The Swedish clothing brand has become one of Finland’s most popular in decades.
Kappahl started operations in Finland in 1990, when the company acquired Kestilä Oy, the country’s first ready -made clothing manufacturer. Shortly thereafter, the first KappAhl stores were opened throughout Finland: in March 1990, stores opened almost at the same time in Tapiola, Turku Aurakatu, Hämeenkatu, Tampere, Kuopio and downtown Pori.
Opening of the Pori store in 1990. Kappahl
What stages have these decades have accommodated?
– We were one of the first Swedish chain stores in Finland and the popularity was great because our price level was so affordable compared to other stores and did not have to travel to Sweden to make cheap purchases, recalls the seller Päivi Pirinenwho has been working in Kappahl since 1990.
If the picture doesn’t appear, you can watch it from here.
At that time, there were twenty -nine staff at Tapiola Heikintori store.
“Customers were served from start to finish, and now under one roof, we got fashionable products cheaply for the whole family,” he continues.
Kappahl men’s selection presentation in the 1990s. Kappahl
The opening ceremony has been vividly remembered by Pirinen.
– Before opening the doors, people queued up outside the doors. The same thing happened if we arranged customer evenings or advertised FIM 100 products on Hesar’s homepage or on television. The cashier queues were long and you only took a break if another seller came on the flight to break, he recalls.
– I remember from my childhood – and the stories tell – that the store staff was once expected to wear jackets and collar shirts, and the jeans could not be worn at work, recalls Kappahl Finland Country Manager Mikaela Kosk.
Store staff at the opening of the Pori store in 1990. Kappahl
The most iconic products and sales hits
According to the brand design team, Kappahl’s style is relaxed but well dressed and has a lot of inspiration from urban life.
– A style that suits many, but also allows for more personal interpretations, says Kappahl Creative Director Annika Hedin.
This store looked like this in the 1990s. Kappahl
However, fashion is constantly changing and the brands are in the same.
-In the 1990s, a lot of women’s jackets were sold, and at that time we had a large jacket department with a variety of models. Then they wanted to dress neatly, and women bought jackets with their case dresses. On the men’s side, costumes, blazers, straight trousers and collar shirts with tie were popular. We also had its own Discipline department for the youth, where we found jeans and colorful youth fashion, says Pirinen.
Kappahl’s men’s collection will be on display at the brand’s Koivukylä store in 2009. Kappahl
At the turn of the 2000s, Kappahl had unique cooperation with the Finnish men’s fashion brand Turo Taylor to celebrate Millenium.
– We sold the tuxedos to the dimensions. The store had model pieces and at the same time we looked at the sleeve and leg lengths. The ordered products came to the store, after which they were sent to the seamstress for repair, Pirinen says.
Men’s shirt and tie wall from the 1990s. Kappahl
“Instead, women found beautiful evening dresses in the store, for example, with sequin decorations,” he continues.
In the 2010s, Kappahl always released a romantic in the spring Vintage Stories special collection.
Kappahl’s popular Vintage Stories special collection began in the 2010s. Kappahl
– It had lace, boho-Spiritual or varied, for example, oriental dresses, skirts and pants. The collection was published for years with varied themes. The first collections were welcomed because the prices were purse -friendly, Pirinen explains.
In the Vintage Stories special collection, feminine products such as dresses, skirts and various shirts played a major role in the special collection. These collection images are from 2017. Kappahl
Hundreds of the most popular products could be sold daily and several products were sold out.
– At that time, hundreds of songs were sold per day. For example, men’s chinos-The trousers were sold in a day. The tables fired their emptiness, Pirinen recalls.
In 2006, the Salo store sold men’s party fashion. Kappahl
– We used a lot of even prices in advertising and we sold FIM 100 pants, knitwear and dresses. The best thing to do is when men’s boxers were advertised at Christmas. Thousands of them were then sold and on the eve of Christmas Eve we only had one piece in the store in the store because the whole department had been sold empty, he says.
In addition to ads, Kappahl also has a long history in organizing various loyalty events and fashion shows. They have been models familiar with publicity, but also employees and their friends and relatives. Today, the Live Shopping Virtual Events, which are released in the online store, are partly the same as the fashion shows of the former.
If the picture doesn’t appear, you can watch it from here.
Favorite Brand Future Vises
What does KappAhl have now and what does its future look like? It aims to grow and invest in expansion and ecology.
-Last year we launched the Personal Styling service at ten stores and started selling second hand –products in eleven stores. Our goal is to increase the share of business based on a circular economy in the next few years, Kosk reveals.
If the picture doesn’t appear, you can watch it from here.
– Our goal is to constantly develop more clothes that last longer and that our customers want to wear frequently. With a good enough quality and expression to reach second hand flow and find their way into the wardrobe of more people, he clarifies the brand’s future plans.
If the picture doesn’t appear, you can watch it from here.
– The biggest fashion trend is longevity and thinking of clothes more valuable. It is crucial that we move out of disposable mentality in terms of fashion and clothing and guide our customers on this journey, emphasizes Kosk.
KappAhl has over 330 stores in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Poland and the United Kingdom. The brand’s online store operates in more than 20 European countries and in Asia. The company has about 4,000 employees who work in eight countries. Kappahl’s headquarters is located in Mölndal, Sweden.