The Opening of First Crush and Belle Modeste Store

First Crush and Belle Modeste have opened together a store in the Design District in Merimiehenkatu 18. First Crush is a design brand with an innovative concept: the designer Mari Himmanen uses recycled paper to create wonderful design bags. Belle Modeste is a corset boutique that designs and creates unique made-to-measure corsetry and evening wear. They also sell vintage-style lingerie and corset accessories. Now both the brands sell their products in the same store.

The opening party was held last Friday in the new store.

Lovely friends of First Crush's Mari Himmanen

The beautiful shop owners: Mari-Pilvi Junikka of Belle Modeste and Mari Himmanen of First Crush

The Shop Window

The Product Range in the Store

First Crush does bags and accessories from recycled paper. You can bring your own special paper to Mari, and she'll turn it into a bag. Then you can carry your personal memories with you where ever you go! Mari had also made beautiful fashionable women's shirts  from recycled mens shirts. They match perfectly with belts made of paper. The earrings complete the look.

Belle Modeste's product reange consists mostly of made-to-measure design wear. On the shop window there was one adorable example of their high-quality corset and evening wear making. You can also find vintage-style ready-to-wear lingerie in Belle Modeste's product range. The shop also sells Humbugi's accessories made of recycled leather and other vintage-style accessories.

Don't Forget!

There are some opening campaigns this week, so hurry so that you won't miss them! Visit the store before Nov 20th to benefit from the campaigns.

First Crush offers you all special ordered paper design products without extra costs (normally they cost 10-20 % extra).

Belle Modeste offers neck corsets in the price of 30 € (55 €) and they also provide a free under tube if you order a new corset in th eopening week.

Creative Space of Madeby - Catwalk 2010

Creative Space by Madeby was a fashion show of an internet store Madeby (http://www.madeby.fi/) held on Sat 28/08 in the Cable Factory in Helsinki. This was Madeby's first fashion show ever, and the idea was created by Maria Krajewska, the founder of Madeby. Madeby sells design products of many Finnish designers, and the idea to present them all together on a catwalk was brilliant. The design and styling of the show was done by Tiina Palm (http://www.tiinapalm.com/).

Antti Asplund

Antti Asplund's designs were once again surprising and creative. His designs have always a story to tell. As a designer Antti Asplund has a courage to impress himself and go over boundaries with his own unique style. This time Antti Asplund's designs were inspired by kites. The collection's feeing was sensitive, naive and lighweight both in materials and in colours.

Marita Huurinainen & First Crush

Marita Huurinainen's Poems' collection's elegant silk and wool blend fashion garments were presented togenther with First Crush's beautiful bags. Marita Huurinainen's designs (http://www.maritadesign.com/) were very feminine and modern. The silk fabric moved beautifuly as the models walked down the runway. Together with the lovely First Crush bags (http://www.firstcrush.fi/) they formed a very stylish pair.

 

Did you also pay attention to the shoes on the models? Marita Huurinainen's Wave shoes combine Finnish woodcraft tradition to a modern form!

Jolier & Kaipaus

Jolier's (http://www.jolier.fi/) reversitable dresses and Kaipaus' jewellery (http://www.kaipaus.com/) formed another strong union. Jolier dresses and other garments have the idea that one garment cand be formed to many styles. A long dress can be turned into shorter, and some of the garments can be turned inside out. My new favourite Jolier is now the one on the big image below. It's made of silk, and it can be worn as a long or shorter hem and sleeve. Can't wait for these to come to the stores next spring!

Kaipaus is a jewellery brand. Kaipaus jewellery was orn on the idea that we miss the scent of the ones we love. The jewellery uses nanoscience technology to keep a scent in the jelellery for up to four weeks!

Deadbirds & Lionheart

Deadbirds & Lionheart showed a strong and positive but maybe not very solid collection. Some garments were based on powerful patterns, others on detailed tailoring. We saw four different combinations on the catwalk:

Tyra Therman & I Made This

Tyra Therman's underwear are contemporary and somehow androgyne. They play with the idea of transparency and covering. I made this jewellery has a matching modern look, again a perfect pair on the runway.

Awe & Tanja Kurittu

Awe's designs (http://www.awe.fi/index1.html) was a positive new discovery for me. The brand was started up on 2009. I found the designs to be sporty and feminine at the same time, I liked the look even though it's not quite my personal style. And to me, the materials looked very good on quality. The jewellery on the models are designed by Tanja Kurittu.

And last but not least:

Please meet stylish Jaakko Laurila presenting his new Aki Choklat shoes!