Combining colors is a balancing act

Designer duo Juslin-Maunula’s take on colors is fearless and full of curiosity. The multidisciplinary designers aim to find new perspectives into the world of fashion and design.

“What is trash to someone, could be a real gem to another. We like to create luxury out of everyday items, such as bubble wrap,” says Lilli Maunula.

Fashion designer Laura Juslin and architect Lilli Maunula are the curiosity driven designer duo behind the Color Now 2020 color collection, which they curated in collaboration with Tikkurila. With backgrounds in fashion and architecture, the designers have a wide perspective on the world of design and fashion.

“Our aim is to find new perspectives on the fashion and design industry. The whole field of design is changing, and there is a need for a multidisciplinary perspective,” Laura Juslin states.

CREATING PERSPECTIVES AND SOLUTIONS

Juslin-Maunula has released three fashion collections since the start of the creative collaboration in 2015. They have collaborated with Finnish design brands such as Artek and Marimekko, as well as Chinese fashion brands Peacebird and UR (Urban Revivo), to name a few. In addition to collaborations and fashion collections, the duo designs and executes installations.

Instead of products, Juslin-Maunula wantsto create visual worlds.
“We aim not to design just for the sake of designing. In the core of designing is the idea of solving problems, creating new ideas and perspectives,” Maunula states.

"THERE ARE NO RULES IN THE USE OF COLORS"

What ignites the imagination of the designers? Anything and everything. It is often the mundane everyday events that make them interested in a certain color or shape. 

“Fashion design starts usually with color, whereas architecture starts with shape. Architectural models are made white so that it is the form and textures that shine through, not the color. Having several starting points, color, shape and texture, is eye opening,” Juslin says.

When it comes to using colors, Juslin and Maunula feel that there are no rules.

“At the moment, unusual color combinations interest us both. It is difficult to name a favorite color, because surrounding colors define if the color looks good to me or not. Structures and the space can change completely how colors seem like,” states Juslin.

“One can always find a new perspective on a color. Light pink has been in the core of our brand for a long time. It does not get old because we can always look at it from a fresh perspective,” Maunula adds.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH COLORS

Balancing between ugly and beautiful intrigues Juslin-Maunula. Finding color combinations that feel just right is also a balancing act.  The designers are always challenging themselves to try new color combinations instead of settling into the most obvious.

“With Color Now 2020 color collection, we could not have left  a single color out  because they all support each other,” Juslin and Maunula explain.

Tikkurila Color Now 2020 project has been a rewarding one.  The end result, the collection, concept and the photos, make the designer duo smile.

“ Our design philosophy meets well with Tikkurila’s. Color and a hint of creativity can transform even the most ordinary items or spaces into the most cherished things in our lives. Same goes for paint.”

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