#handmade Archives - L'ART OF FASHIONL'ART OF FASHION

Rowan essentials

August 4, 2020

(NEST Helsinki)

Rowan essentials – the final designer name in trinity of NEST Helsinki shop. Just like with the Nest Factory and LuluRox jewellery I’m proudly presenting you all what you would need as a first time mom or simply just a mom who has small kids and wants the best materials to be on the skin of the little ones.

Behind Rowan Essentials is another super sweet woman called Eva. She’s a hands on mom but also a graphic designer. Putting these two together, her skills and noticing the lack of items on the market which she needed as a new mother , now mother of two little girls inspired her to start making bedding for baby cots by herself. She also noticed that there were no soft and good quality fabrics , something neutral and kind to the skin of the newborns so that’s what she wanted to bring in with Rowan Essentials.

Soon enough she started to design other items which she wanted to have for her kids so now you can find clothes, cloths and baby carriers as part of her collection. She’s lead with an idea of wanting to design something whimsical not “in your face” type of prints and of course never compromise on the quality and softness of the materials. She is designing her bed linens as reversible ones so she there are 2 different patterns, one on each side.

When it comes to swaddles (baby carriers) she loves to use soft pallets for colours and some more brighter one for the older kids. You can choose between gold or silver details of the metal parts. Eva decided to start expanding her brand by starting to design for older children too like toddlers and up to teen years.

Rowan essentials offers 8 different sizes for the bedding and soon they will be sold as sets too. All of the products are manufactured in India and are 100% ecological.

Eva loves to interact with her customers at NEST Helsinki and is always ready to show you and explain how versatile her designs are and how you can easily adjust them to your needs and preferences. 🙂

Once you meet Eva you will feel like you’ve been showered with rays of sunshine and great vibes so don’t be shy and say hi to her!

*This text has been made in collaboration with NEST Helsinki and Rowan Essentials but all of the opinions are my own.

*Text and photographs by me.

Lifestyle, My Work

LuluRox jewellery

July 31, 2020

(NEST Helsinki)

Continuing from my previous post about Nest Factory and newly opened NEST Helsinki shop, I’m happy to introduce you to LuluRox jewellery. As I’ve already mentioned, NEST Helsinki is a shop of three different designers and one of them you’ll get to know in this post.

Abbie moved from London to Helsinki 7 years ago and from her previous work experience in the Fashion industry and living in one of the world’s fashion capitals she put it all into creating her own brand LuluRox.

She is self taught jewellry designer and what started just as a hobby has turned into her passion and work.

Firstly starting slow from her own home where she used to have a studio to make the jewellery she also used it as a shop but soon realised that jewellery would need a place of it’s own so she opened a small shop in Helsinki city centre. It’s helped her get more noticed and create regular customers but she craved for a shop with more visibility and possibly shared with somebody else but it all needed to fit well together and be the right time for a change.

When Tracey approached her with an offer to open a shop together, it came just in the perfect moment and Abbie was eager to show her collection and newest designs as well as get a whole new group of customers. So far the response has been great and Abbie is excited to see where it all goes. She’s definitely on the uprise of her brand and if you’re not able to stop by and meet her in person at NEST Helsinki, you can always take a look and shop at her newly redesigned webshop.

What makes LuluRox jewellery the one which you will love and wear for a long time? Abbie uses only the best materials such as gold fill which is better than plated because it lasts for decades. She uses sterling silver and charms which are 14 karrat gold fill as well as natural pearls and gemstones.

LuluRox is demi fine jewellery designed for every day use. It’s easy to combine bracelets with each other by stacking them up or to combine necklace, bracelet and earrings from the same materials/ line. It’s customisable and personal jewellery. Everything is handmade in Abbie’s home studio in Helsinki but materials come from UK and only from the small businesses like herself. Abbie is always ready to welcome you at NEST Helsinki and tell you more about her jewellery and if you wish design you a piece of jewellery exactly after your wishes! 🙂

I love elegant, timeless jewellery which is not too official and perfect for any occasion and LuluRoxx is just that!

*This post has been made in collaboration with NEST Helsinki and LuluRoxx jewellery but all of the opinions are my own.

Lifestyle, My Work

Nest Factory

July 29, 2020

(NEST Helsinki)

One of my favourite things to do on days off is to just walk the streets of Helsinki and simply “wonder” around without any specific schedule or reason besides just to be present in the moment and hopefully discover something new, what I haven’t noticed before.

As we live our daily lives, it’s easy to get “stuck” in our usual routines and places which we commute to or walk by. The most interesting shops, secret spots, cute cafes and such are usually found scattered through the outside of the strict city centre. It’s the same case with NEST Helsinki which just recently opened on Korkkeavuorenkatu in Ullanlinna district.

NEST Helsinki is like a breath of fresh air in the most stylish and frequented part of Helsinki. There are lots of little cafes and special shops with different local designer names but only NEST sells unique, ecological and sustainable designs all handmade!

Three inspiring ladies have opened NEST Helsinki with so much love and thought put into it and every detail at the shop is just as if it was supposed to be like that or there. I’m happy to support them and their business and I hope that you’ll be interested to learn more about them and what you can find at NEST Helsinki. 🙂

I’m starting with Tracey, my sweet friend, known under brand name Nest Factory. I’ve known her for couple of years and since the day one, she’s been one inspiring, spot of sunshine human in my life. From her passionate support for women in India who are making all of her designs by hand and in the oldest tradition known, something that’s almost dying out and therefore so rare nowadays to her vision and constant belief in bright future of small businesses and supportive community.

Nest Factory will surprise you with some of the most beautiful patterns and prints which beautifully fall over the most softest and of best quality cotton you’ve ever put on! From kaftans and tops to robes and dresses, you will for sure find something that’s just perfect for you and Tracy will be there to answer any of your questions or give you a style suggestion.

Tracey’s inspiration are colours, her trips (especially to India) and bringing two opposites like India and Finland together in her designs. When deciding on the designs her leading though is “romantic vs. ethnic”.

She loves working at NEST Helsinki and even though Nest Factory has webshop, she loves the interaction with her customers which pop by the shop daily and sharing the space with other two likeminded designers but least favourite part of the job might be the “unknown” situation during pandemic times and depending on delivery services/ post to receive her designs since they’re all made in India.

I asked Tracey if she has any vision or what’s her wish for the future of NEST Helsinki and with a significant spark in her eye she mentioned that she hopes one day they will expand to Copenhagen and Stockholm and maybe become a lifestyle brand.

*This post has been made in collaboration with NEST Helsinki / Nest Factory but all of the opinions are my own.

*Text and photographs by me.

Lifestyle, My Work, Outfits

Tropical safari

February 27, 2017

Monday morning… My alarm clock didn’t beep yet and there’re almost two hours until I have to wake up. Do I still try to sleep a bit or do I get up and enjoy some “me time” which I haven’t been indulging in for what it feels like forever? Hm… Screw that princess, beauty sleep, I’m getting up!

Lifestyle, My Work, Outfits

No elevator

April 18, 2016

Ok, ok, I do live in an old building, but it does have an elevator. Nice, old one… With an iron door and a wooden bench, charming one. I never ride that elevator. I live on the 6th floor and I always walk the stairs up, every single day, couple of times a day.

I’m not afraid of elevators ( even though I did get stuck 2-3 times in one of them throughout past 28 years ) but I rather walk the stairs up than take an elevator ride… There’s so much that “happens” on my walk up… Life got a whole another perspective. Now I know that there’s no an elevator to success… There are no shortcuts to “making it” in job, relationships… in life.

The best of times happen on your walk up the stairs. This walk… It might take longer than an elevator ride, it might make your butt cheeks hurt, you might even stop for a moment on your way up to catch a breath, reassess and then keep on walking the mountain of stairs again. True beauty and a key to success in anything lies exactly there, on the wavy and demanding way up. The journey which you decide to walk on every single day and everything that you learn from taking the longer, harder way up ( towards your goal ) is what will make you appreciate ( and cease ) your goal. Once you do reach it, it will give you the feeling and a unique life story that no single elevator ride ever could!

It will teach you survival, it will show you how to fight for your goal, it’ll give you tools and guidance in how to reach it too… Once you do, you’ll then see how the road to that goal has transformed you and opened some new horizons for you, so the road to another goal, dream… success keeps on shaping in the distance and you know that you must keep on moving forward. As long as you do keep on moving forward in life, it means that you’re alive and kicking’. As soon as you stop moving, you’ve signed your death bed papers.

I always say that no matter how much I have done ( and this doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate every single achievement ) I’m only as good as I was yesterday. I’m only as good of a mom as I was up until yesterday, I’m only as good of a photographer as my latest photo, I’m only as good of an influencer as my latest post. Get the picture? Always keep on moving, carving your own path and listen to your own gut on the way… On the way up to your success, with NO elevator ride there.

Have a wonderful Monday my friends! Much love to every single one of you and THANK you for every comment that you leave me here, I read all of them and try my best to answer all of them too. 🙂

I’m wearing: Boots – Chanel, Bag – Borsha, Jeans – Tiger of Sweden, Sweater – Max Mara, Coat – , Ring – Free People, Scarf & necklace – Zara, Coat – Helene Berman

Lifestyle, Outfits

Letting go

March 28, 2016

Good Easter Monday everybody! How is your long weekend going? I hope that you ate well, got some rest and that you had a chance to spend quality time with your family and friends. I have and it did set me up for a good start this week. There’s a lot of work to be done and many errands need to be taken care of, so no time for procrastinating known as daydreaming in my case. 🙂

Beauty, Lifestyle

Jevelo jewelry

March 10, 2016

I’ve always been a girl who loves to wear jewelry and I could not imagine myself without a single piece of it on me when I’m getting ready to go to run my errands, go to the meetings or esp. when going out on a dinner date!

Lifestyle, Outfits

Other side

October 25, 2015

Good morning my dear readers! How are you doing? How was your weekend? I have to admit that daytime savings and switching our clocks one hour backwards has messed me up a little bit. I’ve been feeling very tired and “lost”. I hope to get back to normal asap. Maybe couple of sunny and warm days might help! 😀

Lifestyle, My Work

Part 2 – Aarikka promo + giveaway

October 2, 2015

Is it Friday afternoon already? Oh yes it is and I’m very happy that the weekend is here. I def. need two days to organise myself and put my schedule for the next week in order. I have so much coming/ happening this month which is also my birthday month! Yay! 😀

Lifestyle, Outfits

Seashell

July 26, 2015

“What if money was no object?!” What if it wasn’t as important as we think it is… ? What would you do? Who would you be? This question has really shaken me for couple of times, latest being this weekend.

How would you spend your life if money was no object?