Originally a one-woman show in a small collective workshop in Helsinki, Finland, Mioona has become one of the most forward-thinking online fashion shops in the region. Focusing on local design, European craftwork and traditional handicraft from countries across Africa and Europe, Mioona thrives on unexpected fashion combinations and sustainable raw materials with a mission to shake up modern urban design.

The creation of Oona Ritari, Mioona brings an exciting clash of rich traditions, bold patterns and fearless colour combinations to the Nordic scene. A former dancer and hair stylist in the Finnish fashion and TV industries, Ritari is heavily inspired by her years living and working in Cuba and East Africa. She believes that fashion does not have to be serious but should be fundamentally comfortable. “At Mioona, we know how the body moves, how a heel on a shoe needs to be engineered for perfect posture and ultimate comfort. If you want to blend in with everyone else, please look elsewhere.”

An El Doble bag paired with a bright cherry red coat looks stunning in an urban setting and allows for carrying a multitude of goods. Photo: Anna Itkonen | Mioona: Playful fashion and sustainable sensibility

An El Doble bag paired with a bright cherry red coat looks stunning in an urban setting and allows for carrying a multitude of goods. Photo: Anna Itkonen

Mioona strives to construct a high-quality, timeless collection that makes no compromises in materials or manufacturing methods. “In our shoes, we use stitched construction rather than glued soles, and wood for heels instead of plastic,” says Ritari. “Despite these details, Mioona remains affordable for the average income. I want to create the kind of products I would love to find in a store myself.”

These include items such as the El Doble, a double bag that is both striking and practical, and Mioona’s Nile Perch fish skin leather trainers, using fish skin harvested as a byproduct from a popular fish on the Ugandan side of Lake Victoria. Ritari thinks it’s these elements that make Mioona so special. “Fashion should be joyful, colourful and fun,” she says. “Life is too short to only wear black.”

Photo:Terhi Hytonen | Mioona: Playful fashion and sustainable sensibility

Photo:Terhi Hytonen

www.mioona.fi
Facebook: Mioona
Instagram: @mioonadesign

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