This February, KARHU invites you once again into the world of Moomin. Created by author/ illustrator Tove Jansson in 1945, the Moomins are a family of carefree, adventurous trolls from the beloved Finnish storybook series of the same name. In the seventy-plus years since their inception, the Moomins have inspired countless comic strips, animated series, art installations, theme parks, and—with a little help from KARHU—footwear collaborations.

The KARHU x Moomin collaborations celebrate these cherished Finnish originals by drawing inspiration from the characters, colors, and fonts of Moominvalley. Look closely at the collection and you will see the iconic figure of Moomintroll —with his wide eyes, perky ears, and oversized snout— gracing the upper of each silhouette.

For this release, the KARHU design team was directly influenced by the story of Moominpappa at Sea, which they have sourced to introduce new colorways of both the Fusion 2.0 and Aria 95. The “India Ink / Chambray Blue” Fusion 2.0 is constructed from micro-perforated suede and ballistic nylon and dressed in tones that evoke the Moomins’ journey at sea to find a new home. The “Dawn Blue / Sleet” Aria 95 utilizes sturdy mesh and a reflective M-logo as a nod to the rocky island lighthouse where the family eventually lands. Both silhouettes feature pops of red, inspired by Moomintroll’s scarf, and vibrant geometric patterns that highlight the colors of Moominvalley.

To help bring the collection to life, KARHU visited the island of Kailo, home to Moominworld, to photograph each silhouette in a setting recreated from the stories.

The KARHU x Moomin collaboration will be available beginning on Friday, the 4th of February at KARHU.COM, both KARHU Concept Stores in Helsinki (Finland) and Verona (Italy) and select retailers worldwide.

Curated by:

Kasper Kasanen & Joel Kotivuori