Laitinen Menswear A/W11

Tuomas and Anna Laitinen - the prolific Finnish brother and sister who have been creating a consistent, vibrant and appealing visual language since their success at the Festival d'Hyeres in 2006 - have again asserted their growing command for superbly tailored menswear. Presented in the cave-like brick basement of an unassuming swingers club in Le Marais, the Laitinen siblings showed another variation on their abstract prints and delicate knits - this time within the parameters of military uniforms.

Dazed Digital: Tell me about this collection - it seems like a steady progression from your last.
Tuomas Laitinen: This is sort of like a war-child collection, so there are a lot of military references from the Russian and Swiss armies mixed with a kind of punk feeling, and late 70s/early 80s New Wave.  

DD: Do you find that before each collection you and Anna search for and rediscover the Laitinen man or is it something that you have already refined? It seems as though you are seeking to improve upon the same core idea each season.
Tuomas Laitinen: Of course we are still refining - we're in the process; we're still young designers. But it always comes from what I would want for myself 

DD: Are there certain things you seek to surround yourself with in order to create a good atmosphere to work in?
Tuomas Laitinen: I find that I just need to surround myself with the right people so that I have more time to work on collections. The right press, good relationships with agencies - that's all I need from my atmosphere.

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