On the Street. Tones of Blue Denim, Lauttasaari, Helsinki.

I have encountered this older gentleman on the street about ten times during the last few months. Every single time he has the same uniform, jeans and a denim shirt with a short vizor cap. Only the tones of blue denim vary. This denim look with wide pant cuffs could be from the era hundred years ago. So classic.

Blue denim is a wonderful material. I'm just wondering how does his wardrobe look like. A pile of denim shirts in slightly different shades of blue, pile of blue jeans, white T-shirts as undershirts. No worries what to wear. Casual and cozy. Easy as breathing.

Midsummer with Ralph Lauren SS 2014.

 

 Midsummer in Finland is magical time. The magic comes from sun that doesn't set. People gather together to cottage houses and Midsummer bonfire. Accordion music plays and birch trees are the greenest.

Ralph Lauren SS 2014 wonderful green dress would be perfect celebrating the Midsummer. At least somewhere else than Finland in this summer. Temperature in June has been so cold that it actually feels more like autumn than summer. But never mind, we still have some hopes for the summer in July.

Meanwhile we are waiting for the summer warmth there is good time to do some Midsummer Magic tonight. In old times people performed a lot of magic spells during midsummer. Many spells related to the prospective spouse's prediction. And many spells were performed naked. In this case, however, you can keep your clothes upon you.

Midsummer's Eve. Pick seven flowers. Put them under your pillow. When you sleep  you will have dreams of your future husband.

Other Midsummer spells you can read in this Wikipedia Juhannustaika -article (sorry, in Finnish only).

Disclaimer: The news told afterwards that this midsummer in Finland has been the coldest in thirteen years.

Seasons. June, Helsinki Samba Carnaval 2014.

 

Here we go again! I mean a week ago was the time and place for annual happening Helsinki Samba Carnaval. This starts to be a tradition here at Flash For Zonzon to make some illustration notes of the wonderful parade. This is the Part 3 in a row.

The above is the set, which I think was one of the finest this year. I don't know how the caravan goes in Rio Carnaval, but in Helsinki it uses man power.

The baianas with their wide hem are always as beautiful. Love their rotating choreography. These baianas costumes had the two favorite things of my. These are the big bows and stripes. Black and red stripes in this case.

 

Marvelous costumes are the biggest fun in the parade. One can just imagine how many hours are spent in making them. Costumes have been thought to the last detail. This year we saw a lot of football-inspired costumes probably because of The 2014 FIFA Wold Cup, a tournament for the men's football world championship, that is currently taking place in Brasil.

Besides feathers and footballs, we saw this hummingbird costume. Very glam rock and like David Bowie in 70's. Trailers have the support poles, so that the dancers keep the ride over rough cobbled streets of Helsinki.

Dance makes one thirsty. So along the way is the maintenance staff in the presence backpacks full of water bottles. Relief to the thirsty dancer is always close by. And then the dancing continues with a smile.

If you would like to check up the two previous Helsinki Samba Carnaval -posts is in Flash For Zonzon, here are the links:

Halsinki Samba Carnaval 2012
Halsinki Samba Carnaval 2013

On the Street. Summer Man with Marine Cap, Helsinki.

 

 This particular look with marine cap is hip and pop in Helsinki streets right now. Another variation on this style is with blue and white striped long sleeve T-shirt. The pants are alternatively jeans or khaki pants. But the leg cuffs are wrapped in both cases for sure.

On the Street. Resembling Little My, Lauttasaari, Helsinki.

In Finland last Saturday was the endpoint to this school year. The kids get their school certificates and freedom from school begins, lasting two and a half moths. It's the point when people dress up. I saw this little angry fashionista in my daughter's prize day. Little girls are shameless in showing their moods. This contrast is juicy.

She is certainly one character that Tove Jansson would have been interested in. At least to me she looks like relative to Little My.

Right now we are having a wonderful exhibition of Tove Jansson at Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki, to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Tove Jansson (1914–2001). Many of us know her art from Moomin characters and stories. But in this exhibition there is so much more: paintings, murals, political caricatures, films, 3D tableaus of Moomin scenes. And of course the original ink drawings of Moomin-books.

Also, to celebrate this anniversary, a special the "Tove 100" website is open. If you can't come to Helsinki, there is several happenings concerning Tove around the world this year. Check up the Calendar section from the website.

It is funny that even though the exhibition has a huge amount of artwork, the one picture that stays in my mind is a little drawing of a little girl that walks crocodile twice her size. A thin rope is between the two.

Finnhits. Ahonen & Lamberg at Design Forum Showroom.

Right now we are having an exhibition of Finnish Graphic Designer of the Year 2014 in Helsinki at Design Forum Showroom. Flash For Zonzon wants to celebrate this occasion by making an fictional portrait of the powerful team of two creative women Ahonen & Lamberg.

Their company is based in Paris but as they say the tradition and values in Finnish design shows in their work. You know the clean lines, Scandinavian design etc. Also they do design symbiotically bouncing ideas between them. If one runs out of energy momentarily, the other takes over. There is a good point in this. We don't need to compete with colleagues but better encourage them, right?

What makes their work extra interesting is that they are very much working in the field of fashion. Just check up their website ahonenandlamberg.com

Now if you hang around Helsinki their exhibition is still open until 8.6.2014 at  Design Forum Showroom (Erottajankatu 9 B). Also, I should hurry in there next week!