Seamless union of craft and technology

Anna Ruohonen creates bespoke fashion made-to-order by combining artisanal methods with technological innovations.  

“Hi, Anna,” a customer calls out casually at Anna Ruohonen’s showroom in Helsinki. They need an outfit for an exhibition opening. Ruohonen examines the fit and offers expert advice on caring for the material as they catch up during the fitting. It quickly becomes clear that Ruohonen is much more than a fashion designer; she is a trusted consultant for her customers' attire.

Anna Ruohonen has made an impressive career as a trailblazer of Finnish fashion. She founded her eponymous label in 1997 after working for Olivier Desforges, José Lévy, and Martin Margiela. She has boutiques in both Helsinki and her hometown of Paris. Her lifetime achievements were recognised with the Kaj Franck Design Prize in 2017.

Ruohonen’s design philosophy centres around creating a more beautiful everyday life.

"In that sense, I stand on the shoulders of our great Nordic designers," she says. 

Ruohonen aims to design high-quality clothes that make their wearer feel comfortable, beautiful, and confident. Her garments blend French sophistication with Nordic simplicity and practicality, featuring beautiful, meticulously sewn details. The style she offers is classically timeless; 18- and 85-year-olds have bought the same coat.

The showroom racks glow with muted berry-red wool crepe, moss-green bourette silk, mohair, linen, and navy blue batiste cotton. The Italian wool fabric feels wonderfully soft to the touch.

This is, however, no ordinary fashion store. Only sample pieces are on display for trying on. Customers can then have their measurements taken and select their preferred colours. Ruohonen's tailors will then sew the garment according to the customer's measurements within 2-3 weeks.‍

Made to order against waste‍

Anna Ruohonen transitioned to a model combining made-to-order and made-to-measure principles in 2009. The idea arose from a practical need: a customer might love a garment, but the size or seasonal colour might be unavailable. Ruohonen wanted to turn this experience into a positive one. How can you find exactly what you want, in just the right size and colour?

“Looking back, I've realised this is the only right way to operate." 

Issues with inventory management disappear since there is no stock. And when no waste is generated, no sales are needed.

According to Ruohonen, the current fashion system is the "height of absurdity": more clothes are made than needed, and a large portion goes straight to landfills or incineration. Things need to change, but much discussion has focused on the wrong issue – how to recycle already-made clothes. Instead, the focus should be on the beginning of the process. In Ruohonen's model, the problem doesn't arise at all, as only what is needed is made, ethically and with high quality.‍

The longer, happier life cycle of the made-to-measure garment‍

The entire lifecycle of a product is important – not only how a garment is made, but also how long it’s used and how it's cared for. According to Ruohonen, customers have a fundamentally different attitude toward a garment that is made to measure, exclusively for them.

It is easy to forget that people come in very different shapes and sizes. If two people stand side by side, it is likely that one person’s waist is 10 centimetres higher than the other’s. 

“This has a major impact on how clothes fit,” Ruohonen says. 

Elegance and beauty derive from well-fitting clothes and carrying them with self confidence, not from a number written on a label. 

“The expectation that we would fit some kind of standard is absurd. As if there was something wrong with us women if we don’t fit into a size 38. In my three-decade-spanning career, I’ve met maybe two people who perfectly fit a 38! The best feedback is to see my customers content, happy, and feeling well in the clothes I’ve designed.” ‍

AI-aided measuring tool allows made-to-measure remotely‍

Not everyone can make it to Ruohonen’s showrooms in Paris or Helsinki. That’s why Ruohonen has teamed up with Choozr, a company based in Pori, Finland. 

Choozr started when CEO Marko Aarila heard that 30-50% of clothes sold online are returned, mainly due to incorrect sizing. Aarila and his partners wondered what could be done about it.

The company now offers a size recommendation service for ready-made clothing online as well as a made-to-measure solution, which Ruohonen uses.

Customers download an app, take two photos of themselves, and the AI obscures their faces for privacy and formulates an impressive 25 measurements for pattern making. Ruohonen can then work on the images and measurements on her atelier’s computer, making further measurements if needed. Measurement accuracy has been verified to 99-100%.

When Ruohonen, accustomed to the Paris fashion circles, and Choozr’s self-described coding nerds first met, two entirely different worlds collided. However, Ruohonen and Aarila’s team share a desire to solve the environmental problems related to fashion, and the collaboration has proven fruitful for both parties. Choozr has made use of Ruohonen’s extensive experience in the fashion industry to further develop their service, while for Ruohonen, the tool developed by Choozr allows her to reach a global customer base and scale her operations.‍

Forging a seamless union of craft and technology‍

Ruohonen is unstoppable. Next, she plans to enhance her production process with the help of smart technology. She wants to digitise the measurements of her loyal customers into a modifiable 3D pattern. She is also preparing to transition into digital cutting. Currently, a low cutting price can only be achieved when cutting the same size en masse, and the cost of individually cut pieces has been significantly higher. With new technology, custom-made clothes can now be cut digitally without significantly increasing costs.

"I see the future of my brand as a combination of handmade and high technology," Ruohonen says.

French fashion is a traditionally craft-based industry, where many things are still done as they were 100 years ago. Ruohonen is not afraid to shake up established practices.

"My friends say that if a construction company can’t knock down a wall, they should ask Anna to come by and she’ll go right through it," Ruohonen laughs.

Working with Martin Margiela early in her career shaped her thinking. Margiela is known as a free-spirited pioneer who created his own rules. Ruohonen also learned to question things boldly.

Many have lamented how terrible it must be to work in such a polluting industry.

"I see it quite the opposite. It’s fantastic if I can change the course of things even a little bit with my work."

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