CTRL S/S10 LOOK BOOK

As a graphic designer what´s your advice for those who now face the idea about take this road?

I studied graphic design and web design, but never graduated because I started to be too busy with building CTRL. I guess the purpose of the school was fulfilled since it led me into working. I think it’s important to study, it’s an interesting phase in life, and it’s like working with no money. Yet, when you graduate and get to work, it’s another phase in your life. You can easily appreciate even just for the money you’re earning after all those years struggling as student. But then again, it’s not mandatry to go to school. If you already know what you’re doing and you got the skills, then why do you need to go to school, besides most things you need in your work is never learnt from school? I think in school you’re learning something else. It’s like mind-training in general, meditation of some sort with no practical elements in it. A good thing would be going to school abroad. That’s good networking for the future. And the grass is always greener.

CTRL S/S10 LOOK BOOK

When came the point to jump into fashion business?

It came naturally. Since I was always into clothing and graphics thru skateboarding and teeshirts and so on, the clothing design always seemed really easy for me. I got no formal education for it except from my mom who always used to make my clothing when I was a kid. I’d go thru skate/snowboard mags and point out these items and make my sketches for my mom and then she’d make them for me. It’s just like the factories do now with CTRL. But yeah, I think the most important skill you can have in fashion is a good taste. If you have it, you will succeed. You don’t really need to know how to do things, as long as you got the vision and the taste there will always be people who will take care of the rest.

Clothing design for me is a lot like graphic design. I use the same methods of combining things, finding things and building things. I’m almost never drawing something from scratch. It’s more like I’m creating my own interpretation of the wheel that’s already a wheel. I think all design is based on what’s already been done. It’s like subconscience collective work together with all the designers in the world, ever.

CTRL creates awesome garments. Crazy, fresh unique in combination with the quality. Is it all made in Finland?

I’m doing all the design and my colleague Esa is taking care of the overall view of the collection. This part is all made in Finland, but the production is done in India and in China.