Know about Marimekko

Scandinavian design appeared in the 1950s in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Scandinavian design is a design movement and its main features are simple and minimalistic design, and functionality.

A perfect example of a leading Scandinavian design textile company is the Finnish design company Marimekkko which produces fabrics and readymade items for stores all around the world. Marimekko was established in 1951 by Finnish couple, Armi and Viljo Ratia. When Marimekko is translated literally it means “Mary-dress.” Because of Marimekko’s bold and uninhibited textiles and readymade products, it has become a respected name in the world of design. When the style-

icon of her days Jackie Kennedy wore Marimekko, Marimekko became a synonym of all things that are modern, chic and sophisticated.

The Finnish industry also has become stronger over the years with the market becoming more diverse and demand having increased since the 1950s. Simultaneously new professional designers have been educated more and more. In 1960s, the Finnish design industry had the courage to start use bold designs because Finland’s textile and furniture exports were doing well and it had economic importance. Thanks for this development are due largely to the courageous design companies of that time such as Marimekko.

Industrial and Scandinavian design

Nordic design started to change after the World Wars. People wanted to change from crafts to high-quality production. In 1950s Europe and United States there were big exhibitions about designing and arts and crafts. Nordic designers took part in exhibitions and gained unbelievable popularity. Finland and Denmark were famous for their design and Sweden became known by its glassware and industrial design.

One of the best-known design companies in this area is the Finnish design company Iittala. The history of Iittala dates back to 1881, in small Finnish village called Iittala, which is now part of the city of Hämeenlinna. The reason a factory was built there was typical for the time: all the materials – sand, water and wood – were found nearby the Iittala village. However, there was something that could not be found from nearby: the craftsmanship of glass blowing came from Sweden. At those times, there were no skilled glass blowers in Finland. So, the skill was brought over to Finland from Sweden from whom Finns learnt the skill and developed it into something of their own.

Eventually, functionalism and designers such as Aino and Alvar Aalto changed Iittala’s product catalog completely. These designers wanted to make design objects using mass production methods, and Iittala factory was more than suitable for this. Due to this the Iittala factory became the producer of artistic glass objects also. Later designers like Tapio Wirkkala, Timo Sarpaneva and Oiva Toikka became renowned designers for the company, all creating the fame for the Scandinavian design of glassware coming from Iittala.

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