STUDENT BY DAY, CEO BY NIGHT

Practically every designer’s path eventually leads to starting their own brand. It’s often assumed that years of experience are required before launching a business—but our students are proving otherwise. 

We had the pleasure of speaking with our three design students who have built their own companies during their studies: Eetu Kirkanen, Enna-Matilda Kukkola, and Veera Sjöstedt. Eetu runs his own fashion brand, Enna teaches ceramics courses, and Veera co-owns a curated vintage and secondhand shop. Their journeys as both students and entrepreneurs are inspiring, honest, and encouraging—offering real insight into what it takes to turn passion into a profession. 

Eetu Kirkanen: CHURZER Fashion 

Eetu Kirkanen is a Finnish fashion design student at HAMK University and the founder of CHURZER. Eetu started his fashion brand around five years ago, and ist more than just a brand—it's an alter ego and a creative identity that connects his interests in fashion, music, and visual culture. It's a lifestyle label built on emotional connection, quality craftsmanship, and expressive design.  

Start of CHURZER

CHURZER began in a creative studio, where Eetu and his friends collaborated on music and fashion. The name evolved naturally from a nickname, “church”, into something uniquely his—CHURZER. Even though the brand was established before the studies, developing CHURZER during the studies has helped him to apply the given knowledge directly to the brand. This way, it allowed him to grow both academically and entrepreneurially at the same time.  

Challenges

The biggest challenge he faced was balancing creativity and production. For example, with his recent beanie and scarf drop, he had to find a manufacturer that met his quality standards. It took time and research, but eventually he partnered with a German manufacturer to ensure the pieces reflected the brand’s vision. That experience taught the importance of patience, clarity in communication, and testing before committing to a bigger order.  

Learning Experience

The biggest learning experience for Eetu has been realising that fashion isn’t just about clothes—it’s about community and emotion. Every drop tells a story and connects with people in unexpected ways. From printing T-shirts for friends to designing deeply personal collections like VEIIL. 

The Future of CHURZER 

CHURZER will be growing into a more structured but still creatively driven brand. The brand is currently expanding into accessories and knitwear and aims to build seasonal drops that maintain exclusivity and storytelling. Collaborations, international production, and deeper artistic expression—especially through techniques like airbrushing—are part of CHURZER’s future direction. 

Advice

Don’t wait for the perfect moment or product. Start small, make mistakes, and keep your vision honest. Your brand should reflect who you are—not just aesthetically, but emotionally. Stay open to feedback, build your network, and always remember: your uniqueness is your power.  

Enna-Matilda Kukkola: Enna Ceramics 

Enna-Matilda Kukkola is a fourth-year Ceramic Design student at HAMK. She runs a small ceramic business called Enna Ceramics, where she teaches ceramic courses, creates artworks, and produces functional tableware. She works in a shared ceramic studio called Keramiikkastudio Kaoliini in Helsinki.  

Start of Enna Ceramics

Enna started the ceramic design business a year ago, during her third year of studies. She received an incredible opportunity to join a studio in Etu-Töölö, Helsinki. At first, she questioned whether it was too soon to start a business, but she also knew that opportunities like this don’t come along every day. Therefore, she accepted the studio space and began teaching ceramic courses to cover her rent. All while continuing her studies and shaping her identity as a ceramic designer. In addition, before studying ceramics, she trained as a handicraft teacher.  

Challenges

The biggest challenge for Enna has been that, as a solo entrepreneur, she is the entire business. At times, balancing it all alongside the studies can feel overwhelming. The marketing and business side is something she had to learn by doing and trying. She did not figure it out fully yet but manages thanks to the support of her friends and colleagues. Even with the challenges, Enna feels like she’s gradually moving toward her dreams, learning something new every day. There have been many moments when she questioned this path—there are easier ways to make a living—but a deeper purpose keeps her going. The biggest learning experience has been not to give up.   

The Future of Enna Ceramics

After graduation, Enna will finally have the capacity to focus on the business fully. In the future, she plans to continue working with ceramics, take on larger commissions, and participate in gallery exhibitions. One of her dreams is also to be able to hire a professional to manage the marketing part, so she can spend more time doing what she loves — creating.  

Advice

Ennas' advice is: if you’re interested in starting something, just go for it. And if you have someone you could team up with, it is worth trying together. She would personally love to have a business partner, and believes many others feel the same. Collaborating with the right person can make the journey not only easier, but even more meaningful — you’ll grow stronger together.  

Veera Sjöstedt: Walk-In Closet Vintage and Secondhand Shop

Veera Sjöstedt is a 25-year-old student at HAMK and an entrepreneur based in Helsinki. She co-owns and runs a vintage and secondhand shop called Walk-In Closet, located in Kallio, Helsinki, which she runs together with a friend.  

Their curated selection features clothing, accessories, and footwear ranging from the 1970s to Y2K fashion from the early 2000s. Every item is carefully handpicked with the customers in mind, with a special focus on Italian vintage and rare, hard-to-find pieces. The business was launched in August 2024.  

Start of Walk-In Closet

It all started with enthusiasm for vintage and secondhand fashion, a passion for dressing and self-expression. They first piloted the service through external providers such as Vinted, Depop and Instagram and attended a vintage pop-up event. It was concluded that there was interest and demand for their range.   

Veera says she was in the right place at the right time. She had a friend who shared the same dream and business idea, and when they found a great shop space in a good location, they decided to go for it. The co-owner is Veera's friend who graduated in Business Administration from HAMK, and they have been a great team ever since. Our strengths complement each other, and we’re constantly learning from each other.  

Challenges

We've learned how powerful and essential marketing and social media are—especially in an industry where trends change rapidly. Customers should never be taken for granted; it's important to actively promote our business and keep reminding people that we exist. Most of our customers have found us through social media, especially TikTok! We're constantly coming up with new video ideas and following new social media trends. We also network with other entrepreneurs in the industry, collaborate with fashion influencers in Helsinki, and take part in pop-up events to increase brand visibility.  

Learning Experience

One of the biggest learnings has been the importance of specialising and clearly identifying the target audience. The business started with the idea of a curated vintage and secondhand shop that had something for everyone, regardless of style, age, or gender. But soon the girls realised that the audience was too broad, making it harder for the right people to find them. To stand out and create a sense of exclusivity, they needed to narrow the focus.  

That’s when the gap in the market was discovered: no vintage shop in Finland specialised in Italian vintage, and this became the niche. It gave a strong identity without limiting the shop too much stylistically. Most of the customers today are young people in Helsinki, typically women. Staying in tune with the audience is key—meeting demand, following trends, and offering pieces that feel both trendy and timeless. 

The Future of Walk-in closet

In the future, they will have an established clientele. They are a well-known and respected vintage shop in Helsinki. Looking to expand their business, move to bigger business premises, offer more product variety, and take on new employees. They also aim to introduce new services such as personal shopping, styling, sewing, repair, and clothing maintenance courses.  

Advice

Start by identifying your subject area and business idea. Clearly define your concept and target audience. Think about your strengths—what you’re good at and what your business will specialise in. Focus on your niche and the style you want to be known for, so that the right customers can find you and connect with your services.