MARIELA POKKA CREATES LUXURY CLOTHING FROM REINDEER LEATHER AT THE ARTIC CIRCLE
From Venezuela to the Arctic Circle
Seventeen years ago, Venezuelan-born Mariela Pokka moved to the Arctic Circle and became involved in the reindeer hide business. Four years ago, she created her own fashion brand and began making clothes from reindeer leather.
This coming June, her collection will be seen on the catwalk in Monaco, alongside Marketa Häkkinen’s wedding dresses.
Signs That Led North
The first sign was a Finlandia Vodka advertisement.
Mariela — then still Mijares — drove past it every day in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela.
The ad featured an image of the Finnish midnight sun, and the view made a strong impression on her.
“That landscape — I want to see it myself one day,” she thought every time she passed the ad.
The year was 1994.
The second sign was Mika Häkkinen.
Häkkinen was the only Finn Mariela Mijares knew in the early 1990s. She was a big fan of Brazilian Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna, and Häkkinen was Senna’s teammate.
In 1995, she went to study in London. One evening, she ended up at a student disco and started talking to a young man. Because of the noise, she couldn’t quite make out where he was from.
“He said ‘Finland,’ but I heard ‘Ireland.’ Only when he mentioned Mika Häkkinen did I realize — he’s Finnish!”
The encounter felt fateful, and she took it as a clear sign.
What she couldn’t yet foresee was that Mika Häkkinen would later return to her life — but that would take several years.
Designing at the Arctic Circle
By mid-May, the midnight sun has already begun in Utsjoki, but at the Arctic Circle, it officially arrives only at the summer solstice. Still, there is no more darkness.
The showroom of Mariela Pokka, designer of reindeer leather clothing, is located in Santa Claus Village, at the Arctic Circle.
Although the tourist season has ended and the showroom is closed, Pokka is there preparing for her next challenge: presenting her collection at Monte Carlo Fashion Week in early June.
This will be her first-ever fashion week, and she feels both excitement and anticipation.
Monte Carlo Fashion Week, known for highlighting emerging luxury brands, comes at the perfect moment.
Personal Challenges and Renewal
The past two years have been personally difficult for Pokka, and her brand’s progress temporarily slowed down.
“My mother has Alzheimer’s disease, and she has been living with me. I’ve been taking care of her,” Pokka says.
Now, her mother will move to London to live with Mariela’s sister, allowing her to refocus on her fashion business.
Confident and determined, she says:
“I have a lot of knowledge, and I know the material very well. I’m confident.”
Her luxurious reindeer leather garments have already attracted clients from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, who appreciate the material’s quality and exclusivity.
A Lapland Collaboration in Monaco
When Mariela Pokka travels to Monte Carlo Fashion Week, her collection will appear alongside another Lapland-inspired brand — Nordic Angels, founded by Marketa Häkkinen, wife of Formula 1 champion Mika Häkkinen.
The two women met the year before Mika and Marketa’s wedding, when Marketa visited Santa Claus Village.
“Marketa came here with Mika because she wanted to make her wedding dress out of reindeer leather,” Mariela explains.
The designers quickly bonded over shared ideas. They even considered starting a joint company, though logistical challenges made it impossible.
However, at Monte Carlo Fashion Week, their brands will unite in spirit — showcasing side by side under a shared Lapland theme.
Looking Ahead
Monte Carlo Fashion Week focuses on development brands — fashion houses showing potential for growth. Major established brands like Gucci or Versace do not participate. The patron of the event is Princess Charlene of Monaco.
“Of course, I’m a little nervous because this is my first fashion week,” says Pokka with a smile.
“But now it’s time for my brand to move forward.”
About Mariela Pokka
Upcoming Event: Monte Carlo Fashion Week, June
Born: Caracas, Venezuela (née Mijares)
Lives in: Rovaniemi, Finland (since 2000)
Family: Husband Harri Pokka and two teenage sons
Education: Studied at Richmond University, London; earned an International MBA
Business: Co-owner (with her husband) of Lapin Nahka, a company trading in reindeer hides since 1969
Fashion Brand: Mariela Pokka, founded in 2013
Text: Liisa Kuittinen
Photo: Anssi Jokiranta
Date: 20 May 2017