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p12
Nearly two years ago, a shiny, happy and coolly stylish new shop
appeared on Stoke Newington Church Street as if by magic perched on a corner opposite what
is now the Tup. White walls, pale wood floor but no tables or chairs. Astonishingly, the
new shop appeared to have no plans to sell food. Or drink.
 What sort of deviant madness could this be? And why was it called 'Helsinki'?
Answers to both questions are to be found in the person of the store's Finnish owner,
Maria Abraham, who arrived in Stoke Newington, as an Islington refugee, some eight years
ago. After a series of part-time jobs in the area, she decided to embark on something a
little more ambitious but with no clear idea what that might be.
After eighteen months of consumer research, and some shameless investigative shopping,
Maria concluded that what Church Street needed was not a specialist plumbing emporium
(although she claims she would happily have sold toilet seats if the demand had been
there), but a women's clothes shop that would offer West End style on Stoke Newington's
doorstep not even a 73 bus ride away. To be called 'Helsinki', because that's where she
comes from, and because it looks particularly good in the typeface she'd chosen for the
shop front fascia. Everything has a reason, even if sometimes it isn't an obvious one.
With no previous experience of fashion retailing (and somewhat to her surprise), Maria
found herself, a mere five months after opening, at the Drapers' Record awards banquet,
having been shortlisted in the top three as one of the best new stores of 1997 in the
whole of the UK. Not bad for a novice and good news for Church Street's busy punters.
 In
keeping with the Stokey milieu, Maria offered an unusual mix right from the start: a
well-chosen selection from French Connection hung alongside a Finnish range of separates
from Anne Linnonmaa (ecological fashion, since you ask), and the Danish CCDK label. All
very European. Coming up to its second anniversary, later this year, Helsinki has added to
the options available and is now offering its very first 'own label' range, and some
stunning emerald-bright fleece-fabric separates, designed by Shirley Williams, which are
(speed) walking out of the shop onto the backs of one or two famous names who 'happened to
drop by'. Watch Emma Thompson for one, darlings.
Helsinki now seems to be a natural part of the street, adding to the choices already on
offer from Alexandra's or Ribbons and Taylor, and quite happily welcoming new arrival
Redman, just a few doors away so convenient for shared tea breaks during quieter spells,
it seems.
It should all have been madness, but clearly it hasn't worked out that way. Maria has a
clear sense of the 'bloody trendy' local shopper (her words, not mine) and the peculiar
demands of a bohemian and media-savvy local clientele who insist on good value, quality,
style and comfort the impossible, in other words in sizes from 8 to (N)16, and for an age
range that defies most categories, but probably stretches from under 30 to well over 50.
Helsinki customers also expect their background muzak to be as current as possible and
Maria's CD collection has grown accordingly. Given that Harvey Nicks has crap music,
wouldn't you rather go shopping in Church Street?
Saskia Littlebrown is our fashion correspondent and just loves a spritzer in the Auld
Shillelagh.
Six
of the Best
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Currently bestselling books at
the Stoke Newington Bookshop, 159 SN High St., are:
1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2. Angela's Ashes
3. Beach
4. Rough Guide to the Internet
5 Underworld
6. Jack Maggs |
The top six video rentals in
March at the Film Shop, 177 Church St, were:
1 Lock, Stock amd Two Smoking Barrels
2 The Big Lebowski
3 Sliding Doors
4 Deconstructing Harry
5 Jackie Brown
6 LA Confidential |
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