Monday, 15 October 2012

Helsinki: top design stores

Helsinki 10
From gallery-style spaces to in-house florists, WGSN-homebuildlife profiles some of the World Design Capital 2012's most innovative concept stores.

Napa Gallery







Napa is an art space run by ten Finnish artists and curators. The gallery/shop specialises in contemporary illustration, paintings and photography as well as holding monthly exhibitions and workshops for the public. The store is also known for its wide variety of books, and is both an independent publisher of art-based books and an established illustration agency.

Helsinki10










Catering to the design-aware, Helsinki 10 offers pretty much everything under one roof - design, music, art, books, vintage and contemporary fashion. The store is known for stocking left-field Scandinavian design as well as showcasing the latest from foreign brands. It recently launched the A/W Topshop collection.

My O My


This fashion, art and interiors store imports and promotes new brands to Finland. The store layout itself challenges typical visual merchandising styles, displaying items as if they were being presented at an exhibition. My O My uses techniques such as hanging products from the ceiling and arranging items on different levels and platforms, making shopping a more artistic experience.

Skanno


Skanno is one of the oldest interior design companies in Finland, and its flagship store is in Helsinki. The concept store prides itself on enhancing products with virtual technology and a personalised approach to service. This store also plays host to an art gallery, restaurant, bookstore and florist.