Oulu state of mind
R/H is based in Helsinki, yet the city of Oulu is very dear to us. We admire the attitude of Oulu people. Ouluuks is a popular street style blog from the Northern capital of Finland. The blog explores personalized, character-filled looks captured by its founder and photographer Päivi Mäkelä. Ouluuks is only a year old, but is already enjoying a rapidly growing audience. We sat down with Päivi to learn more about the project, and what inspires her.
Finland's 5th biggest city by population, Oulu, is located right below the Arctic Circle in the northern part of Finland. The year's seasonal changes have a visible impact on the way people dress. Oulu folks dress smart and enjoy expressing themselves through clothing. Layers and versatile combinations create interesting looks.
We love the Oulu style!
Päivi started Ouluuks about a year ago, but the idea was in the back of her mind for years, when she was studying Educational Psychology in the Oulu University. Ouluuks now provides a way to express a more creative side besides her day job. She's currently working as a Region Coordinator at Me & MyCity (Yrityskylä), a Finnish education innovation for kids and teenagers. Ouluuks is a hobby that might turn into something bigger one day.
Päivi Mäkelä from Ouluuks. Photo credit: Sarianna Valkama
"Ouluuks was originally inspired by Hel Looks featuring street style from Helsinki. I felt that Oulu is a great spot for discovering street style too, and with Ouluuks I could fill in the empty space. Ouluuks differs from Hel Looks, still. The style here is more down-to-earth and I want to share looks that focus on daily life. However, wild ideas are present in the street scene here as well."
"The Oulu style, I think, is very much inspired by the surrounding nature. The region of Oulu is pretty big, and the amount of stylish people is endless. At first I thought there is not enough population for this project of mine, but pretty soon it proved to be the opposite. I don't photograph just stylish people since personality and character are what matter the most. Style is so much more than fashion. Oulu is home for lovely, open-minded and friendly people, and that kind of attitude can be spotted from far. It has been rewarding to start a conversation with strangers and now I truly feel like my roots have grown deeper into Oulu."
Did you know that R/H designer Emilia Hernesniemi is originally from Oulu too? We visit the city frequently to host R/H pop up events - and to meet and greet the lovely people of the northern city. In fact, before Päivi got going with Ouluuks she visited one of our pop ups and that is how we got to know her. We are excited to see her doing what she loves: sharing the Oulu style with the world.
To learn more about Ouluuks and Päivi, follow @ouluuks and @paivimakee.