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Finnish Fairytale Neule Kalevala is my journey of discovery to my own roots, to the way of life taught by Kalevala. Finnish Fairytale is the story of the Kalevala living in this time and of its wisdom, which guides us to new spiritual well-being and in the time of plenty.

The memory of our future Finnish Fairytale fashion is the story of the return of the Goddesses, the Great Magi and the Sun Disc and the Northern Light Paradise. It's a journey that I started when I lived in London, when I started researching what we Finns were known for in the old days. What is this small country that has forgotten itself. On this trip, I created NeuleKalevala and Finnish Fairytale in order to remember who I am. They gently connect our bodies to the wisdom and memory of who we are.

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How does the Kalevala speak through art and artists in this time?

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The Kalevala is a gift to Finland and from Finland to the world. In time, it raised a sense of nationalism in us, which led to Finland's independence. It is also needed in this time for the same task.

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The spirit of the Kalevala still speaks and conveys its wisdom through art and artists. When I got hold of the Kalevala while studying in London, I was immediately hooked and knew deep in my soul that I had to return to Finland to create Kalevala national fashion.

It then became much more.. through my own art I have told what Väinämöinen and co have taught me. NeuleKalevala has a task in this time to strengthen national identity and self-esteem. It contains Väinämöinen's knowledge and wisdom for today's people. It is a Kalevala resurrection of knowledge and skill, a journey of consciousness raising that has been passed down to me for telling and for thirty years. It is the light of the North in a concrete and authentic form that activates it.

 

Finnish Fairytale is the story of the Kalevala living in this time and of its wisdom, which guides us to a new spiritual well-being and a time of abundance.

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The Knitwear Kalevala is an indicator of our national origin and its task for the Finns, is raising national identity and self-esteem. It introduces the Finnish Kalevala Goddesses.

 

​NeuleKalevala is a story collection of modern folk costumes, national costumes and ancient costumes created by fashion & Kalevala artist Mai Niemi. The collection is approved by the Finnish National Museum.

 

“After returning from England to Finland, I noticed that we lacked our own Finnish knittwear tradition. The Norwegians, Icelanders and Irish had theirs, but we had nothing but just the Ostrobothnian Jussi pullover. I decided to create it.

 

The initial impetus for it had already been given by a study done in London about the Kalevala and its influence on Finnish art and design. I read the English version to make the theses about this and I could understand it. I was hooked forever. I realized how rich our culture is and how much wisdom Kalevala has. The teachers encouraged us students to embody our own culture in our design, and so the Jussi pullover got its new modern expression at the final show of Central St. Martin's College of Art. I have said that Väinämöinen, the rune singer of Kalevala, swam into my consciousness in that moment in London.

 

It took twenty years to create The NeuleKalevala.

 

The Kalevala lives in the eternal memory of our bodies, where it has been recorded by singing from generation to generation. My own rune cell memory was activated in 1989, when I was expecting my son Max. The Viking era first rose to my consciousness and the Viking series was born. Then came Lapland and our shamanistic past and the Arctica series was born. Then I went even further to the past and from there rose Kalevala. First model was Ilmarinen, the forger smith of the New Sampo, the Magic Mill of Wealth and abundance. The provincial collection was also designed.

 

One day, my Kalevala design spirit companions announced that the Finnish knitwear tradition was now ready and it was time to continue by refining it. That moment all the models, forms and symbols  just flew off their platforms and got wings. They became seamless and one-size-fits-all knitwear and a bit later accessories and later jewelry. The Magic Wardrobe, a concept of sustainable fashion for the new age, was born.

 

Neule Kalevala lives in the present moment just like Kalevala and is constantly evolving, embodying the change and journey of our culture and the consciousness of mankind.

Neule Kalevala is also known as Finnish Fairytale brand, due to the episode when Kalevala Koru did not initially give permission to trademark Neule Kalevala as brand so the name could not be used officially. They had also registered knitwear under Kalevala Koru. (Kalevala jewerly). Now that exclusive right to Kalevala has fortunately been revoked and Neule Kalevala gets the space it deserves.

 

Neule Kalevala is a modern national folk costumes

 

Neule Kalevala's outfits and accessories can be combined with personal styles that reflect our own culture. In olden times, a woman only had one set of clothes of one size, which was modified with accessories and jewelry to suit different stages of a woman's life, pregnancies, occasions and seasons. Neule Kalevala is a Magic Wardrobe with the same basic idea: more with less. Neule Kalevala lives a woman's life as timeless as Kalevala for age: always timeless in the present time.

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