Fashion, Gender Fluidity and Self-Expression: Mikko’s Helsinki
Photographer, influencer and creative Mikko Puttonen is known for blending fashion, gender fluidity and a deep connection to nature in his work. Born and raised in Finland, Mikko’s journey has taken him from childhood hikes to London’s fashion scene – but it’s Helsinki that continues to inspire his creativity and sense of self, so he returns on a regular basis. In this story, Mikko shares his thoughts on identity, responsible influence, and the power of personal style.
Open air. Open minds.
From forests to fashion the origin of a creative
Mikko’s family used to go on hikes, and his dad would always bring his film camera to capture the forests, birds, lakes, and us kids. Fun fact, some of the images in this article were taken with that very camera!
Photography felt like a natural fit for Mikko, and he actually saved money to buy his first camera by collecting bottles with deposit.
He started his blog at 14 and began photographing his siblings, friends, and nature, even experimenting with self-portraits early on. Over time, what started as a hobby gradually became a profession.
After studying photography for three years, he moved to London at 19 and his interest in fashion and self-expression through clothes grew. He started focusing more on Instagram and began working as an influencer alongside photography. Now, he gets to combine both passions, photography and social media, in his work and daily life.
The Gender Fluidity Expert
Free self-expression, without any rules or limitations, has always been incredibly close to
Mikko’s heart. He never felt connected to or comfortable with society’s stereotypical rules about how men
should look or behave.
During his time as Vogue Scandinavia‘s Gender Fluidity Expert, he got to explore this topic on a deeper level and interview some truly inspiring people and learn so much from each one of them. Mikko believes fashion is fluid and it should have no rules. This is a message he continues to advocate in his work and life.
A lot of people struggle to fit into these rigid societal rules, and discussing the topic helps bring more people together.
Photography as an art form
Mikko sees photography as an art form. For him, it’s all about storytelling and creating images that evoke emotions and make you pause for a moment. His personal style is poetic, minimal, and warm.
He like to infuse a touch of childlike playfulness into his work, as he believes we should never lose the curiosity of our inner child. This is something he try to capture in his photos.
I absolutely love Helsinki’s style scene! It’s a mix of classic and traditionally stylish influences, but what really inspires me is when I see someone rocking their unique personal style with confidence. It’s amazing how personal style can affect someone’s confidence and make them shine. In Helsinki, style isn’t so much about designer clothes or trends, but more about subcultures, second-hand clothing, and self-expression. I also notice a lot of colour, prints, and bold combinations. Even if it’s not my personal style, I admire anyone who is true to themselves.
-Mikko
Nature is incredibly important to Mikko, it’s both a personal passion and a constant source of inspiration in his work. He loves the city, but he tries to spend as much time as he can in nature. Helsinki is special because it’s so green and surrounded by nature.
There are so many great escapes, like Suomenlinna and other beautiful islands in the archipelago. Mikko often photographs projects in nature because he loves the colours, textures, reflections, and natural light it offers.
Responsible representation
Mikko believes influencer marketing and photography should contribute to responsible marketing. For him, the most important thing is carefully considering the brands he partners with. For example, he avoids working with any brands whose values don’t align with his own.
He prefers collaborating with smaller, more responsible brands, and likes to highlight this on his social media. When it comes to paid partnerships, he focuses on creating work that inspires, rather than promote overconsumption.
As for influencer marketing, it’s important to amplify inclusion and diversity across all teams. According to Mikko, we need to give a voice to minorities and work for instance with LGBTQIA+ talent throughout the year, not just during Pride month. This is something that genuinely aligns with the core values of Mikko and the partners he chooses to work with.
Tip: Fashion is a very competitive industry, so it’s important to focus on branding, networking, and finding balance. For Mikko, balance comes from nature. He rediscovered mushroom foraging two years ago, and he can’t wait for the season to start!
Mikko is part of Helsinki’s Ambassador Program for international key opinion leaders, influencers, creators, investors, powerful individuals, and talents whose values, interests and key audiences are in line with those of the city. It’s a long-term program that has a strong emphasis on a holistic view of sustainability: taking into consideration five areas of sustainable influencer marketing: travel, food, social responsibility/DEI, culture, and collaborations. Helsinki Partners’ responsibility as a partner is to ensure that sustainable operations start by looking at its own actions. The Ambassador Program supports Helsinki’s implementation of sustainable development goals.
Follow Mikko
Follow Mikko on social media @mikkoputtonen
