The popular online fashion and lifestyle platform has just unveiled its latest ambassador, former Finnish pro ice hockey player and entertainment personality Siim Liivik, along with their first joint campaign that champions authenticity, versatility and all the sartorial must-haves for winter
Sauna-ing with a hefty puffer jacket on? Taking to the ice rink in a sturdy all-leather outfit, a cup of coffee in hand? Considering Finns’ well-known passion for sauna and ice hockey, these scenarios aren’t too far from reality. In fact, they are scenes from Zalando’s latest campaign, starring the online fashion and lifestyle destination’s newly minted Finnish ambassador, former pro ice hockey player and entertainment personality Siim Liivik.
The campaign, dubbed ‘Scandi Fashion Survival Guide’, kicks off the duo’s year-long collaboration and playfully nods to pieces we need to weather the dreaded Nordic winter through a streetwear lens – that aforementioned bulky puffer, a gazillion layers, warming scarves, and plush faux-fur coats.
Photo: Jumbo Tsui
Photo: Jumbo Tsui
Dreamt up with an acclaimed creative team comprising art director Simon Rasmussen, photographer Jumbo Tsui and stylist Nikke Hellström, the campaign taps into Nordic self-irony and humour – also needed to power through the winter – while showcasing Zalando’s extensive men’s offering. The campaign’s message, the company notes, is an homage to practicality and resilience, quintessentially Finnish characteristics.
“We are incredibly excited to have Siim Liivik as our new ambassador. He’s the perfect partner to further our goal of becoming the number one destination for men’s fashion,” says Daniela Klaeser, Team Lead Streetwear Buying at Zalando. “Siim’s ability to move effortlessly between streetwear, designer fashion and sportswear perfectly reflects the breadth of our range. In addition to his style, Siim as a person represents the values we cherish at Zalando: authenticity, pushing boundaries and celebrating personal confidence.”
Photo: Jumbo Tsui
Photo: Jumbo Tsui
Liivik is equally thrilled about the opportunity, having harboured a keen interest towards fashion, alongside sports and music, since a young age. “I feel really proud of little Siim – I feel like my voice and vision have been understood, and it’s amazing that I get to carry it out with someone who’s a leader in their own game and is ready to push boundaries,” he muses. “Honestly, I feel the same excitement now as when I signed my first professional contract as a hockey player. It feels like one of my childhood dreams is coming true.”
While the collaboration will focus on key fashion moments in 2026, it also aims to encourage men to unapologetically express themselves through personal style, dismantling limiting beliefs that can sometimes exist in the men’s fashion landscape, particularly in sports circles. Staying true to oneself, even when one’s environment doesn’t fully support it, is something Liivik is well versed in. From rocking up to the first day of elementary school at seven years old sporting an azure mohawk (spot something familiar in the campaign images?) and a moto leather jacket, to standing out with his bold get-ups during his ice hockey career, to showing up to work on national television with a fire-engine red buzzcut, he’s never shied away from being truly himself.
Photo: Jumbo Tsui
Photo: Jumbo Tsui
“I think it would be really cool if, through this, I could be the guy who encourages people to be themselves through the way they dress,” Liivik says. “I know that look, that energy, that little smirk… It takes a lot of courage but when you follow your own thing without worrying about what others think, even if it shakes things up a bit, the sense of freedom you feel is incredible.”
As for Liivik’s best tips for those seeking their personal style? “This might be a cliché, but you have to listen to how you feel – who are you, and what do you want? These are also two pretty important questions when it comes to life as a whole,” he says. “Be honest with yourself, because you’re enough exactly as you are. That’s something I try to tell myself every day as well.”
Photo: Jumbo Tsui
Photo: Jumbo Tsui
Aside from being inspired by the campaign editorial, you’ll now be able to browse and shop Liivik’s very own Scandi Fashion Survival guide, with his curated board – a newly launched Zalando feature – available to everyone on the Zalando site, housing Liivik’s hand-picked pieces, from sneakers and bags to jackets and beanies. “It was so fun creating the board, I was immediately like, ‘Can I do more of these?’” he says (yes, you can create your own, too!). Much like his overall approach to style, he let intuition guide the selection process, choosing pieces that “resonated with me the most.”
Klaeser emphasises Liivik’s zesty and engaging personality and style “key to launching new customer experiences, making fashion discovery both inspiring and relatable for our local community.” Liivik concludes: “I can’t wait to see what this journey brings.”