Is it possible to find a more dreadful collection of supposedly young and fashionable clothes, which claim to offer something different, and represent international fashion? With an outdated logo, store fronts and designs, and clothes that you wouldn't be caught dead in, reminiscent only of Soviet era bread queues, the bland colours of Seppälä represent the Finland most of us want to leave behind. This Finland is 90ies Eastern Europe, where everyone looks the same, and we all blend into one mass of dull, dreary, beige and black nothingness. Seppälä is clearly trying to expand eastward, well, I've got news for you! The Eastern Bloc no longer exists, and women in the Baltics have been embracing their freedom and femininity for years. Rather than spending so much on advertising, I would spend on re-doing store interiors, and bringing on board a couple of new truly international designers, with their eye firmly on trends.
I would recommend that Seppälä take a leaf out of Primark's book in the UK. Sure, some of Primark's success is based on it's incredibly low prices (which may or may not be made possible through unethical trading practices...) Primark has really taken advantage of the recession, and is offering great fashionable trendy designs at fabulous prices. Its designs are constantly featured in fashion magazines, and its stores are frequented by hoards of London fashionistas looking for of-the-moment trendy bargains. And lo and behold, their sales are going through the roof compared to the rest of the UK highstreet!
I can see Seppälä trying hard to break moulds with their new campaigns, and emphasising young designers. What they really need is to get some fresh un-Finnish talent on board and get the basics right. They need a collection which mimics what's happening in the global fashion world, and inspire the Finnish people to fall in love with them all over again.
Just take a look at Primark:
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