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In 1945, in the wake of the Second World War, Finnish author Tove Jansson published The Moomins and the Great Flood – the start of a 35-year epic that would follow the hippo-like ‘snouted trolls’ on their adventures through the Edenic Moominvalley and beyond (she would write nine books and numerous comic books in this time, seeing the Moomins become Finland’s most notable cultural export).
A series of whimsical images from that first book – which tells the tale of how the Moomins ended up in Moominland after being displaced in a flood – appear across a new collaboration between Moomin and Swedish lifestyle brand Magniberg. In what is perhaps Magniberg’s most comprehensive fashion collection yet (alongside signature cotton loungewear and T-shirts, it introduces the brand’s first hoodie and denim), founders Bengt Thornefors and Nina Norgren gravitated towards the book’s message – ‘a story about hope that Jansson wrote as an antidote to war’ – and its charming illustrations, in their restrained palette of black, white and ‘sepia tones’.
Magniberg and Moomin unite on joyful collection
‘The themes [of belonging and home] really spoke to us. It is a story about hope in general, which resonates for Nina and me,’ says Thornefors. ‘With Magniberg, we try to create products from our point of view, but we also want everyone to feel that they could belong to that story.’ Norgen adds that the Moomin stories were woven into their own Scandinavian childhoods: ‘Now I associate [them] with mugs, which are a cherished part of Finnish and Swedish culture; everyone has one – I have two.’
Themes of softness and comfort define the garments themselves: there are T-shirts and pants in viscose, designed to gently drape on the body, scarves and blankets in 100 per cent virgin wool (‘as heartwarming as a Moomin bedtime story’), and a version of Magniberg’s signature pima cotton nightshirt adorned with a vivid Moomin illustration on its back. Meanwhile, a fleece hoodie is described by Thornefors and Norgen as ‘modern merch’, and the brand’s first denim is ecru-coloured, used across a jacket and pants. Jansson’s pen-and-ink drawings appear throughout.
An accompanying campaign is shot by Japanese photographer Takashi Homma, who is best known for his 1998 work Tokyo Suburbia, a series of images taken on the then-forgotten outskirts of the city (the photo book is rare and much-coveted). ‘He shot the series in a park near his home in Tokyo, capturing this beautiful light, and something emotionally poignant and also strong,’ says Thornefors, who noted he wanted to show that you could look still look ‘sexy’ in a Moomins T-shirt.
‘We really felt that if anybody could handle this material, which for us is very precious, in a way that did it justice, it was Magniberg,’ adds James Zambra, creative director of Moomin Characters. ‘The way they’ve adapted it to this beautiful range of clothing shines a new light on one of the lesser-known corners of Tove Jansson’s Moomin universe. We are beyond pleased with the results; every piece feels well-crafted, highly desirable, and has a hint of mischief about it.’
Magniberg & Moomin is available now from magniberg.com
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