TV OFF: Music Machine EP

Machinepop duo TV OFF has slowly built up some hype in the last couple of years. The title track of their debut EP is simply perfect for radio play and MTV rotation.

Text Teemu Fiilin

Dalindèo: Soundtrack for the Sound Eye

Cinematic rhythm jazz hasn’t been plentiful since the 1990s and the golden age of acid jazz. This fictitious soundtrack transforms the instruments into actors.

Text Teemu Fiilin

Yona: Pilvet liikkuu, minä en

Yona’s solo debut contains beautiful singer pop with hints of jazz, folk and even old schlager. Every now and then reggae and hip hop-esque rhythms raise their head.

Text Teemu Fiilin

Op:l Bastards: 2

This ominous and unapologetic 30-minute blast of static old groove doesn’t even contain actual songs – nor give the listener a chance to catch their breath.

Text Teemu Fiilin

Towards WDC 2012: Volunteer Design Anarchy

The theme for the Design Capital project makes you think about the use of public space, elitism in the creative field and doing things together like in the good old days.

Text Simo Vassinen
Photos Sasa Tkalcan

Drag was here

DJ and club host Tatu Vuolteenaho is back in Helsinki after touring clubs in London and New York. He likes to challenge prevailing beauty ideals by spinning records dressed in complete drag.

Text Teemu Fiilin
Photos Aino Huovio

Made in Helsinki: Saara Lepokorpi

The space-inspired Copenhagen Fashion Summit-winning collection of will act as a start for Saara Lepokorpi’s own commercial signature collection.

Text Heini Lehtinen
Photos Liisa Valonen

Made in Helsinki: GILLES ET DADA

The GILLES ET DADA collection, designed by Jasmin Mishima and Federico Cabrera, is a state of mind, a platform for ideas, an art project and a statement.

Photos Federico Cabrera

Made in Helsinki: I Know Why No

“I Know Why No is going for aesthetic, beautiful decadence. I love making and designing knitwear, because the elasticity of knit garments makes them just experimental enough,” says fashion designer Aino Vainio.

Text Heini Lehtinen
Photos Kaarle Hurtig

Made in Helsinki: Pisto

“I see myself as a material-based designer,” says Pisto’s designer Annika Rantala. “Even when I get an idea, I don’t get enthusiastic until I see the perfect material.”

Text Heini Lehtinen
Photos Elina Simonen

Portfolio: Laitinen

Laitinen’s spring and summer 2010 collection’s materials are mostly digitally printed silk and cotton. Sweaters contain special Japanese thread that combines silk with stainless steel, for example.

Text Heini Lehtinen
Photos Chris Vidal

By OK Do: Dressing up Helsinki

How can artists and designers affect the style of a city? “With spontaneity and magic”, say designer and artist Nene Tsuboi and fashion designer Daniel Palillo.

Text Anni Puolakka & Jenna Sutela
Photos Paavo Lehtonen

H₂O in style

Water from Lapland is tingling the taste buds of waterholics both in Helsinki and around the world. Veen water, sold in a trendy designer glass bottle, got its name from the Mother of the Water in the Finnish national epic Kalevala.

Text Petteri Kainulainen

Dermic luxury

Helsinki-based MSCHIC cosmetics are sold everywhere from Paris to The United Arab Emirates and online from Hanko to Utsjoki. The packaging for Kide MSCHIC is a keeper for design-oriented people.

Pop rock bonfire

Based on looks alone, it would be easy to label Vanity Beach as yet another goth band afraid of daylight. However, under the surface lies a modern rock band that knows how to utilize electronic instruments and pop melodies.

Text Teemu Fiilin
Photos Matti Tanskanen

Thanks, guys!

By Samu-Jussi Koski

The US reporter looked at me in amazement as I blurted out my reply to his jovial question. I was so exhausted that when the reporter asked me what it was like working in the fashion business in Finland, I didn’t have the energy to muster up a politically correct reply. So I just spit out “Bullshit. Utter bullshit.”