Video games, trap music, Fillandese melancholy: interview with the founders of Vain

When Jimi Vain and Roope Reinola open the door of their rented apartment in Copenhagen, the scene that stands before me is decidedly "Nordic." A row of predominantly dark clothing, which paraded the day before at CPHFW, hangs from the ceiling of an empty room. The floor is light wood, the furniture is minimal, and the only splash of color (or disorder) is a suitcase in a corner of the room, overflowing with brightly printed beanies, heart emoji buckle belts, and sharp necklaces. «I like video games and trap music,» Jimi tells me first, creative director of the Finnish brand that has been making international headlines for its unconventional communication approach, Gen Z screaming design, and a collaboration with McDonald's that will likely go down in history.

They have just presented their latest collection, Married to the VAIN, a line that plays on contrasts, between silhouettes and accessories that blend elements of formal wear (blazers, elegant dresses, tailored pants, and trench coats) with typical streetwear pieces (sweatshirts, beanies, chains, and jeans). The graphics, a longstanding element that characterizes the brand's aesthetic, stand out on predominantly black garments and depict the so-called "rat race," a metaphor for our frenetic lives in a society that has lost touch with the rhythms of nature. «In the fashion industry, due to hectic schedules and numerous challenges, it is often difficult to find a balance between work and leisure. It's a conflict of interests we struggle with daily. Hard work fueled by pure passion is a beautiful thing. There's a certain level of absurdity in all of this, especially in the fashion industry. The contradiction and irony of months of intensive work culminating in a brief 15-minute runway show, only to swiftly move on to the next commitment: the frantic fashion race,» explains Roope, the brand's CEO.

A "fashion race" that contrasts sharply with the rhythms and culture of Helsinki, where the duo lives and operates, even more so with the pace of the small province where they grew up, Seinajoki: «Helsinki is not a typical fashion capital. It's a city with a more relaxed pace where creativity can flourish freely. We like being somewhat outsiders; I think it gives us a more objective perspective on the industry.» Thanks to the gateway opened by Copenhagen Fashion Week to the Nordic scene, Finnish brands are finally entering the mainstream scene despite their peripheral perspective on the sector. Vain's aesthetic is light-years away from the taste of his compatriots like Latimmier, Rolf Ekroth, Marimekko, who nod to the common imagery of Nordic design, between functionality and vibrant colors. Nevertheless, in their work, the influence of their origins guides the aesthetics of the creations, especially from a cultural standpoint: «We make extensive use of black because it symbolizes Finnish melancholy. Even though black isn't instinctively thought of when thinking of Finnish design, it symbolizes an important part of our original culture and way of being - introverted, melancholic, rather closed off.»

Among the top elements, hearts stand out in their various forms, printed on yellow beanies, appearing on belt buckles, shaping the heels of boots, and on an engagement ring that Jimi wears as we talk, which also walked the runway. A cartoonish yet dark look at the subject: «VAIN speaks of love. but I wanted to create a different aesthetic. When people think of love, they imagine pink balloons, chocolates, or vibrant colors. For us, love is expressed through hearts with unconventional designs and a dark aesthetic because there's also a disturbing and suffering component that we forget to narrate, and for us, it's important to explore. It's all about contrasts.» The name of the brand itself, casually chosen by Jimi at 14 years old as a nickname for his IG account, is a contrast in itself: «Because in Finnish, Vain means nothing, in English 'too' in a certain sense.»

They talk about the future with enthusiasm, recounting their journey in fashion with the eyes of those who have not lost the pleasure of discovery, a curiosity that led them to collaborate with McDonald's in 2022, once again recreating the graphic of a heart while experimenting with the iconic M-shaped logo. «It was a joke in our group of friends that one day we would collaborate with McDonald's, and suddenly they contacted us and wanted to create the collection, we were thrilled. One of the few foreign brands in Seinajoki, where we grew up, it was a meeting place for us and our friends. We did an upcycling project with their uniforms, it opened our eyes to how much we could do with this technique». Thanks to upcycling, they are now creating a new denim line that utilizes a local network of reclaimed products, experimenting with new designs and production models. They dream of Paris, Milan, but their nature does not stray from their origins; rather, it incorporates them into a design that explores Finnish culture with a fresh perspective, telling a new story in an industry we once thought was saturated with everything.