Helsinki calling...

Niko Mitrunen was born in Helsinki, Finland in 1982 and developed a passionate interest in photography around the age of 18 and started assisting photographers in Helsinki.

However he quickly decided the photography market in finland was just too small and moved to London, where he continued to assist and do retouching work for the next 5 years. he has worked with dozens of Londons leading fashion, advertising and music photographers including Julian Broad, Ben Dunbar-Brunton, Kai Z Feng, Rick Guest, Elisabeth Hoff on shoots for publications such as British and Chinese Vogue, Vanity Fair and the Sunday Times.

He has finally found the time to start shooting for himself and got his own studio in east London and is concentrating his work into shooting fashion and music.

2. Milan Fashion Week: Fun, fun, fun with Cavalli and Moschino

By Katie Wright

2. Milan Fashion Week: Fun, fun, fun with Cavalli and Moschino


The major fashion houses of Italy are not renowned for their ability to make fun of themselves, but two diffusion lines on show this week look like they're actually trying to bring smiles to the faces on the front row.

Just Cavalli has always been a bit like the goofy younger sister of the grown-up Cavalli label. Pasting an 'I've just been touched by Cavalli' slogan on the front of the opening look certainly suggested a designer indulging his slightly twisted sense of humour. This kind of self-referential fun will no doubt appeal to JC's clearly defined target audience - carefree affluent young things will love the twenties-via-seventies flapper dresses.


Flower power ruled at Moschino Cheap & Chic, in the form of inverted daisy sun hats, big floral prints and sure to be a sell-out flower-shaped sunglasses. More sixties influence was evident in the slogans (the likes of 'peace,' 'amore' and 'shocking'), but this was no Active Resistance-style rebellion. A goose-emblazoned dress epitomised the overall mood - kooky and fun.

1. Milan Fashion Week

By Katie Wright

1. Milan Fashion Week: Taking a trip with Dolce and Gabbana and Prada

Escapism is always a word bandied around in the fashion press whenever the economy is suffering. Judging by some of the early shows this could be on the mind of designers in Milan too.

After a few seasons where the spotlight has been on gala-worthy gowns, Dolce and Gabbana are on a denim kick once more. The only thing missing from these looks was a Stetson: saloon singer skirt ruffles, brown suede minidresses and denim shirts a-plenty proclaimed that we had entered Marlboro country - D&G style. Can you say 'cowgirl chic'?

Prada

Starting with the first dozen or so sharply-lined looks in somber slate grey, the departure mid-show at Prada was quite literal - far away holiday destinations (desert landscapes, thronging beaches and oases) appeared on silk tunic dresses, skirts and slouchy boxer shorts. Can't afford a mid-recession holiday? Let a piece of Prada transport you away.

Last days of London round-up

By Katie Wright

Last days of London round-up

Here’s a round up of the last couple of days of London: a dozen designers, presented roughly on a scale from amaaaazing to so-so.

MARIOS SCHWAB: Love this idea – 3 pieces per look create vertical triptychs. How much fun would it be to mix and match?

RICHARD NICHOLL: This is what would result if those tasselled Grandma lampshades were transfigured into clothes – and I mean that in a REALLY good way. A very strong collection.

JONATHAN SAUNDERS: The word ‘insouciance’ springs to mind - probably because of the loose fits and just-got-out-of-the-shower hair.

PETER PILOTTO: This dress reminds me of a parrot. In a really good way.

MATTHEW WILLIAMSON: Flouncy dresses, long or short, sharply accessorised = an impeccable formula.

TOPSHOP UNIQUE: I think this is the best raincoat I’ve ever seen, worn by my fave model Tao Okamoto. And quite by chance she looks equally amazing in that clingfilm-tight dress, my other favourite from the show.

ERDEM: A plethora of f-words: floral, flirty, feminine, florid…

NICOLE FARHI: Chances are, you’re gonna look fat in any of these pieces.

TODD LYNN: I’m a bit obsessed with grey. So ensembles of a ton of different shades should make me happy. But all the layers make it a bit wintery.

PAUL SMITH WOMEN: Predictably superb tailoring, but what is up with those hideous piles of pattern that comprise anything that wasn’t a suit?

PRINGLE: Pale and uninteresting sums it up.

TWENTY8TWELVE: Yawn. Seen it all before. And the swimwear is particularly poor.

Two amazing ladies - LFW

By Katie Wright

Ah Luella, goddess of the ladylike-with-a-hint-of-punk aesthetic, how I adore just about everything you do…

Take note Luellettes, from head to toe, spring’s ladypunk will be sporting: 1. a beehive with a big bow 2. a ton of bold eye shadow 3. a tulip-shaped coat/dress in block colour/spots 4. a patent handbag that the Queen would approve of, except bigger 5. court shoes with little flowers on. Done.

Ah St Vivienne of Westwood, how your flame-red halo guides us like a beacon in a sea of Uggs, latex tights and babydoll dress. But must you really insist on using whichever Geldof daughter it is you favour at the moment to model your Red Label? Luckily it would take a lot more to detract from the riot of Mary Poppinses, pyjama-clad bandits, devil-horned ladies and other crazy characters all fashioned with the same unmistakeable Westwood flair. Bravo.

Safari, supermodels, strangeness

By Katie Wright

Jaeger London is supposed to have had a youthful resurgence of late, since that promotional Midas, Kate Moss, wore one of their blouses a while ago. I’m not convinced that there’s that much to entice the under-35s. I did like the overall slouchy kind of YSL safari vibe tho.

Issa had possibly the best model line up of the week. Coco, Chanel (see what I did there?), Iekeline, and even Naomi. There may have been some clothes on show too.

I wish there were more words that meant androgynous. Transgender doesn’t really help when trying to describe a collection that encapsulates ridiculously wide-skirted dresses, fisherman-wader-overalls and a frankly mental tangerine dream (below right). What are you on, Charles Anastase?

This Jasmine de Milo t-shirt made me laugh. Shame the rest of her stuff was a bit WAGgy.

Battle of the Boys - LFW

By Katie Wright

Christopher Kane took London by storm in 2007 and has been impressively consistent ever since. Did he maintain that momentum for Spring ’10? Why, yes he did. Kane’s genius lies in the way he takes a starting point and builds a collection around it that veers off-piste in just the right quantities. The starting point here was religious cultism and Lolita, apparently. Cue tablecloth-check dresses slit up both thighs; baby- pink and blue chiffon overlays; and high necklines. Where tailoring featured it was decidedly mannish. There was also a dose of corset/bust detailing that’s been quite prevalent elsewhere this week.


Henry Holland is another hot young thing that took London by storm with his first collection, and unfortunately that’s where the favourable comparison ends. House of Holland usually featured a starting point (slogans, spots, stripes) that is stuck to religiously but this time round there’s a hotchpotch of ideas that don’t make a coherent whole. To be fair to the lad, the very literal ‘house’ prints are cute, but the denim is too much like prison uniform, complete with electric chair straps. Instead of looking to the future, this collection screams now.