Stories 2024.05.03
There is something really brutal in the Finnish culture
Antti and Miklu met in their mid twenties when they were working in a startup cluster in Helsinki and pretty much from that point started to entertain and ideate about building a business together, based on their cumulated experience, skills, and connections. When the Pandemic hit the world in 2020, life changes on both sides and created an unexpected and perfect opportunity to do it, and Vaarnii became more than just an idea.
With their different backgrounds, where Antti brought in the subject matter expertise of furniture industry and his fantastic network spanning from Europe to Asia. This was then combined with Miklu’s creative and operational excellence from Apple and his unique network from the San Fransisco Bay Area and the foundation for a disruptor and a warrior was set immediately.
Please tell us more about being brutal and sophisticated at the same time.
“We believe best brands make contradictions work for them and that is how most fertile creative ground is nurtured. There is something really brutal in the Finnish culture. Where we come from. And how little time we have had to be international compared to other societies. Yet there is this interesting sophistication and ability to see clearly and in a radically simple way. We’ve taken this essential characteristic to be the heart of our brand. And to be unapologetically Finnish.”
What are the characteristics of Vaarnii as a brand?
“We are local, quality, enduring, remarkable and do everything with that brutal and sophisticated energy. Of course we are also mono-material, everything is pine and we want to build this hyper-pine aesthetic that completely changes people’s perception and limitations of what Pine can do.”
What are you most proud of during the last 3 yrs?
“How incredible our little team is and how far we have come so fast with such small resources. It’s also remarkable how the most successful designers in the industry seek to work with us and become such supporters of our mission. The business is now really taking off. This also has us extremely excited about the road ahead together with NOD”.
What are the most important things for a brand that wants to disrupt the design industry?
“A different worldview and unique capabilities. In our case, our tech industry tool kit, speed, and curiosity has enabled us to achieve so many “impossible” goals, product and deadlines.”
Anything else that you would like to share with NOD?
“We are really happy about this Swedish x Finnish partnership. There is a long historical tie between the two of course but it’s clear the past few years have significantly tightened all collaboration between the nations. Be it geopolitical or in business. We will be so much stronger with deeper collaboration. And we have a lot to learn about marketing and international business building from you”.