Helsinki (Ring III), Oulu, Turku, Tampe, Vaasa and Jyväskylä stores.

As a novelty, HEMMA notebook is the first product that will have Butterfly print in it. Butterfly will be seen more widely in Ivana's 2007 Dead Butterfliest collection.

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

Ivana Helsinki revisited

It's been over a year since I covered Ivana Helsinki and Paola Suhonen. Since Ivana Helsinki is actually one of the most popular incoming searches for this site, so I decided to visit them again.

Pretty much everything I wrote last year still works, but Ivana Helsinki has expanded and brought out new collections for 2006. The designer Paola Suhonen still trusts on the power of print, but there are also other types of items. Paola Suhonen has recently designed also to other brands than her own, but it seems she still has time for Ivana Helsinki as well.

The current 2006 collection brings out "Tiira" print all over the collection. You can see people wearing Tiira all over Finland already, but I've personally recognized it also in other major European cities I've visited this year. To see several examples of Tiira collection on people, check their website at www.ivanahelsinki.com .

"Loghouse Lover" is another new collection. It's very hard for me to describe it. It's Paola Suhonen all right, but it's different. I personally like the collection, especially the tone of brown.

"Hemma" is a very interesting expansion. It covers purses, trays, CD covers, binders, napkins, pillows etc, featuring Ivana graphics. Something to offer an alternative to the very old Marimekko "Unikko" graphics by Maija Isola.

Ivana Helsinki is not all about women. They do have a small collection of men's clothing as well. Looks very promising, surely something to check out as well.

The new renovated Ivana Helsinki main store in Helsinki has the widest range of the current selection. From them you can also request items in their central warehouse and from the earlier collections. IvanaHelsinki does not keep producing all of the earlier collections, so they may not be available at all.

Ivana Helsinki main store is located in  Uudenmaankatu 15 in Helsinki, a walking distance from the Esplanad park.

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!)

The New Skanno Salmisaari

The new Skanno shop in Salmisaari is finally open! This new concept shop is unique in Finland, it reminds you a bit of Habitat shops (which do not exist in Finland).

The shop is in an old industrial building, which gives the possibility to create a great shop in this open space with 20 feet high ceiling.

The entry is from a former warehouse loading zone. In the yard there are giant pots with duck and teddy bear shaped molded plants.

Inside of the shop you can find designer furniture, lamps, other design items, paintings, modern video installations, home electronics, flowers, books and many kinds of other stuff, all for sale.

What brands do they carry? Ligne Roset, Minotti and several international brands.  Jatta Lavi and number of new Finnish designers. Maybe the best collection of design lamps I've seen in Finland. Unique paintings from various artists. Video installations from Finland. Books from Hobbooks. Home electronics by ProAV Saarikko.

Overall, Skanno Salmisaari is a very nice addition to Helsinki design scene. If you are in Helsinki and want to see an overview of what the Finns are buying, Skanno is for sure a place to visit. If you live in Finland and need to shop for design, Skanno is one of the places in your shortlist.

Skanno Salmisaarentalo
Porkkalankatu 13 G
001800 Helsinki
tel. 09 - 6129 440

Opening hours
Mon 12-19, Tues, Wed and Fri 11-19, Thu 11-20,
Sat 10-17, Sun 12-17

Means of transport
Metro Ruoholahti
Tram nr. 8
Buses 20, 65a and 66a
Parking area for cars

Ristomatti Ratia, a multitalented designer from Finland

Ristomatti Ratia is a public celebrity in Finland. For the general public he's known from the yellow press. Unfortunately.

Ratia is currently one of the most versatile and productive designers in Finland. His works include textiles, glassware, furniture, bags, tableware and many other. He's worked for various companies since his breakthrough with Marimekko Made in USA product line (1967-1983). Ratia's first glassware was introduced in 1980.

Some works of Ristomatti Ratia:

• Sauna Heaters for Saunatec (Helo)
• Mekano Saucepans for OPA
• Archipelago (Saaristo) product line for Pinetta
• Pala storage system for Woodman (sold by Asko)
• Numerous glass products for Muurla Design

Ristomatti Ratia's mother, Armi Ratia, the founder of Marimekko, was a very special person in making Finnish Design what it is today. Still, Ristomatti Ratia has made a clear and bright career of his own.

To learn more about Ristomatti Ratia, visit his webpage here.

Design Shopping at Skanno

Skanno, one of the main design furniture shops in Helsinki is moving. They are closing down their downtown store and will open a new very large shop in Salmisaari, close to Ruoholahti metro station.

The new store is in an old brewery and supposed to be nice and big. If I'll get invited in the opening party, I'll let you know first hand...

While waiting for the opening of the new shop, there is a great chance in their current shop. They are selling everything with great discounts - I mean everything! That includes also their shop furniture designed for their own purposes.

For example a great idea for a room divider. Buy their chair shelf - one designed for exhibiting their collection of chairs - and make it a two storey reading spot.

Just don't get the picture I bought already, a promotional picture with a view from Hanko with Linge Roset's Dolman lamp (in the pic).