A Match made in Hel(sinki)
Imagine a decadent small bar in a city called Helsinki. It’s 2018. A younger, rather sociable American gentleman starts chatting up a group of local kids. Somewhere in between sharing his life story and ranting about the outrageous beer prices he drops the classic “Helsinki is my favourite city in Russia”.
The local kids are already accustomed to this misconception, thus they don't even bother correcting the young American and the rather one-sided conversation continues. The young American is wearing a pair of Adidas Yeezy Boost 350’s. Hot stuff. Remember, we’re in the year 2018 right now. What the American gentleman doesn’t know is that the previous shoe of the year had been a partially Finnish design effort, co-designed by Sasu Kauppi.
The young American goes on to confess his addiction for the mobile strategy video game Clash of Clans and explains how he spent hundreds of dollars on it and almost lost his girlfriend to his addiction. Little does he know that the game was developed by Supercell - a company based in Helsinki.
These kinds of humbling, hilarious yet misinformed conversations with foreigners from around the world are not as uncommon as one might think. Considering all the cultural output that has originated out of the coldest capital on the planet, it is remarkable how unheard of Helsinki is, even to educated folks. We wanted to find out why this is and what the local creative scene looks like. Through our conversations we uncovered everything from unique and interesting creative projects to hilarious lessons on the power of influencer marketing.
Welcome to Sabukarus Inferno: A journey through Hel(sinki).
Sundowns in Helsinki - “Siri, play Yung Lean - Red Bottom Sky”.
Helsinki and Finland as a whole are hard to define. Shaped by the complex politics of the cold war, Finland is where Eastern European quirkiness and Scandinavian welfare met each other and fell in love. A match made in Hel, as they say in Helsinki. This has led to Helsinki being excluded from any kind of group identity: Too edgy to be considered classic Scandinavian, but too harmonic to be considered Eastern European. This unique contrast has been the breeding ground for numerous odd cultural phenomena in the last few decades, the kind of phenomena that have made the local creative scene one-of-a-kind.
Helsinki can be colorful too, especially the old town area.
A key shift in the ability to share these odd cultural phenomena with the rest of the world has taken place through the digital revolution: Amplifying the frequency and speed with which Finnish culture can be exported all around the globe, the internet has risen to an evermore prominent role for exporting artists from a small backyard shed in Seinäjoki to a global metropolis like Tokyo. The virtual borders for sharing intangible cultural goods have been eradicated and Helsinki’s youth is profiting heavily from it. Just think of the cult meme anthem “Sandstorm” by Finnish electronic music producer Darude. Finlands most prominent digital export. Originally released in 1999, the track is close to breaking 200 million views on YouTube. A real testament to the power of the internet, social media and meme culture.
The spreading power of the internet has multiplied since 1999, though. Young people in Helsinki now have opportunities and access to resources that previous generations did not have. In Helsinki, public funding for creative projects has been at an all-time-high and the barriers of reaching global audiences at an all-time-low. We wanted to capture this phase in Helsinki’s cultural development and the growing pains associated with it. After all, Helsinki’s Gen Z creatives grew up through this transition and were shaped by the digital revolution like no other. While researching Helsinki's creative scene, three names stood out to us. The local streetwear aficionado Babyfacebax, the designer and overall creative Jimi Vain and the upcoming musician Glayden, are among the most exciting players in Helsinki’s young creative scene. They talked about what's going on in their city and what you, as a reader interested in culture and art, should know about Helsinki.
BABYFACEBAX
Bax next to his favorite artwork. A 50 Cent portrait by Felix Bardy.
Bax in upcoming Vitun Leija jeans and the beanie made by Jimi Vain.
One of these cultural gatekeepers is Babyfacebax. Babyfacebax is a product of his city. The 22-year old was born and raised in Helsinki and has his roots in Finland and Mali. As a creative, he is as interdisciplinary as they come. Mainly working on his own brand Vitun Leija and as a stylist, he is also featured on the certified gold selling Finnish rap single Marimekko. The story behind the song is one of these aforementioned odd cultural incidents. Through thrifting and reselling unique and out-of-the-box garments he found at flea markets and thrift shops, Babyfacebax climbed the ranks of the local streetwear scene and began to make a name for himself for his vintage avant-garde style. Back in 2018, Helsinkis flea markets and thrift shops were very much focused on what could be considered the Scandinavian luxury-grandma-aesthetic. Babyfacebax up-cycled and reinterpreted cool pieces he found at these shops and markets. If he posted an outfit in which he styled a grandma-esque jacket with some distressed skinny jeans and a pair of Jordans, you could bet one of Helsinkis famous overpriced pints on it that groups of kids would try to mimic that exact outfit days later out on the cold Helsinki streets. As a result, Helsinkis thrift shop customers became a rather comical mix of wealthy old ladies and young streetwear heads trying to score their next big come-up piece. Nowadays in Helsinki most people won't bat an eye no matter how “out of the ordinary” your look may be. A lot of local streetwear-heads attribute this development to Babyfacebax.
(Before we dive into our interview, it's imperative to share a quick anecdote involving Bax and International fashion powerhouse Marimekko for all you fashion and influencer marketing interested readers)
In early 2019, Bax started to wear old Marimekko floral jackets. The Finnish design powerhouse, whose main target audience were older ladies and moms, had stopped the production of these jackets a few years prior. Marimekko was irrelevant to Helsinkis streetwear scene back then, which was ruled by the likes of Yeezy, Off-white and Supreme. Fast forward a few months and Helsinkis streets were blossoming with young people in Marimekko floral jackets. The full degree of Babyface Bax's contributions to Marimekko as a brand is hard to objectively quantify, as it so often is with weird internet phenomena. It is interesting to reflect on how Marimekko's Share Price skyrocketed between May '19 and February '20 - the exact time frame during which Bax was pushing Marimekko on his socials. Examining his contributions qualitatively though, it can’t be overlooked that shortly after all these events played out the term "Babyface Bax effect" got coined by the local streetwear community. Jackets designed and marketed to older Finnish ladies became a streetwear staple among Finnish teenagers seemingly out of nowhere. Talk about rebranding. This was remarkable as Marimekko spends a large chunk of its budget on marketing, yet all it seemingly took was a 21-year old streetwear-fanatic who knew his city. Needless to say, Marimekko's marketing mix has completely changed since then and the floral jackets are back in production. New unisex collections aimed at younger audiences were launched and have launched the brand to new relevancy among the Finnish streetwear connoisseurs. There is a lesson to be learned here: If you are involved with a brand and want to make it bigger and give it a push in a new direction, find that streetwear-fascinated kid in your city and talk with them. They probably see things and understand things you don't.
The infamous Marimekko Sarpio “Floral” Jacket
We know it is a difficult question, but can you somehow pinpoint how growing up in Helsinki has affected you as a creative? Can you describe what about growing up in Helsinki you find unique?
Damn, that is a hard question. I think Helsinki is a good place to do things right now. I grew up on the Westside of Helsinki and pretty much spent the entirety of my younger years in our backyard with the other kids living in the building. I think this affected me in the sense that I feel comfortable in this city, whatever I’m doing. For me, there's a certain feeling of familiarity to it all in this city. Whatever I do I feel like I’m among my own. Even though my “playground” is the entire city now, it still feels the same, like it is safe for me to be who I am and do what I do. I think that kind of community feeling we have here in this city is priceless, especially for creative people.
Bax working on the next drop of Vitun Leija at his Studio. A cellar in central Helsinki.
You told us that you always had a thing for dressing up in a stylish manner and fashion in general. Can you talk a bit about how you would define your style and what/who your inspirations are?
As for my inspiration, it's simple: Nigo.
Clothes were always my thing, the number one channel for expressing myself ever since I can remember. I was always the kid wearing funny outfits and also getting ridiculed for it occasionally. Times have changed a lot since I was a kid though. I think if I was a 14-year old now I would feel a lot more normal for dressing up how I did. I remember years ago wearing a full body leopard-print tracksuit to school and getting called out for wearing women's clothes. That shit would be so whack nowadays I think. I feel at least partially responsible for tackling the status quo of how men can dress in this city. The funny thing about it is that the people who used to make fun of me are now the ones buying my clothes.
Tell us more about that. How do you think you have influenced Helsinkis teen agers?
Helsinki is a fashion-conscious city. Always was and probably always will be. What I tried to do is provoke. I styled big music videos for local rappers and never went with the nordic minimalist approach which is so deeply embedded in our culture. Not that there's anything wrong with that particular aesthetic, but I felt like we can be more. Clothing for me was always about more than just looking good. Nowadays you can see more individuality on the streets of Helsinki, especially among younger people. I love that. I think I helped push this city in that direction. There are lots of kids now doing what I used to do. I have a lot of children in this city [chuckles].
What you did for Marimekko is considered legendary among local streetwear-heads. What inspired you to pick up your first floral jacket and where did this idea come from?
It’s pretty simple. I thought to myself that these floral jackets are actually cool. Why is no one wearing them? I bought all the jackets I could find. For the most part from Finnish grandmas for next to nothing. I started wearing them regularly. I kinda wanted to see if it would become a thing, it was almost like an experiment. I also really believed that Marimekko had a place in Finnish streetwear if styled and branded correctly. It didn't take long until the internet did its thing and everyone was hitting me up for these jackets. I think there was also a kind of meme-factor to the entire thing, as Marimekko’s image was more along the lines of “classic middle aged mom clothes”. Fashion should also be fun. I guess it shows that people here do have a sense of humor. Anyway through a collateral effect it just propelled Marimekko into the wardrobes of fashion-oriented Finns.
Bax rocking the Marimekko floral Jacket.
Bax’s most iconic floral Jacket fit
What is the best thing about being creative in Helsinki?
The people for sure. Subcultures colliding and overlapping. It feels like there are common goals for all groups of people. Making the city a better, more interesting place. Creating opportunities for younger generations. Breaking the norms that we deem unnecessary.
JIMI VAIN
Jimi in his living room
Babyfacebax is only one of the many youngsters creating streetwear culture in Finland. In the past few years, he has been frequently collaborating with Jimi Vain on an assortment of projects. Jimi Vain is perhaps one of the most prolific young creatives from Finland. Since 2019 he has been located in Helsinki, but his origins lie further up in the cold and lonely North. Hailing from a suburb of Seinäjoki, Vain established himself through customizing shoes for rappers like Playboi Carti and MadeinTYO. Those of you who follow archive streetwear pages like HIDDEN have probably stumbled upon with his work without realizing. Customizing Air Jordan 1’s is pretty much the go-to-move for anyone looking to start creating in the realms of streetwear these days. Jimi Vain was one of the first ones to do it and definitely the first one to blow up through it. But Vain is much bigger than custom Nike’s. New collabs with other artists have already been released and his first entire own collection is releasing in early 2021. He sees a future bigger than just clothes though. Vain is more of a platform for creating anything that’s interesting really, whether that is clothes, jewelry or creative events produced by the young Finn. At the end of the day it’s simple: Vain is all about love.
Jimi hanging at Bax’s studio
You’re from Seinäjoki, a smallish city in western Finland. How do you think that affected you on a creative level? I can imagine how growing up in Seinäjoki might feel like you're looking from the outside in?
I’m not actually from Seinäjoki, but an even smaller town next to it. I was always the odd kid in my town. Early on I was led to understand by my teachers that there isn’t any bread in the creative industry. And to be fair, for pre-internet Seinäjoki this was probably true. It had an effect on me that I consider positive in hindsight though. I never even started thinking about art from a commercial perspective. I just did it for myself. I think that gave my development as an artist a certain kind of purity. I think growing up in such a slow-paced environment also shaped my creative process a lot. If I have an idea my first instinct is not to act on it and just let it marinade in my mind for a few weeks. I don’t believe in creating anything in a hurry.
Jimi and Bax
Tell us, how did you get into making clothes?
Kind of by accident to be honest. I used to draw video game characters from my brothers video games and different anime characters. Tekken and Dragon Ball Z were my personal favorites. In 2014 I started to actually design clothes because the girl I liked was designing clothes. I developed a passion for it and have been doing it ever since.
Campaign teaser for Jimi’s brand VAIN
Leather Jacket by VAIN
How did you “blow up”, for the lack of a better term? When did you start thinking that there could actually be a future in this for you?
The first people to give my art any sort of attention were streetwear kids in Helsinki. That meant a lot to me of course, but not a lot on a commercial level. My first works were custom t-shirts and other clothes. My leap into international waters was when I customized a pair of Air Jordan 1’s and posted a pic of them on my instagram. Customizing Nike’s wasn’t really a thing back then. Next thing I knew, different streetwear blogs started sharing my shoes and Playboi Carti calling me on facetime asking me to sell them to him. We also talked about other potential projects.
Playboi Carti performing in Jimi’s “Loved 1s”
Sounds like a young designer's wet dream, honestly. How important is the internet in your opinion?
So important. Especially in Helsinki. I feel like our own media doesn't really support us. The internet is really the only way the many many talented people in Finland can get the attention they deserve.
The very first pair of customized sneakers Jimi ever made: The original “Loved 1’s”
Is your Finnish background visible in Vain? Is being Finnish something you contemplate in your work?
I was hugely inspired by Finnish glam rock and punk rock growing up. And there definitely is some kind of statement about Finnishness in my work. I guess Vain, in a way, protests the traditionally cold and unemotional character Finnish people are taught to idealize. It’s a counter-reaction to Finnish ideals of what a man is supposed to be like. I want to break these stereotypes and make other people, who don’t fit this description of a Finnish man, more comfortable.
GLAYDEN
Glayden during a video shoot for his music video
The aesthetics of early 2000’s Finnish dark rock and metal are experiencing a renaissance among Helsinkis young creatives. Internationally acclaimed and wildly successful groups like Children of Bodom and Nightwish are getting rediscovered and reinterpreted by today's youth. No one captures that spirit quite as well as Glayden. The 22-year old Helsinki native has been working on many different projects since he started his musical endeavours. He initially found success as a rapper under the alias Ronnie, but decided to reinvent himself as Glayden, after feeling too boxed in by his past projects. Glayden throws elements of rap, euro dance and art pop into the blender. Extremely strong visuals are an essential part of his project and deserve at least as much attention as the music itself. On paper this may sound difficult and avant-garde, but Glayden manages to stay approachable. Releasing under his own label below0, the parallels to Finnish early 2000’s rock groups are recognizable. Very much in the same way early 2000’s Finnish rock bands like H.I.M, shocked the world with their glamorous aesthetics and emotion-loaded lyrics, Glayden is reinventing how an artist with a background in rap music can look and sound. The goal of the project is simple: Glayden wants to make good music.
Tell us about your background. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up, what cultures and scenes influenced you, what music you listened to etc.?
Yeah, sure. I grew up in a public housing complex in a fairly posh middle class neighborhood in Southern Helsinki. My earliest musical influences are British rock and heavy metal bands. Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, but also lots of smaller bands my older brothers showed me when I was around 11-years old. I grew my hair out and embraced the entire heavy metal look. It was an unorthodox look for a 11 year old in my very homogenous neighborhood. A few years later I discovered skateboarding and through that hip hop culture and rap music. I started listening to 50 cent, Chief Keef, Jeezy and Kanye West. A few years after that I got into Yung Lean and other more alternative artists. After graduating high school I became more familiar with Helsinkis nightlife and slowly growing techno scene. Being out and about in Helsinkis nightclubs inspired me to make more danceable music and experiment more with my own sounds. I think all these influences really show in my music.
How it started [2008]
How its going [2020]
In past interviews that have been recorded for this story, one talking point that always came up is Helsinki’s streetwear scene and it’s “coming of age” process. It seems like Helsinki has matured enough culturally to finally develop its own identity in terms of style. Do you feel like there is something similar going on in the realm of music?
I guess you could say that. Making music is more accessible than ever, so of course the overall musical output has increased. This is true for everywhere though. As for a unique Helsinki-sound or aesthetic I don't think we’re there yet. Unlike for example Sweden we have never managed to export music consistently to the world. Around 15 years ago it looked promising as rock bands like Nightwish, Apocalyptica and even DJ/producers like Darude managed to find themselves international audiences. Somehow the development in a more global direction died down though.
Why is that? Why doesn’t Finland produce similarly renowned artists compared to Sweden?
If you ask me, Sweden has had a hit-making culture ever since ABBA. Why Finland's “hype” on the international stage was so short lived comes down to the general development of pop music, I think. The stereotypes aren’t in our favour. Finnish people just don’t really fit that prototype of a pop artist anymore. It would require artists from around here to create an entirely new mold for a mainstream artist, like how Yung Lean did. A chubby polite looking 16 year old from Sweden doesn’t really echo the word rapper when you think about it. Still he became an international phenomenon just because his aesthetics and references were so on point and unique. He utilized the internet and managed to build a fanbase in Europe and the United States against all odds. I think if Helsinki is going to establish its own sound it needs to happen in a similar manner. Another big factor is the local music industry. Major labels don't even seem to be interested in exporting our artists. The goal is to be an artist for the nation, so to speak. We need to demand more from ourselves and dare to strive for a global audience.
Glayden at this studio producing
We’ve talked a lot about the struggles of being an artist with international ambitions in Helsinki. What are some of the positives though? What are the good sides of being a musician in Helsinki?
There definitely is a lot to love about this place as an up and coming artist! At the end of the day it’s a fairly small city. In proportion to its population there really is a lot going on and it’s easy to get involved and find the right social circles. Another aspect is the isolated reality of growing up here: Yeah I grew up in Helsinki, but like most people my age here I also grew up on the internet. Most global phenomena in youth culture take effect in Helsinki way before other bigger European cities simply due to the fact that the bigger cities have so much of their own stuff to be involved with. There was a lack of compelling local cultural offerings growing up for us so we got involved in different subcultures across the globe through the world wide web. I don’t think there are many similar sized cities where you can get nerdy about music, fashion, film and art in general from all around the world with young people as well as in Helsinki. At least not in my experience. This generation of Helsinkians is hyperglobal.
Helsinki sunsets with Glayden
If there is anything to take away from all of this it’s the fact that change is coming. Globalization and digitalization, the driving forces of the 21st century, are breaking the barriers that have fenced off cities like Helsinki. Will Helsinki enter a cultural golden age? Time will tell. One thing is for certain though: the coldest capital in the world is heating up.
About the author
Pau Kraus is an engineering student, photographer, writer and overall nerd. His roots are in Barcelona and Helsinki, but his home is Berlin. Through growing up in a very academic environment he was taught that the way to deal with his fascination for fashion, photography and culture in general, is to write about it.
