Dear Filep and iDEALS,
Design Market took place on the 28th and 29th of September at the iconic Cable Factory. It is this hall that in a few days will house the big design exhibition of Helsinki Design Week 2010. The design market is a fantastic event to attract people to the venue, as well as give the opportunity to designers to sell their products, see each others’ work, and learn & improve.
For me it was a great pleasure to stroll around the stands and be able to feel the products, and talk to the designers. The prices are often considerably lower than those found in the up market design shops, and this gives the event the allure of a bargain hunt with happy endings for many. I find it remarkable that in the design market, designers are given the chance to demonstrate their entrepreneurial-ism, to talk with strangers, and to get feedback regarding their work. This opportunity is really great, and a few at least of them were very appreciative of this fact.
In the pictures you can see the beautiful bags by Aino Bergman , some of the photographic work of Maria Baranova, the playful and conceptual work of Tiina Palm , the romantic prints by Dead Birds and Lionheart , shoes by a famous Finnish shoe designer Aki Choclat, the austere garments by Jolier, the beautiful shirts and bags by First Crush , the urban basics by Hankala, the romantic women and girls’ wear by UK based Minna , the environmental sensibility of LUOMU and vitidesign.fi, the minimalist chic by Camilla Mikama, the crafty clothes by Sanna Rinne , and the industrious recycling of second hand men’s suits and coats by Taina Laaksonen .
Finally, I would like to make special mention to a few designers that I particularly appreciated for their work and communicative abilities: Marita Huurinainen may have a difficult name for some to pronounce, however, her work is an ode to simplicity and poetic elegance. Huurinainen designs mostly for women, but she also produces a very artful collection of men shirts. Then her WAVE shoes have an endless potential for variation and are playful in their minimalism (www.maritadesign.com).
Polish Laskowscy Design with their furniture was an injection of freshness and colour for the interior and exterior space.
Their stools/tables "melting2 on the floor were looking just great (www.laskowscydesign.pl). Laskowscy Design was presented by the design shop and events’ organiser www.madeby.fi; madeby’s Jukka is a skilful communicator.
I liked Lizza Arela’s mature fashion statement: simple forms in soft knits; I guess experience talks plenty here (www.arelalizza.fi). A nice encounter was the people behind the work by Selki FABRIK (www-selkifabrik.fi). Hanna Kurkela and Dmitry Lebedev have created selki fabrik specialising in millinery and knitted accessories. Their printed hats and colourful patterned scarves were instant eye catchers. I assure you, the quality was phenomenal. Last but not least, Janne Lax’s shoes for his brand St.Vacant (www.saintvacant.com) were one of my happiest discoveries in design market.
Janne has learnt the art of shoe making by been an apprentice at a craftsman shoe maker, and now he runs his own growing company. St Vacant shoes are produced in fine leathers, and a classic-with-a- twist attitude.
I would like to send my best wishes for success to all the designers; especially those I don’t mention above. It is impossible to do justice to so much talent and hard work present at Helsinki Design Market 2010.
Michail Galanakis
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