On the Street. Young Hero, Fredrikinkatu, Helsinki.

Now what do you know! It is predicted that snow is landing to Helsinki this evening. Brrr. We must release this young hero to make his walk on the runway of Fredrikinkatu of Helsinki. Namely, that was the feeling, when he walked towards me on the street a grim expression on his face. Eyes nailed straight ahead.

I haven’t participated in Inktober movement this October because absolute lack of time. You know, the idea to send an ink drawing to Instagram on a daily basis in October.  As a little compensation this illustration is done with ink only. Suits well to the darkness of this character.

Draw a Dot. Iris van Herpen Haute Couture Fall 2016 Fashion Illustration.

Here is my submission to Draw A Dot Instagram open call to make an fashion illustration of Iris van Herpen Haute Couture fall 2016 collection.

My imagination connects Iris van Herpen fashion to submarine world. I could have picked any of the costumes and pair it to different submarine elements, like squid, corals, mussels, different species of fishes, fish fins, sea waves breakers and breathing bubbles.

This particular dress reminds me of Lionfish. The strange striped beauty. By the time I painted this I didn’t know the problems that the Lionfish is causing in the ecosystem nowadays. It is venomous and it has spread to large areas that it has not lived before. Therefor it changes the ecosystem in those new areas to unwanted direction.

What has this Lionfish to do in my Draw A Dot submission to draw Iris van Herpen Haute Couture fall 2016 fashion illustration? For the sake of it’s odd beauty. But now in this new light the thing is more complicated.

But Iris, believe me, I don’t mean by this, that your fashion creations have spread too wide. Please keep on imagining your wonderful 3D printed Haute Couture wonders.

* * *
More info about the situation in Mediterranean Sea. By Oceana.
Are Lionfish set for a Mediterranean invasion? 

Iris van Herpen website

Draw A Dot. Christopher Kane SS 2016 Fashion Illustration.

This lady is my submission for Draw A Dot Open Call to draw something from Christopher Kane SS 2016 collection. This time I chose to make paper cut illustration.

In Instagram you can check hashtag  #DrawADotChristopherKane to see all submissions.

The problem with me as illustrator seems to be that I always want to experiment with different materials and drawing techniques. I look at the subject and then decide what is the best fit to it. The negative side is that there is no signature style in my illustrations. But never mind, drawing should be fun. And sure it is!

Catwalk. Prada ss 2016 Fineliner Pen Illustrations.

In Instagram Draw A Dot challenge for April was to draw something of Prada SS 2016 collection. This time I took simple fineliner pens and just started drawing starting with a dot. No sketching, just  drawing. After all I didn't have time to send these to challenge. But I don't mind, drawing is always fun.

In Instagram the hashtag is #drawadotprada to see all the submissions of the subject.

Catwalk. Chanel Haute Couture SS 2016.

Yet another Chanel Haute Couture ss 2016 fashion illustration. Made with ink and a spice of watercolor. Those phone cases on hips could be handy. A nice diy-project perhaps?

Draw A Dot. Chanel Spring 2016 Haute Couture.

Hello there! This illustration is the one I made for Draw A Dot March 2016 fashion illustration challenge. It’s the first time I take part in this playful contest. This illustration is made with pastel chalks. The topic was to draw something from Chanel Spring 2016 Haute Couture collection. On Instagram the hashtag to watch is #drawadotchanel

This challenge is all right for me. You know, I am a fan of Chanel’s ability to paint different scenery in front of us in the fashion Show. At Chanel they know how to tell stories through set piece. Those visual stories stay in mind and sure build the customer relationship with the brand in memorable way.

Let's share some links:
Link to Spring-Summer 2016 CHANEL Haute Couture Show.
If you want to know more about the Draw A Dot concept.
Next illustration challenge is already on the air. It’s Instagram Open Call Prada SS 2016 collection.
My Instagram @sanna_pyykko

Catwalk. Mary Katrantzou, Fall Winter 2016.

Thanks to Instagram I have found new inspiring fashion labels. Like Mary Katrantzou that attended to London Fashion Week with her fall winter 2016 collection. Open-minded pattern combinations always attract my visual eye. Feels like Wild West Cowboys and Matryoshkas have given hi five in this collection.

Sphinx Pinastri And Yohji Yamamoto FW 2015

Here we go with another nature summer story. On first few days at summer cottage I picked up a doormat before the external stairs to shake all the needles and other debris away. When I lifted the doormat I noticed a butterfly pupa below it. The insect larva had found a safe place to spend undisturbed winter time.

Pupa is extremely interesting to watch. The form is pure beauty. So we placed this Sphinx pinastri pupa (Pine hawk-moth) to veranda in an open box in hopes to see the transform to a butterfly. It took only few days when I realised that a pine hawk-moth was crawling it’s way out from the wintertime shelter. In this point the wings of a butterfly are only tiny piles of crinkle. We helped our guest pine hawk-moth to hang on to nearby geranium. There it started pumping the wings open ready to fly on.

When it was ready we took it outside hanging to pine trunk and start the living in a new beautiful form.

On last post I told you how one outfit from Yohji Yamamoto’s FW 2015 collection paired well together with one nature impression. Again I find Sphinx pinastri pupa feeling in this outfit. The model feels like pine hawk-moth when it cracks the way out from the pupa. Ready to take a new form.

Bat in Daylight And Yohji Yamamoto, FW 2015

Let me tell you a little story. This year I’m spending my summer holiday just like the Finnish cottage-life was described in last but one blogpost. That is close to the nature cottage life. Close to the nature means – besides woods, sea, plants and flowers – also seeing animals that don’t hang around Helsinki City streets.

The whole June in Finland was cold and rainy. When we started our holiday the situation was still like that until July started and the sun came along. On the first sunny day I encountered a surprising view above my head.

A small bat flew around, round and round on sunny blue sky above open courtyard. Bats usually start their flying and insect hunt when night falls. Apparently the cold beginning of the summer had been very meager food and sudden heat had increased the number of insects dramatically. The little bat had thought like ”Oh what the heck, day or night, I’m HUNGRY!” And started the hunting in pure daylight.

So I went to lie down on the courtyard staring the little bat flying skillful curves in the air in front of my eyes. Rare and beautiful sight.

Lately I browsed through Vogue Collections FW 2015 -magazine in grocery store. By the way, the layout had been changed more magazine-like instead of old catalog-style. I wasn’t too happy about the change so as a silent protest I didn’t buy the Vogue. Anyway in my retina was left a photo of Yohji Yamamoto’s FW 2015 collection.

Afterward I headed my way to Style.com and Yohji Yamamoto’s FW 2015 collection and – tadaa – there it was, a perfect match for the little bat in the air. The hemline feels like opened bat wings. Hands gathered as hanging bat does while sleeping. Rare and beautiful this one too.

Catwalk. Belt Ideas for SS 2015.

Looking through the Vogue SS2015 catalog I found some nice ideas for the belt as accessory. Dior had leather belts with whip-like tail. Saint Laurent had this red wide front tie belt. Especially in summer it is easy to alter the look of simple one color dress with using different types of belts.

Finnish designer Jukka Rintala had a little same kind on front tie belt in his collection last summer. It had borrowed the appearance of men in tuxedo belt. Although the feeling was way more feminine. In this case the belt strips are knotted in a bow tie.

This kind of cloth belt could be made as a diy-project. To measure the right length you can use a long rope or ribbon that it would go twice round the body plus the length that the bow tie needs.

Catwalk. Marni Spring Summer 2015.

This time I turned to a Vogue SS 2015 catalog to find something nice to draw. In Marni SS 2015 collection was these long black belts that made a good effect to the whole outfit. Somehow this lady seems utmost determined and powerful. The effect springs from the belt.

How come? Fashion designers seek for inspiration from many sources. Past decades, films, literature, architecture, an ethnic group, nation, flora and fauna, some have a specific muse that inspires. Ways are many. I find it amusing try to identify the original inspiration of some collection. Looking at Marni SS 2015 collection my mind turns to eastern martial arts like jujutsu and such.

The idea of oversized simple belt made of cloth is easily done as a DIY-project. In that case it would be unnecessary to stick in black colour. For example this long belt made of denim would make different feeling.

Seasons. Happy New Year With Céline, SS 2015.

New Year 2015 arrives in pure white. Pierrot the Clown was the first impression of this Céline SS 2015 look. White overall with a row of black buttons. C'mon. It simply cried for the pierrot -makeup and -hat as accessory.

I wish a Happy New Year to everybody!

Catwalk. In the Footsteps of Vasarely, Valentino FW 2014.

Few weeks ago I visited Emma, Espoo Museum of Modern Art. There is a nice little exhibition of Victor Vasarely (1906-1997) going on. Vasarely is the guy who was a pioneer of optical art. His artwork has influenced strongly to fashion of 60’s.

Even in today we can see some echoes of that period. Valentino FF 2014 is a lovely sample of this. The fantastic patterns really get noticed.

If you are heading to Emma and Vasarely as well, I recommend to look at the documentary films also. That certainly gives some more value to the exhibition experience.

At some point Vasarely was very systematic while planning his artwork. He had some 15 different shapes, with which he was able to create endlessly number of new artworks. He made the models in small scale at his desk and the assistants painted the final huge paintings. Vasarely had the design roots in Bauhaus. So the mass production was a natural choice to him. He pointed the idea that art belongs to people.

It was funny how the surroundings of city of Helsinki started look like pure Vasarely after the experience. The big office buildings with glass walls with thousand little square windows reflecting the light are so Vasarely.

Vasarely actually dreamed of cities that would have been covered with his artwork. Large scale. One huge house wall, one huge circle in the center. Next huge wall, next huge circle. And the same course like the whole city. Not a bad dreamer, I think.

The official artist website of Victor Vasarely you can find here:
http://www.vasarely.com

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. Women's Day Special with Rick Owens SS2014.

When I first saw the photos of Rick Owens SS 2014 runway show, the photos beat me to the punch. And I couldn't stop grinning. I was so pleased to see these women's angry expressions, in their eyes and faces. The pictures predicted that there was something more to see and when I saw the choreography of the fashion show in YouTube, electricity run along my backbone.

Strong expression in choreography, shouting, energy, vicious faces. All this gave me a message that these women were so sick of whatever it was and they have had enough and they wouldn't take it anymore! It's time to move forward all sisters together. And in the wold today, this is so true. The feminist in me was so happy.

Runway shows and fashion magazines determines strongly the way we see beauty. Skinny models are the norm. So it was very refreshing to see Rick Owens' out-of-the-standard models. This was a radical move in the context of fashion show. Stretching the limits. Thank you Rick Owens!

It is true that women have a reason to be angry.

I don't know whether there is a single country in the world that could be considered totally equal for men and women. Even in countries such as Finland, which seems to be very equal, fact is that women earn less than men for the same work. A man's euro is woman's 78 cents. Constantly, although this has been the issue as long as I can remember.

But this is just a little sorrow compared to bad treatment that some of our little sisters get to experience.

Think about the young girls that are forced to marry with adult men and the tragedies where it leads. Think about female circumcision, which occurs in the name of tradition. So many unnecessary tears.

But I'm happy that there is also bright spots on the horizon.  Education is a way to better life. Despite this fact, going to school is not self evident to all girls. But then there is this Malala Movement, a global movement whose primary goal is to ensure that every girl in the world has access to the educational opportunities they deserve. This movement builds a better future for tomorrows women. Malala herself is one of them in just 16 years of age. If you want to read her story, you can visit The Malala Fund website.

In this Woman's Day I'm suggesting that women would start supporting strongly each other. Give Applause to a Woman Each and Every Day! Give positive feedback to your sisters, fellows and relatives, your boss, your teammates, or whoever you think is worth it. So girls  – and why not men as well – just remember to use your voice.

As an inspiration I'm linking the mentioned Rick Owens -show Spring 2014 Womenswear in Paris here. Enjoy your day!

Catwalk. Dreaming of Summer with Suno SS 2014.

 

 Now is the time that it is not totally desperate to start dreaming about summer. The sun has shown itself a few times quite promisingly and temperatures seem to stay above zero permanently. So I took the pastels and dreamed of summer with Suno 2014 spring/summer collection. Especially I find this silhouette with wide sleeves and flying hem so summery.

Follow Flash For Zonzon, Good Idea!

Hooray, at long last I have had the spirit to build a bunch of ways to follow Flash For Zonzon. If you like the content of this blog, why not pick up the way that best suits for you.

Now there is a brand new Facebook-page. You can find there links to the new posts and sometimes there is some pick-ups from previous content too. And the hostess is already waiting you there. Off you go to Flash For Zonzon Facebook-page.

If you hang around Twitter a lot, maybe you start following @FFZonzon. You'll be alerted of the new posts there.

Google+ -page is another option. Flash For Zonzon has a page of it's own there. Flash For Zonzon Google+ -page.

Maybe the most convenient way to follow Flash For Zonzon would be the good old email. You can order this blog delivered right to your inbox. Like a post from a friend.

On Pinterest I have gathered boards that interest me in the point of view graphic designer, illustrator, street style lover, circus fan, Helsinki citizen, etc. There is also a nice board of Fashion Illustration. Check my Pinerest-account if you need some inspiration. At least these pins work in such way to me.

And the list doesn't stop here. Oh no. Yeah, we have Flash For Zonzon in Bloglovin and Blogilista for my Finnish friends.

If you have found a new favorite RSS-reader after they buried the Google Reader, go for it!

Then there is this community in web, IFB, International Fashion Bloggers. I'm posting my links there too, if I remember…

Boy, now this blog is everywhere!
It will be fun to see what kind of interaction with readers there is going to be using these tools. I'm curious to see it. And finally, thank you my readers for being there with me.

Happy Midsummer With Oscar de la Renta, ss 2013.

Oscar de la Renta SS 2013 black and white striped long dress is the one that I choose to have in my  Midsummer party here at Flash For Zonzon. I thought that the model would enjoy  a little stroll in Finnish birch forest. Can you hear birds singing?
I wish you all Happy Midsummer!

Catwalk. Good Solutions for Bad Hair Day, SS 2013.

 

Hi everybody! The Summer has finally arrived in Helsinki. Ooh, the sweet sunshine and warmth. We have been waiting but now it's time to enjoy the best of this summer season.

When days get really hot it's nice to tie the hair off your neck. Also, if you happen to have a bad hair day, the best solution is to tie the hair in ponytail or bun. In catwalks of SS 2013 we saw some ideas how to embellish or help you to forget the whole hair mess.

I like a lot the idea of Dolce & Gabbana SS 2013. Bun first, then tie silk scarf around your head. Girly and elegant. 

Max Mara SS 2013 presented another solution that is handy for bad hair day. All you need is a tube scarf of right color and you are salon operating at once.

Also Marc by Marc Jacobs used head scarves in his SS 2013 collection. I loved the way he combined the different patterns with each other. Here we saw that a scarf is a very variable accessory. You can bind your summer dress with scarf of protect your head from the burning the sun or cover your neck and shoulders.

 I sure am a scarf person as my mother is. Back in the 70's when I was kid, the use of head scarves was a kind of fashion. My mother also tied a white scarf around her head. It became a little turban-like result. Then she felt to be very stylish, as she was. But then a neighbor's child commented whether our mother hurt her head.

Well, let's say it may lead to misunderstandings if you are the true pioneer in fashion.

Happy Chinese New Year with Gucci SS 2013.

 

Chinese New Year has been celebrated during this weekend in Helsinki. Yesterday we had a nice little festival in the center of Helsinki with beautiful red lanterns, fireworks and gentle snowfall. In the Chinese calendar, the year ahead will be a year of snake.

We are celebrating Chinese New Year here at Flash For Zonzon with the most snaky look from spring summer 2013 catwalks. This Gucci-look has a wonderful snakeskin pattern in the top. Very elegant and not at all attacking.