Video games, trap music, Fillandese melancholy: interview with the founders of Vain From collaborating with McDonalds to future projects
When Jimi Vain and Roope Reinola open the door of their rented apartment in Copenhagen, the scene that stands before me is decidedly "Nordic." A row of predominantly dark clothing, which paraded the day before at CPHFW, hangs from the ceiling of an empty room. The floor is light wood, the furniture is minimal, and the only splash of color (or disorder) is a suitcase in a corner of the room, overflowing with brightly printed beanies, heart emoji buckle belts, and sharp necklaces. «I like video games and trap music,» Jimi tells me first, creative director of the Finnish brand that has been making international headlines for its unconventional communication approach, Gen Z screaming design, and a collaboration with McDonald's that will likely go down in history.
They talk about the future with enthusiasm, recounting their journey in fashion with the eyes of those who have not lost the pleasure of discovery, a curiosity that led them to collaborate with McDonald's in 2022, once again recreating the graphic of a heart while experimenting with the iconic M-shaped logo. «It was a joke in our group of friends that one day we would collaborate with McDonald's, and suddenly they contacted us and wanted to create the collection, we were thrilled. One of the few foreign brands in Seinajoki, where we grew up, it was a meeting place for us and our friends. We did an upcycling project with their uniforms, it opened our eyes to how much we could do with this technique». Thanks to upcycling, they are now creating a new denim line that utilizes a local network of reclaimed products, experimenting with new designs and production models. They dream of Paris, Milan, but their nature does not stray from their origins; rather, it incorporates them into a design that explores Finnish culture with a fresh perspective, telling a new story in an industry we once thought was saturated with everything.
