About the previous post: I originally went to the design webstore to find a perfect table lamp. I found it. Hopefully will see AJ table lamp on my desk soon…  The black one is definitely my favorite.

The new lamp colors were launched early 2010 (petroleum, red, sand, yellow and light blue). AJ Light was designed by Arne Jacobsen (1957) and manufactured by Louis Poulsen for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen.

It’s brand new and looking good. I haven’t ordered anything yet so I really can’t say how the shop actually works.

I’d say this one is perfect for shopping for example Christmas gifts. There’s a wide range of products not only covering the expensive designer items but introducing surprisingly broad amount of small and affordable things.

If you’re looking for a bicycle for a lady (or a gentleman), or a hipster, or for anyone who enjoys and appreciates beautiful design, Pelago would be the brand.

Pelago Bicycles is based in Helsinki and their first bicycles were launched in 2009. Pelago aims to make bicycles that will last 40  years: that’s an impressing goal. The website is a compact package consisting of the basic info, the crown jewels being of course the products supported with a splendid logo. They’ve succeeded in creating a serene and relaxed feeling that communicates the Pelago spirit really well. Something old and traditional has been successfully transformed into modern everyday life. Splendid design in both the bicycles and the website. Latest news is found from their Facebook-page.

I bought my first Marimekko dress ca. 10 years ago when Unikko pattern was a massive hit. I still have the dress but will definitely not going to wear it anymore, like, ever. The pattern was systematically ruined with the overuse of it. This Spring, after 10 years, I’ve bought myself couple of new dresses by the ex-Marimekko designer Samu-Jussi Koski.

Look at their websites. Have a look at Marimekko. Have a look at Koski. Mr Koski has managed to create an online presence that is design-ish, stylish and totally convincing. Why does The Design Company of Finland look like a boring insurance company online? Well, maybe that will change soon, let’s all hope so.

The images in this post are from the Marimekko Summer News, a newspaper that was delivered with morning mail this Spring. I like their Summer News a lot. It gave an impressing review of their new collection, convincing enough to make me walk into their store – did some shopping too, surprise surprise.

Scott Schuman aka the Sartorialist is an icon when talking about fashion and style blogs. Time Style and Design has named him one of the 100 most influental people in the design scene.

Schuman “left” his career (he worked as a curator for a showroom and executive for Bloomingdale’s) in the fashion world to spend more time with his daughter. As a photographer he is self-taught – and the rest is history. He works for Conde Nast’s Style.com, Wallpaper, GQ and Vogue.

In my opinion, his comment below crystallizes the success: he has a very clear point of view.

Schuman says: “When I worked in the fashion industry (15 years), I always felt that there was a disconnect between what I was selling in the showroom and what I was seeing real people (really cool people) wearing in real life.”

Emmas designblog is the leading design blog in Sweden. I recommend you follow up what she’s into. She’s gone through God knows how much all kind of (stylish Swedish) magazines and websites, stores and services, events, blogs and movies, I would reckon even advertising and tv shows. And she keeps on choosing the nicest stuff into one single place. Thanks, Emma.

Emma claims “My style is Scandinavian, but I show design from all over the world. I try to focus more on styling and photography than shopping and products, because I believe that is the way to go to encourage a more sustainable lifestyle.”

Sanna Annukka probably is one of the shiniest stars of Finnish design at the moment. This despite the fact that she’s living in the UK and is “only” half a Finn. Her somehow familiar but still modern style has raised quite a lot of attention.

Her website www.sanna-annukka.com gives a good, compact idea of what she’s all about. My favorites of her work are the designs for Zune Originals and the Soulbirds. Check out this one, recommended.