Ethical fashion

A new Finnish women's magazine Olivia is out on Valentine's day. In the first issue Kati Kelola interviews three women about their style. He're is my story, roughly translated from Kati's article.

Photo: Juliana Harkki

Ethical vintage
Ulla-Maaria Mutanen (32), researcher and developer

”As a teenager I started to feel that classic vintage clothes suit my style. They felt familiar and looked elegant combined with mild punk. I started collecting cool garments from my grand parents’ attic, flea markets and second hand stores. With my best friends we also crafted all sorts of “fashion outfits”. It was like an entertaining role-play.

When I studied at the School of Economics, I totally lost my sense of personality and style. I started to dress like everybody else and use standard brands. When I turned thirty I found myself again, this time more feminine and funny. I think it is important not to take oneself too seriously. I don’t dress up to be beautiful but to feel my “full potential”.

My favourite fashion decades are between 1920s and 1960s. Vintage clothes are made of good materials, they are well cut and often unique.

Even if I wear clothes from 1950s, I’m a woman of my own time. I have always worked with academic researchers, technology companies and design professionals. Some years ago I felt that I'm not credible in these circles if I look too cute. So I cut and dyed my hair, and stopped using skirts. That did not feel good.

I think that the essence of fashion is both in the aesthetics as well as in the stories behind garments. Whenever I buy things I want to learn about their background. Every object can teach us something.

I have stopped buying clothes unless they are second hand or designed and made by someone I know. I think anything else in these times is unethical. The global textile and fashion industry waste enormous amount of resources that we would need for food production.

Now that I’m pregnant I mainly use Marimekko dresses from 1960s."

Idols
Personal-looking people who dare to combine things. See hel-looks.com

Colors
Red, black, white and other art deco –colors

Materials
Natural: wool, cotton, linen, silk

Favourite accessory
Black pill hats

Most hated
Mass-produced clothes. They’re dead.

Comments

[Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino]

Beautiful picture dear!

[Ulla-Maaria]

Not exactly my daily outfit...

[Henriette weber andersen]

you look so pretty ! - congratulations to both of you =)

[Douglass Turner]

Ulla-Maaria,

Hating mass produced clothing because of the sins of it's supply-chain infrastructure is hilariously over the top!

For the rest of us poor schlubs that meet clients, go on job interviews, give presentations, and otherwise need to "look the part" showing up in granny's left over schmatas is not really an option. Although it would be fun to try once in a while as an attention getting device!

By the way, I think you have an wonderful eye and you should think about starting a clothing line. I think there is something to your interest in the backstory to clothing and I think it would resonate with most folks, especially on the Web.

Cheers and I hope all goes well with the pregnancy,
Doug Turner

[Beka Avila]

I think you look gorgeous!! And, just for Doug's information, you can certainly buy more modern, business-appropriate clothes second hand. I do love the vintage look that you sport so well, though. And I prefer to buy as much second-hand as possible.

Beka Avila

[Line]

I love this post!

[Nate Olson]

Many congratulations on the piece, and especially on the tiny one to come. :)

[Bob]

You look hot!

[anina.net]

hi from anina! you look amazing! belly!!!!!!!1

hey! can you prepare me a 1 page doc about thing link and how it can help designers protect their creations please? how thing link makes them searchable in google, and how it will help prove it's authentic ness?

i will then press it out and present it on the march 1st meet up in paris.

any luck on the design people?

[Juha]

Hi Uula,

a lovely picture indeed. Hope things are going well for you. Will try to follow your blog some more. Too bad I could not make it Pixalache this year, but I did go to SF for Museums and the Web. You must have been at the Web 2.0 Expo, just after that.

All the best,

Juha

[Juha]

Ulla, I mean of course, did not look at my writing... anteksi.

[true nature]

oh my goodness, you are a total doll! that outfit is divine!! :)