"The Finnish Catwalk is a meeting place for fashion experts and a means of giving the fashion industry and companies widespread media visibility. Leading fashion and accessory brands, both Finnish and non-Finnish, are invited to come and display at this fair: manufacturers, designers, importers and agents."

The aim of Finnish Catwalk, the biggest for fashion professionals, is to boost sales and marketing by innovative means and to establish contact with new clients. The next Finnish Catwalk event is to be held at Wanha Satama in Helsinki on January 30–31st 2010.

Werklig gave the 2010 event a facelift, including i.e. illustration, logo design and typography renewal.

As the client desired, previous years' visual identity was taken as a starting point for the facelift. This meant that a female silhoutte figure had to play a main role in the identity. To support illustration - and also to emphasize "2010-11" theme - an additional logo for the event was created.
 

 

2010-11 event logo




Illustration, used on white background




Illustration, used on black background




Illustration detail

More illustration details. A painstakingly high number of working hours were spent to create this high-quality multilayered illustration (from bits and pieces). But it was worth it! 

 

VIP Invitation

Invitation and customer cards. These include a hidden surprise – unfold and see it. 




Promotional posters

 

 

Avoine is the first Finnish IT company to focus solely on the Finnish third sector. Avoine's existing customers include the biggest unions and associations in Finland, such as Palvelualojen ammattiliitto PAM, Pardia, Rakennusliitto, SAK, Suomen Liikunta ja Urheilu SLU, Tehy, National Coalition Party and The Finnish Social Democratic Party.

Werklig created Avoine's new visual identity, including logo, colours and typography. Main design drivers for the visual concept were openess, freshness and usability.

Werklig also assisted in creating the encapsulation of Avoine’s core marketing message. As the foundation of all communication, it’s based on the central, distinctive and enduring features of Avoine.  

Avoine business cards




Avoine identity guidelines


You may read more about the concept here (blog of Jukka Helin, Avoine Marketing Manager)

Typeface by Underware 

In making the decision concerning the award 'Graphic Designer of the year', the board annually observes the various sectors of graphic design in order to take equal notice of people working in different fields.

Graphic Designer of the Year is awarded annually without applying, primarily for outstanding work noted in the field of graphic design, or any other activity that advances the level and appreciation of Finnish graphic design.

Sami Kortemäki and Underware brings typography into focus in 2010! 

In contemporary use, the practice and study of typography is very broad, covering all aspects of letter design and applications: typesetting, type design, handwriting, calligraphy, graffiti, poster design and other large scale lettering. Business communications and promotional collateral, advertising, logos, cartographic labeling (map design), kinetic typography in motion picture films and TV, component of industrial design (type on home appliances for example) or modern poetry, web pages and mobile screens. Type is everywhere. Art and technique.

Typefaces, point size, line length, line spacing, adjusting the spaces between groups of letter, adjusting the space between pairs of letters etc. In typography, text is composed to create a readable, coherent, and visually satisfying whole that works invisibly, without the awareness of the reader.

Repetition, contrast, proximity and alignment. Choice of font — prose fiction, non fiction, editorial, educational, religious, scientific, spiritual and commercial writing all have differing characteristics and requirements of appropriate typefaces and fonts. Legibility – number one concern of typeface designer, and readability, concern of the the typographer or information designer. And what about the color of the text? How does it affect? 

Above ^ Everyday life of a professional visual designer who never question the importance of every detail and choice, the power of typography.

So, At best, typography in focus means that there is actually a large large amount of all kind of proper and thinkable things in focus. Pay attension for type in 2010!

And for your own best, just drop not later than NOW all the typo associated 'high society' or geek-related hearsay. Knowing type, talking type – we simply call it no more no less than professional. 

Sources: Grafia and Wikipedia  

Chat with Liza. Live. At the Finnish Designer Of The Year exhibition.

Erik Bruun & Tiina Latva reunion in Aalto University opening ceremony. 2007 I had honour to be part of Erik's Pro Finlandia Medal ceremony in Suomenlinna.

Opening ceremony of Aalto University took place in Finlandia Hall and Kiasma on last Friday.

The guests included foreign dignitaries, government ministers, Members of Parliament, professionals in various fields, in addition to students, professors, and staff of the university.

The speakers at the opening included, in addition to the President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, Aalto President Tuula Teeri and President of Aalto University Student Union Jussi Valtonen. The idea was to make the launch a part of the society around.

Professor Yrjö Sotamaa, the father of Aalto idea, got also finally some thanks after a darker, about 1,5 years lasting, period of shit. In a nice dialogue number in opening ceremony he had also an opportunity to enlighten some of his pioneer ideas behind Aalto.

From Finlandia Hall, the 2,500 guests walked in a procession to the nearby Museum of Contemporary Art. That was a historical moment for me. I had honour to share my moment with some very important persons in my field: Marita Sandelin, super executive manager of Grafia, Erik Bruun, 83 years, legendary artist and graphic designer, Kyösti Varis, 72 years, multitalented living legend as well (both of them most openminded, warm and youthful gentlemen and colleagues you can ever imagine), my favourite UIAH alumn intellect Heikki Rajasalo from Yatta, and Teemu Suviala from Kokoro&Moi.

As Heikki wrote me today, Helsinki is too small for us, TOO small for whole graphic design field, just to stay in one's own office and hide. You need to attend and share!  
There we all, from honoured legends to youngsters, from alumns to Grafia stuff, did one more night to remember, (again,) TOGETHER.

Night at the Museum was success too, in every way. My friend who is working at Kiasma, said that hardly ever they have had so outgoing and cheerful guests in their own openings. She was totally enjoying of her work that night. I agree; the atmosphere, natural networking and socialization reached the new level in this context. There hasn't been too many similar successful nights where the whole Aalto University-related culture crowd gather together and have so laid back and sparkly times together.

Highlights of the night:

1. Chains – Beautiful dignified moment. Designers Saara Renvall and Inni Pärnänen in the stage together with first Aalto President Tuula Teeri. Meditative minutes. ( Note: We were asked to come up with a design for the chains including designer's sketches, 'making of' documentation etc. We are working on publication right now!)   

2. Matti Vanhanen – (surprisingly) gave a very very good speech! Much better than Tarja Halonen. 

3. Night at the museum – TAIK gettogether. Nice attendance percent.  

Good Luck! All the best! Sincerely. 
Design: Rasmus Snabb