KAKSITVÅ design by Marjo Kuusinen & Piia Keto – Double trouble since 2005!

Designer duo Marjo Kuusinen and Piia Keto run together the accessory brand KAKSITVÅ from Helsinki, Finland. They met at a punk gig in a small Finnish town over 10 years ago, and know each other so well that designing together is effortless and their designs fit together seamlessly. Here is just another typical day in their studio.

In case you were’t familiar with the brand, Marjo and Piia wanted to share 10 facts about the notorious KAKSITVÅ:

1.YSTÄVÄT, FRIENDS.
Friends-collection (Fall/winter 2011-2012) was designed on the European tour of a Costa Rican HC band Billy the Kid. The tour was full of adventures, great people, endless kilometres, joy and laughter. Friendship is shown in graphic elements, and the adventures of expressive faces and other details can be seen throughout the collection, which features a lot of knits, wool fabric, and recycled leather.

2. KAKSITVÅ.
The name of the brand consists of the word ‘two’ both in Finnish and Swedish. We came up with the name when we met Finnish-Swedish twins whose dissimilar personalities inspired us as designers.

1. Syksy 11-12 (Tommi Hynynen) // 2. Kaksitvå (Tommi Hynynen)

3. Bailaus, partying.
KAKSITVÅ is an accessory brand which brings the party with them. Even in a bowling tournament where we were invited, they founded a new award in order to obtain the award-winning team KAKSITVÅ. After a trip to Mexico we got our own skate team in Oaxaca. KAKSITVÅs promoters in Costa Rica have practically covered Mid-America with KAKSITVÅ label stickers. And when we met the Danish Crown Princess Mary, we made her feel relaxed by asking, “What’s up Mary?”

4. Seikkailut, Adventures.
We were artists residence in Oaxaca for two months during the spring of 2010. Touring around, making lot of new friends, partying and designing summer 2011, kids and tableware collection. Best of times!

3. Bailut // 4. ss11 Mexico Collection (Tommi Hynynen)

5. Maalaisuus, country side girls.
The inspiration for our work comes from everything that happens around us: countryside life mixed with the adventures around the world.

6. Reilu meininki, fair play.
It is important to us that our products are manufactured in Finland with comfortable partners: Knitwear is manufactured in a small factory by Jari in Lahti, Finland and finished products are sewn by Marja and Marja-Terttu. Happy Priska will always make our porcelain jewellery with precise hand, and Marjatta manages the production of bags with her team of professional seamstresses.

5. Maalaisuus // 6. Fairplay

7. Kodinsisustus, home decoration.
Our Friends pillows just won a prize in Habitare interior decoration fair. The jury thought that they were easy going and fun: they make you smile and suit for the whole family.

8. Suunnittelutoimisto, design office. KAKSITVÅ get things done!
We make projects for other companies too. We have done collaboration with Estonian fashion bloggers, kids fashion store, hair dressers, fashion store Helsinki10, finnish bands Haloo Helsinki & PMMP, Popot sneaker store, Melodica skate boards… If your project needs an innovative touch, we are very happy to work with you!

7. Tyyny (Tommi Hynynen) // 8. Suunnittelutoimisto

9. Karaoke!
It’s not only about our (not very) beautiful voices, it’s also all about a huge aerobic show! We just love karaoke! Finnish, English, Swedish, Spanish you name it – we sing it!

10. Fortune cookies.
We have lots of fortune cookies for us, our trainees and partners, and every morning when we come to work we open one. Today Merja’s cookie said she is going to Hawaii and Piia’s promised that luck is coming to her. So only good things happening for KAKSITVÅ in the near future.

9. Karaoke // 10. Fortune

You can buy KAKSITVÅ products in several places in Finland, and also in Denmark, Hong Kong and in Urban Outfitters in UK. Full list on their website.

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‘Where I Make’ invites readers behind the scenes of artists from many disciplines to share photographs and a little insight about where they create their masterpieces. See more from the series here.