Finnish design pwns my heart
Helsinki seems to be enjoying some springtime shine in the travel pages of the U.S. press.
There was the USA Today feature on Helsinki nightlife and a piece on Finnish design in the LA Times last month. Admittedly two articles don’t exactly equal a cavalcade of coverage, but hey, the sun shines weakly that far north, and is greatly appreciated! I love that the LA Times writer tours the central part of the city for its architectural and design riches, then tucks in for a sauna. Sounds like a fabulous day in Helsinki.
My credit card trembles at the thought of being in the Marimekko store during their annual sale. My plan of shopping attack in Helsinki includes Marimekko, the Moomin Shop, Akateeminen Kirjakauppa–Euro style notebooks in the basement–and Stockmann. And I’d have to hit Zara and H&M, too, cuz we don’t have those in Hawaii. Apparently H&M is collaborating with Marimekko this summer!
The shopping recommendations in the LA Times article are overall more upscale. I’m extra intrigued by these ergonomic chopsticks they mention, wonder how much they cost. “I wanted to design a totally new type of chopsticks that would be easy for everyone to hold. Entwined together the sticks also form a useful fork,” explains designer Mika Ihanus on the website of studio Kuudes Kerros. How very practical for the chopstick-challenged, i.e. my mother, who maintains she can’t eat with “them sticks.” I bet these would work for her in the same way Nokia understands how her brain works. ;~p
Also on the topic of Finnish design and travel, a little mini-documentary by PilotGirl™ about the Helsinki design district (read: expensive stores with cool stuff) was recently featured on the retail-sponsored Finnish design blog.
Really, my credit card is glad I am not there! It’s worth noting that many young people take pride in thrift-store shopping and home-made clothes cuz the Euro is no joke and the resulting styles are more unique. Which is fine for clothes, but please believe that when I have $50 to spare on a shower curtain, this baby is mine!
25/03/2008 at 3:08 pm Permalink
Somewhere in my fabric collection, I still have about 2-3 yards of a marimekko print, probably bought as a gift from Mom, the first time she visited Helsinki. At that time, I was really into the Victorian look, so the bold, modern floral print just seemed garish. Now that I’m older and have broader tastes I like it a lot better.
25/03/2008 at 3:45 pm Permalink
that’s so cool, Jill! It can take a while for European styles to catch on over here ;~j
I see vintage and new Marimekko fabrics on eBay quite often… sadly I’m not crafty enough to do anything really cool with unfinished fabric beyond you know, square things–pillow case, tote bag, table cloth etc–maybe a simple skirt if I’m feeling really ambitious, and even that only if I had a sewing machine.
14/04/2008 at 1:48 pm Permalink
I saw a Marimekko store in Miami – still not close to Hawaii but closer than Finland!
14/04/2008 at 11:21 pm Permalink
oooooh… were you in MIA for the WMC?? Didnt know they had a store there, good info, thx!
Marimekko is SO expensive but somehow when the prices are in Euros I don’t notice as much hehehe… til I get the credit card bill that is!! but I rock the hell out of it for YEARS so I’d say the value is there!