The Finnish fashion industry has its roots in the 19th century handcraft ateliers in Turku. Some of Finland’s most successful fashion brands are Marimekko and Vuokko they are founded in the 1950’s. Design has been an important industry in Finland for over a century. Finns have always been proud of the own design, especially when it’s doing well internationally. Design is bound to time and place, but fashion is probably the most short-lived branches in design. The fashion design is valued of fashion professionals and also by the people who consume it.
The trademark for Finnish fashion has always been pure and clear forms and postmodernism. These are quite descriptive adjectives, but they are by no means limited only to Finnish design. They are global trends and core elements of Scandinavian design.
Some traits that are typical for Finnish fashion are for example nature. It has been a very strong influence throughout the history of Finnish design and art. Nature has been a source of raw material and inspiration: most classical Finnish design from the 20th century has been manufactured from natural fibers, or from wood, steel and glass. Also the forms are often inspired by natural elements, or they can be seen even as imitations of nature.
Another major feature of Finnish fashion design is individualism. Finnish designers create distinct looks for individuals with a strong sense of style, not for the masses. This is of course a very restrictive feature which limits the target group considerably. It also makes the Finnish fashion industry more interesting and varied than some of the competing fashion industries. Overall it can be said that Finnish design is very design and aesthetics-oriented, as opposed to maximizing profits.
Globally appreciated values like ethics and sustainability are also important themes in Finnish fashion: in the core is the thought that a garment is made to withstand time. Moreover, the designers want to provide a safe and fair working environment for seamstresses wherever they work; production could not be situated in a country where the employees could easily be exploited.
Niklas
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