Finnish shoemaker redesigns traditional footwear with bold new collection

Finnish artisan Hanna Piipponen, known for crafting the chunky-soled supikka shoes that became a signature of singer Vilma Jää, is now reimagining other traditional footwear styles, public broadcaster Yle reports.

Piipponen, based in the small village of Tuupovaara in eastern Finland, specialises in handmade supikka—pointed-toe leather shoes traditionally worn in Finnish folk dance—and other heritage designs like lapikka (traditional Finnish boots). Her custom-made shoes, which can cost over €1,500, have gained attention after Vilma Jää adopted Piipponen’s thick-soled supikka for performances.

Now, with a full-time work grant, Piipponen is developing a new artistic footwear collection that blends traditional craftsmanship with modern design. Inspired by historical styles such as mono (flat-toe shoes), lapikka, and pieksu (old-style boots), she incorporates hand-carved leather patterns and uses materials like wild boar bristles for stitching.

Her workshop, located in a former school building in Tuupovaara, attracts customers from across Finland seeking bespoke footwear. One client, Markku Penttinen from Oulu, commissioned a pair of lapikka boots modelled after his father’s old pair.

Piipponen’s work has also drawn international interest. An American documentary filmmaker, Madison McClintock, spent a week in Tuupovaara last summer filming Piipponen’s craft for an upcoming documentary featuring four artisans.

The new collection will debut in exhibitions in Tampere and Joensuu later this summer. Piipponen, who trained as both a visual artist and shoemaker, describes the project as a fusion of her two passions.