Click for more looks from Ivana Helsinki Spring/Summer 2014.
The soft chirps of crickets, birds, and running water filled the showroom at Chelsea’s Studio 59 as lights dimmed to unveil a brief film featuring the Spring/ Summer 2014 collection of Ivana Helsinki. The film, shot in Madison County, Iowa showed models wandering across bridges and beautiful valleys of flowers and tall grass. Paola Suhonen, the mastermind behind Ivana Helsinki, the only Finnish label featured in New York Fashion Week, stated that the film and the collection were inspired by the 1995 movie, The Bridges of Madison County, as well as her own explorations of the cornfields in rural Iowa. Then, lights flashed on, and ethereal models in romantic and country-inspired sundresses began to float down the runway to the mournful 60s folk songs.
The collection showcased a wide variety of dresses, some of which were mid-length and Gatsby-esque while others were very short and featured bold polka dots. Many dresses were airy and delicate, with floral or butterfly prints that gave them a distinctly luxurious, bohemian flavor. Suhonen’s inspirations clearly went further than Madison County, drawing from the Old West, the British Mod Movement, nature-loving hippies, and the funky prints of the seventies.
The models wore dark purple and black lipstick, giving the collection an edge, and hair was worn in tight side braids that wrapped around long ponytails. Noteworthy accessories included sheer tights featuring neon outlines of butterflies, cherry red biker gloves, and an unusual beaded neck wrap. Because of the diversity in dress styles and the great range of period inspirations, women of every shape are sure to find a flattering dress from Ivana Helsinki’s 2014 Spring/Summer collection, which is quite a bit more wearable than the more sculptural of the Fall/Winter 2013 collection. Still, don’t let the thought of florals and polka dots lull you into a false sense of the ordinary; this collection has enough edge to satisfy the not-so-faint-of-heart.
Emma Scoble is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].
