Daniel Palillo “Talking Heads”

Daniel Palillo is a Finnish designer who plays on oversize silhouettes with lighthearted prints as he draws inspiration from the music genres of hiphop, gothic, and heavy metal.

Daniel studied both Fine Arts and Fashion Design at the University of Arts and Design Helsinki.

For spring/summer 2011, the Daniel Palillo collection is entitled “Talking Heads.”

Check out the collection here.

Photos Copyright Daniel Palillo.

“Nightmares and Cowboys” by Daniel Palillo

Daniel Palillo is a Finnish designer whose hallmark is dark, oversized clothing.

Daniel studied Fine Arts and Fashion Design at the University of Arts in Helsinki, going on to merge various modern styles of menswear, ranging from gothic to hip hop.

For his 2011 spring/summer collection, Daniel has prepared a collection of “Nightmares and Cowboys.”

See more images here.

Photos Copyright Daniel Palillo.

A Childhood Visit to Carlsro with Camilla Norrback

The spring /summer 2011 collection of Camilla Norrback is inspired by the Finnish designer’s childhood memories of summer visits to the Carlsro in Kristinestad of Ostrobothnia, Finland.

This three-storey summer home was built in 1896 by the ship owner Carlström in the New Renaissance architectural style. Carlsro happens to mean ‘Carl’s rest’.

In the collection, Camilla revisits the architecture, lush gardens, and mysterious nature of this historic site.

“I imagine the people who lived there at the turn of the century; their beautiful summer lives and all the drama that took place in and around the house. Both the happy, joyful and the mysterious, dark feelings are integrated in the collection,” explains Camilla.

Visit the memories here.

Photo Property of Berns Salonger and Copyright Kristian Löveborg, Courtesy Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

“Veruca & Charlie” by Camill Norrback

Born 1974 in Jakobstad, Finland, Camilla Norrback discovered an interest in fashion at an early age, obtaining her first sewing machine when she was just 13.

Although formally educated in pattern construction and millenary, Camilla taught herself fashion design.

This Finnish designer is on the cutting edge as she juglges modern luxury with ecological concerns, having coined the term Ecoluxury™.

In highlighting sustainability, Camilla works with organic and environment-certified materials, which are void of toxins and harmful chemicals to both the human body and the environment.

Launching her eponymous label in 1999, Camilla created her first menswear collection for spring/summer 2010, uniting a retro-romantic style with modern aesthetics.

As for r 2010 fall/winter, her collection draws inspiration from the two imaginary characters, Veruca and Charlie, who visit Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

View the collection here.

Photo Property of Berns Salonger and Copyright Kristian Löveborg, Courtesy Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

Costo—Supporting the Planet

Originally located in an old coal cellar in central Helsinki, Costo was founded in 2006 out of a lack of attractive accessories at affordable prices.

Focusing on sustainable solutions, Costo has come to stand for quality materials and unique cuts. The Finnish brand draws inspiration from history as it uses recycled materials in the application of excellent craftsmanship.

Costo produces purses, wallets, and belts. The biggest success story has been the Costo hat, which not only has adopted names from Papuan tribes but is also worn by some aboriginal peoples of Papua New Guinea.

Costo employs natural fibers and high grade leather in the construction of each hat. Handcrafted in Tallinn, Estonia—just 80km from Helsinki—Costo hats fit all ages, groups, and lifestyles.

Costo—supporting the planet with the hat that can be as individual as the owner.



Photo & slideshow Copyright Costo.

Laitinen—Finland's New Tune

Helsinki is a unique city in many ways. Unlike most others around the world, this urban sprawl reaches across several bays and peninsulas. With a population of more than a million inhabitants in the greater area, Helsinki is the largest city and capital of Finland.

Starry nights by day, the midnight sun, and reindeer prancing across the Lapland are just a few of the romantic images that come to my mind at the mention of this Nordic country. Mostly flat and sparsely populated, Finland is home to 187,888 lakes and 179,584 islands.

Great names have also originated in Finland, such as the cell phone giant Nokia! Ah, how well we all know that tune—the first musical ringtone on a mobile phone and probably the most played around the globe!

Well, there is another name emerging from this fascinating country—Laitinen—which premiered this week during Milan Fashion Week at a new event called White Homme.

Although Laitinen found its start in 2006 after winning 1st prize at the fashion design festival and contest of Hyères in France, this menswear label was officially launched in the Autumn of 2007.

Born in 1979 and 1974 respectively, brother and sister team Tuomas and Anna Laitinen are the originators behind this tune, which is being heard more and more around the world!

After graduating from the University of Art and Design in Helsinki, Tuomas obtained an MA from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London; while Anna studied Art Pedagogy at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki.

Reflecting the stark long wintry nights of the Nordic tundra, Tuomas and Anna combine refined materials and detailed cuts into a melancholic harmony of contemporary style.

So the next time you hear that ring, think about Laitinen—Helsinki’s new menswear tune!

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The Nokia Tune taken from classical guitar solo, Gran Vals, by Francisco Tárrega and written in 1902.

Photo top right Tuomas and Anna Laitinen Copyright Agentur V.
Slideshow 2009 s/s collection Copyright Agentur V.