ABOUT
The Finnish entrepreneur Emmi Granlund, 29, is a multipassionated visual artist, designer, interior architect and model. She is the oldest of six kids with five younger brothers, all of them were born and raised together in the countryside of Finland. Since young age Emmi has been a creative persona, drawing her friends’ portraits, painting landscapes, sewing clothing for her dolls and reading a lot at her grandparents’ bookstore before being a first-grader. She was also an athlete growing up, playing volleyball and doing gymnastics for almost a decade, and did her elementary school in the musically talented division.Today Emmi resides in Nashville, USA and Helsinki, Finland.
Photo by Dave Puente
EDUCATION
Emmi started her design studies in 2012 in Metropolia UASin Helsinki, and on her third year of studies she did her exchange year in Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis. She did her internships with Martela Oy in Helsinki, designing public spaces for well-known Finnish companies such as Veikkaus Oy and learning more about photography, 3D-modeling and the whole business aspect of the design industry. Her second internship was for ELLE Finland, where she worked within fashion & interiors, learning more about editing, photoshoot styling and writing for a fashion magazine.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Interior Architecture and Design at Metropolia UAS, graduating summer 2016 in Helsinki. She has also done University level studies in the fields of International Business as well as Experience & Wellness Management during years 2009 to 2011 in Haaga-Helia UAS in Helsinki.
ART
Emmi’s visual artworks are represented by Helium Arts Helsinki. Her artworks are a reflection of her energetic, uplifting and creatively abundant personality with colours, patterns and abstract shapes giving zeal and style to any room or space.
Emmi’s artworks have also been exhibited on RAW Artists‘ showcases in Minneapolis and in New York.
Her goal is to bring her clients the feeling of happiness through her art. She prefers painting abstract artworks with the freedom for the client to see whatever they are willing to see – often the viewers see so many different things in one artwork, and that’s where the magic is.
She loves to connect her love of fashion and design in her artworks, painting beauty icons in her BEAUTY SERIESartwork collection and drawing her CHAINE Atelier fashion designs in a larger scale for sale. She’s also creating exclusive collaborations with brands and taking art commissions from private clients.
CAREER
In 2008, while still in high school, Emmi took part into the Specsavers Spectacle Wearer of the Year model competition – just for fun, already using her motto for life: “Why not”. She won the competition and was chosen to represent Finland in the international competition in London.
Since 2009 she has made a career as a fashion model after graduating from high school and signing with Fondi Modelsin Helsinki, Finland and 2016 with Ford Models in Chicago, USA. Throughout the years she has appeared in the pages of many magazines and done covers, such as FIT, SPORT and MeNaiset. She has been chosen for beauty and fashion campaigns for clients as Dermoshop, Intersport, KooKenkä, Muotikuu, Reece Fawcett Collection and CHAINE. Emmi has also done editorials and countless catalogs for well-known companies as Shopbop, Citymarket, Sokos, HobbyHall, Prisma, Stockmann and many more.
While pursuing her modeling career, Emmi has worked in the design and interior architecture industry since 2011. She started as a junior designer for the Finnish kitchen cabinetry and design company Keittiömaailma, working in residential projects, customer service, marketing and event planning for the company.
She started her own business, Emmi Kainulainen Kreative, in 2013 and has focused more and more on graphic design – she has worked on creative projects such as website design, logodesign, branding, creating illustrations for magazines and styling campaign photoshoots for brands.
CHAÎNE
Emmi is the founder and CEO of CHAÎNE, a modern design house and creative studio she founded and launched in 2015.
HUMANITY is something that is often missing in today’s society. CHAÎNE reminds people that we are all one CHAÎNE of children who need to unite and cheer one another instead of jealousy, hatred and fighting. Let’s be happy for everything we’ve got – and help others in need. #CHAÎNEforChildren is a newly launched organization by CHAÎNE that will help those in need. By buying CHAÎNE items you are donating 10% of the sale price for the organization.
CHAÎNEclassics consist of effortlessly elegant accessories and one-size loungewear pieces that are related to the previous ones by their minimalistic design and classic colors. They are here to help with everyday decisions, being ready to wear for a business meeting, a night out or a cozy night at home.
CHAÎNEdreams is a collection of colorfully abstract artworks, fashion illustrations and art accessories that are created for calming our hectic lives with mindfulness increasing pastel colors and shapes.
CHAÎNEatelier makes unique outfits for special occasions – gala nights, weddings and fashion editorials. All the outfits are custom-made and every piece is one of a kind.
The selected collection of original paintings, unique dresses, art accessories and classic clothing line is now available on www.chaine.co.
FEDITED