Aalto, the Paris-based label known for tapping Finland’s teen spirit, worked a more grown-up vibe for its pre-fall collection, which focused on masculine-inspired tailoring.
Designer Tuomas Merikoski channeled style influences ranging from Eighties singer Sade to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius for a look he dubbed “modern classicism,” or tailoring with a twist. That was literally the case for a jacket-inspired mustard dress with a folded and buttoned lapel.
Contrasting stripes appeared on patchwork dresses splicing together elements of business suits, men’s shirts and British school uniforms to edgy effect. Meanwhile, black silk anoraks and parkas featured removable collars and linings made of luxurious fox fur.
At the more accessible end were tops featuring a rainbow image by digital illustrator Sami Saramäki. These combined airbrushed pin-ups and Masonic symbols. Merikoski said the kitschy artwork was inspired by the title of the collection, “Paradise Lost” — a nod to 17th-century English poet John Milton.
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“Reality has become a little unreal in politics and society,” he said. “We’re all trying to find our way and the poem suggests that in the end, everyone has to find the answer within themselves.”
Those casual outfits had plenty of commercial appeal — but showing them alongside items better suited to a boardroom than a bar sent a mixed message that might prove tricky for retailers seeking to position the brand.