Promoting diverse beauty from northern Finland

Overcoming personal challenges

Kate Suopajärvi, founder of Arctic Cherry, hails from Rovaniemi, a town in northern Finland known as the hometown of Santa Claus. She has lived there most of her life, and her business reflects her personal journey.

‘Since I was a child, I enjoyed performing, but suffered the looks and judgment of people disappointed in my appearance. I was discriminated, my joy and ambition were frustrated, and I greatly suffered from this. Still, I pursued a career in modelling and performance, again to realise that plus-sized models have a harder time getting photographers for their own portfolio shootings. This makes it more difficult to find new job opportunities. In such circumstances, thinking about diversity is not even possible. I found this so discouraging.

Embracing body positivity through fashion

As an adult, Kate recognized that personal and structural discrimination can ruin lives. She believes that increasing the visibility of diverse body types can foster acceptance. Motivated by this belief, she ventured into clothing design to promote body positivity, adopting the motto "for diverse beauty." This journey led her to the Interreg W-POWER project.

Empowerment through the W-POWER project

W-POWER supports women entrepreneurs in sparsely populated areas of northern and Arctic Europe. The project aims to increase equality and women's contributions to regional economies by encouraging them to establish and grow their businesses. Kate was drawn to the project's focus on women entrepreneurs and felt empowered to get involved.

Building skills and networks

W-POWER organized training events led by local women entrepreneurs for fellow businesswomen. Kate learned to use social media for marketing and built her website, which became essential for her business. Participating in the project provided valuable experiences and long-term connections. She developed an international network, exchanging ideas and offering peer support with others she met through the project. Through W-POWER, Kate also honed her skills in pitching her products and services.

Even during the pandemic, W-POWER participants continued to support each other by transforming events into online transnational coffees and podcasts.

Kate is now developing a new service concept for her clothing business. She plans to launch it next year, complete her studies, and become a full-time entrepreneur.