IVANAhelsinki (Helsinki, Finland)

While most designers (and shoppers) tend to gravitate towards darker colors and a more muted palette during the winter months, bright hues and/or patterns tend to do the best job of cheering you up when skies are gray. I'm incredibly wary and very picky about prints and the colors I choose to wear, but when done right, the perfect combination of both can lead to a timeless piece you'll treasure forever. IVANAhelsinki, like most Scandinavian brands, shows a love for quirky prints, structured silhouettes and cheerful accessories. But it's the perfect blend of cute, cool and avant-garde that makes the designs more wearable and stylish. It would explain why this was and still is the only Finnish brand to have ever presented at Paris Fashion Week. All I know is that after plodding through the freezing cold of Helsinki last December, the flagship boutique provided a very welcome retreat, where adorable dresses and edgy structured coats made me forget all about the depressing cold climate.

Looks from the FW09 'Star Rain' collection (images: IVANAhelsinki). Click to enlarge.

Paula Ivana Suhonen started the label together with her sister Pirjo in 1998. Originally conceived to be an art project (and she still refers to IVANAhelsinki as an 'art brand'), it represents what she calls 'Fennofolk' - a combination of 'Slavic melancholy and pure Scandinavian mood with white arctic summer nights and endless winter sadness'. If you hadn't noticed by now, this is a label for dreamers - those who love moonlit skies, champagne and butterflies, but also take road trips on their motorbikes, run off to the circus and fall in love with the wrong guy, i.e. a girly girl at heart who also likes to live on the edge. It's not surprising that many of the pieces are inspired by Northern legends and sagas, dark tales or even the cinema. Suhonen herself has developed everything from prints and graphics (she has created designs for big companies like HP or Google) to short movies and anything else in the visual arts category. With high ethical and ecological principles, all pieces are made in workshops throughout Finland, with a focus on traditional handmade details where possible.

The printed sharp-shouldered dress (left) and glitzy stars in the window (right).

Overview of the ground floor space (left) and accessories on the center table (right).

The store tends to reflect the theme of the current collection. In this case the FW09 collection titled 'Star Rain' was represented by a very eye catching window display which featured disco ball stars and a cute sharp-shouldered print dress. The first example of a piece that fuses a charming pattern with tailoring that is a little more cutting edge. The boutique itself may seem small at first glance, but comprises of two floors. The ground level proved that Nordic design isn't just about prints. An entire wall displayed nothing but blacks and blues... in some cases the prints featured were very toned-down (such as the navy stars on a black background as seen in the collage) or completely non-existent, as was the case with the ruched black dresses and structured coats.

If you're not a fan of prints, don't worry... entire racks were filled with black, blue and cream pieces (left). Star print coin purses and cute key chains (right).

The more colorful items on the other side of the room (left), a matryoshka print scarf and gold button cardigan (right).

Details such as golden buttons on chunky knit cardigans or statement belts adorned a few outfits, adding a little extra to a look. For more accessories, a large table in the center showcased purses with a bird pattern, matryoshka doll tights or reflective Bambi key chains. The midnight blue walls meant to represent the starry sky added a nice touch.

The FW09 collection in the basement.

Runway pics in a makeshift lookbook (left) and more purses (right).

The basement is where most of the FW09 collection could be found and if you missed out on Chanel or YSL's star prints a few seasons ago, this is the best place to get a less costly alternative. Gold stars could be found on ruffled navy denim dresses, silver ones on oversized t-shirts, and smaller ones on knit skirts or asymmetric large-shouldered outfits. In some cases the print was very subtle, in others it was bold enough to make a statement. The beauty of these clothes was that the prints never looked old-fashioned or outdated - mainly because they were done right, but also because the tailoring was so modern, the clothes couldn't possible look too quaint.

Cardboard stars added to the FW theme, while a TV showed short movies (left) and more accessories, incl. scarves and tights.

Bright reds mingled with purples, blues and greens. There was a lot of black and gray as well, and half the collection lacked any pattern or featured embroidery. Knits were prominently displayed, and anyone who missed out on the IVANAhelsinki @ Topshop collection two years ago, can do some catching up now. Items that at first glance may seem boring, revealed an intricate knit pattern or a hidden ruffle. Always feminine, but never dull... and definitely the perfect pieces to put a smile on your face during the winter period.

Star prints dominated many of the items, but there were also plenty of simple knits and block colors.

For more inspiration, a large binder highlighting images of the FW09 show could be found in the center and a TV in the corner showed a few short movies inspired by the current collection (this can also be viewed on the homepage). Before leaving, I also spied a few of the more regular FW trends, including beige and black houndstooth knits. Only a few SS10 pieces were available for viewing at the time: the 'Leaving Circus' collection included turquoise and pink graphic prints, orange skirts with a horse pattern, purple playsuits, airy LBDs and sparkly tops.

Soft knits, some printed (right), others a little more subtle (left) against a gilded brick wall.

I couldn't find any stockist information on the official homepage, but supposedly the collections are available in select outlets worldwide and the official homepage comes with a small online boutique. A few other online stores have a small range available as well (e.g. Belinka, The Moon & Mars or Huset-Shop). Of course visiting the actual boutique is always recommended - I can only imagine how fun the current circus theme would look like...

Looks from the SS10 'Leaving Circus' collection, complete with scary clown eye-makeup (images: IVANAhelsinki).

Address: Uudenmaankatu 15, 00100 Helsinki
Opening Hrs: Mon-Fri: 11:00-19:00, Sat: 11:00-16:00
IVANAhelsinki Homepage & Online-Shop