Anna-Maija Autio, Fashion Designer, Flare Trading Oy
Flare wants to create fashion, quality and style that lasts for years. Our thinking derives from a combination of Finnish design and carefully selected materials. One of the most important elements of a high-quality coat is a supporting fabric that prevents the main fabric from stretching and reinforces it in places that are subjected to heavy strain, such as pockets. In addition, an interlining can add stiffness to collars and give a better shape to the coat.
When designing a coat, it is essential to find the right combination of main lining and interlining. The interlining is always selected according to the main fabric and its properties. There are many options, and the combinations must be tested before making the final selection. Different finishes of a fabric will for example affect how it sticks together and endures washing. It is important for us to make this choice by ourselves, because outsourcing can lead to unsuitable interlinings.
We look for combinations, because in the fast-paced world of fashion new fabrics appear in the market every season. We have worked closely with Intermedius for years, who are the Finnish representative of Freudenberg’s Vilene Performance Materials. Typically, we have our special needs, such as a thin wool cloth that needs a little support. In this case, we will work with Intermedius to find exactly the right combination to guarantee a high-quality structure and perfect finish. Thanks to our long history of working together, our collaboration is seamless, because they know our order quantities and the demands of our production chains.
In addition to support fabrics, we also use another product made by Intermedius, that is the sleeve head roll. Made from PET bottles, this lightweight but sturdy wadding is used for the set-in sleeves of wool coats, for instance. The sleeve head roll is sewn into the armhole, so the sleeve turns nicely and has a finished look.
Working with a partner that knows our needs by heart is an agile way to operate. With Intermedius, organising appointments is easy, and they send samples quickly. In the fashion world, new innovations are being created all the time, and we want to be involved in developing and exploiting them. Intermedius has been a reliable partner for us, and we will continue to find creative and viable solutions with them in the future.
Flare Trading Oy
Founded in 1993, the company is known for its high-quality coats. The company’s roots go back to the 1960’s. The owner at that time, Raimo Aaltonen, had a passion for making stylish, quality coats for women of all ages and sizes. He encouraged employees to spend time at the Helsinki railway station, where the large number of people provided a great opportunity to observe the kind of coats women wore, what they looked like and, above all, what coats they needed.
The same passion continues at Flare. In addition to beautiful design, the coats have great practicality, fit and dimensions. Unlike many other brands, Flare coats provide a size range from 34 to 50. In addition to Finland, they serve customers in the Nordic countries, Europe, Russia and Canada.
