Tom of Finland Partners with Costo for Capsule Cap Collection

Tom of Finland Foundation had announced a collaboration with Costo, Finland's leading brand for hats and other accessories with a commitment to ecological excellence. Costo and Tom of Finland Foundation have come together to create a classic and stylish collection that not only honors the art of Tom of Finland, but also brings the world of Tom's work to life in a whole new way.

The collection features four unique and iconic designs, each as timeless as the art from which they are drawn. The four styles are Baru, a seven-paneled baseball hat, Hupla, a classic driving cap, Gona, a train conductor style, and Jair, a traditional fisherman's cap. Each hat is a special reflection of Tom's art and embodies some of his favorite archetypes such as jocks and lumberjacks, as well as his special relationship to Finnish nature.

Each style is available in various materials, including denim, leather, and wool, and lined with Tom of Finland repurposed prints from Finnish heritage brand Finlayson.

The limited-edition collection is available for exclusive purchase in the U.S. on the Tom of Finland online store.

Founded in 2006, Costo is the result of three Finnish designers coming together to create something fresh and new in the world of design. Starting from humble origins, Costo's founders began to buy leftover industrial materials in order to satisfy their need to produce environmentally friendly and stylish products that are both memorable and sustainable.

Costo's mission is to produce items that are all made from recycled materials and this honorable undertaking was a hugely important incentive in bringing these brands together for this very special collaboration. The fabric of their items has never been used and is sourced from remnants and excess fabric produced by various manufacturers. Following an inspiring trip to Papau in 2007, every item they create is named after an aspect of Papuan culture, including tribes, towns, and islands.

Tom of Finland / Tom of Finland Foundation
(Touko Laaksonen, Finnish 1920 - 1991), is the creator of some of the most iconic and readily recognizable imagery of post-war gay culture and is regarded as one of the 20th century's most influential artists. He produced thousands of images beginning in the 1940s, robbing straight homophobic culture of its most virile and masculine archetypes (bikers, hoodlums, lumberjacks, cops, cowboys, and sailors) and recasting them through deft skill and imagination - unapologetic, self-aware, and boastfully proud enthusiasts of gay sex.

In 1984, the nonprofit Tom of Finland Foundation was established by Durk Dehner and Touko Laaksonen. As Tom had established worldwide recognition as the master of homo-erotic art, the Foundation's original purpose was to preserve his vast catalog of work. Several years later the scope was widened to offer a safe haven for all art in response to rampant discrimination against work that portrayed sexual behavior or generated a sexual response. Today the Foundation continues in its efforts of educating the public as to the cultural merits of erotic art and in promoting healthier, more tolerant attitudes about sexuality.