Iconic Prints, Infinite Interpretations
Year after year Finnish lifestyle design house, Marimekko, has been blazing the world with their unrestrictive prints and abstract designs bringing large-scale patterns and vibrant colors to life. Renowned for its art of unparalleled printmaking, Marimekko is proudly turning 70 years young. Stepping into the role of anti-fast fashion at an early age, even in its mature years, this fashion pillar will never conform to what is trending, but merely will utilize the spirit and aesthetic of the times to inspire timeless pieces. To say you can expect what they are going to do next would be the understatement of the season.
70 Years young
So how does an innovative brand like Marimekko — known for releasing anything from clothing to accessories to ceramics and bedding — celebrate 70 years of creating over 3,500 designs? Well, first we need to go back to the beginning. Starting with a dress in 1951. Marimekko, Finnish for “Mari’s dress,” was created as a presentation for women daring enough to express who they truly are through their choice of attire. This can be thanks to visionary and visual genius, Armi Ratia, founder and creative director of Marimekko. With a unique ability to recognize artistic talent, Ratia has cultivated a culture of unbound creativity and empowerment that celebrates an irresistible charm of perfect imperfections. Through the art of printmaking, the founder has redefined the industry by combining fashion and handbags, as well as home decor, to change one’s attitude into a unified expression of joyful living. "I really don't sell clothes. I sell a way of living. They are designs, not fashions. I sell an idea rather than dresses,” said Ratia.
Striped, checked and floral patterns encompass the label’s rich and vibrant artistic legacy. “Since the beginning, large-scale patterns and the overlapping of vibrant colors have been the hallmarks of Marimekko's designs,” shares Satu Maaranen, head designer for ready-to-wear bags and accessories. A graduate from Aalto University School of Arts for fashion design and architecture, Maaranen has worked for the likes of French brand Petit Bateau and the Chinese Exception de Mixmind. Designing freelance for Marimekko since 2010, in addition to acquiring the Grand Prix at the prestigious Hyeres Fashion Festival in 2013, Maaranen was the perfect fit for the position of head designer of ready-to-wear. “In three words, I would say that Marimekko is bold, playful and timeless,” heartens the designer. “Armi Ratia once said that Marimekko could have been anything: jazz, an ice-cream shop or a flower shop. This, to me, is the biggest takeaway – Marimekko is wonderfully unrestrictive. It’s a lifestyle all about artistic expression, joy and unbound creativity.”
for those daring enough to express who they truly are
Greatly impacted by its Finnish roots, the Helsinki based printing label is heavily influenced by Nordic nature, as nuanced in the recurring patterns themed throughout each print design. “Finn’s have a very strong connection to nature,” reveals Maaranen, “enjoying silliness and tranquility are something us Finns are quite good at.” Living in a world that is always evolving, a common question for any brand is how to stay relevant. Since Marimekko's inception, the mission has remained the same: to empower people to be happy as they are through bold prints and colors. And their philosophy follows in similar suit, rooted in timelessness, “we want our designs to last from one generation to the next,” shares Maaranen. This takes us back to our first question, how does an innovative brand like Marimekko celebrate 70 years of creating?
One design, endless interpretations. This statement best expresses the concept behind Co-created — a total of four limited edition collections. As part of the anniversary year, Marimekko sent out invitations for interesting and unique creatives from around the world to incorporate their own personal talents and expertise with the mission to freely reinterpret the iconic designs over the last 70 years. This idea was born out of a desire to introduce a new vision from their perspective that best highlights the essence of Marimekko. To debut the first Co-created collection, the label chose Finnish award-winning designer’s, Antti Kekki and Matts Bjolin. As graphic designers, they were the perfect pair to bring the next edge of something never before seen to Marimekko. Together, the designers merged a vision of contrasting and unanticipated ideas with a collage technique that ensued into the collections carefully arranged spirited ensembles. In the creation of the first capsule - The Art of Printmaking - the duo approached designing the collaboration items as they would any other graphic layout. “The result is a fascinating juxtaposition of archive prints, textures and even hidden messages!” beams Maaranen. Antti and Matts focus on combining the classic ‘Maija Isola' prints, dated back to 1964, with unforgettable quotes from founder and trendsetter Armi Ratia. As well as utilizing archived photographs from the past three decades into a contemporary — heritage meets the future — inspired collage. From this capsule we are graced with both ready-to-wear and homeware items that feature clever patchwork and new distinct printing techniques, such as velvet flocking and embroidering, portrayed in unique and unpredictable ways.
“There is one responsibility — Beauty. There is one reality — Dream. There is one strength — Love.”
In recent collections, the design team at Marimekko have been incorporating new and efficient ways to replace conventional materials with more sustainable, eco-friendly elements. Antti and Matts continued this practice in the first capsule of Co-created by entailing a series of tops and sneakers in their ready-to-wear items that are composed with a recycled sole material. Progressing with their idiomatic interpretation of the essence of Marimekko’s legacy, the duo moved forward with the idea of collaging through the use of purposeful and playful shapes and energetic colors as seen in the easy-to-approach mugs, plates, trays and home textiles. To pay tribute to the beauty that is Armi Ratia, the designers shared a few hidden messages that best express the heart and dedication of Marimekko’s iconic founder. As to not give too much away, we will leave you in anticipation with just one collection of words: “There is one responsibility — Beauty. There is one reality — Dream. There is one strength — Love.” Be sure to visit the first edition of Co-created to see what other messages lay hidden in their additional items.
With the launch of the next three capsules fast approaching, Marimekko is working diligently to continue sharing with the world fresh and new interpretations of the 70-year old legacy that remains true to their core value of creative printmaking. You can expect to see the release of the second edition in April. However, Maaranen excitingly tells us that the most anticipated launch will be in May, the birth month of Marimekko, with the publishing of a beautiful art book comprised of Marimekko and Thames & Hudson, written by Laird Borelli-Persson. And as we begin to welcome the colorful bloom of Spring we will most likely find head designer Maaranen wearing her absolute favorite silk dress ‘Juureni’ from the upcoming Summer/Spring 2021 collection. The relaxed silhouette and delightful play on detail through the use of stand-out bows is something she believes will exude feelings of timelessness and warmth to perfectly set the tone of the season. Leaving us with some words to live by, Maaranen encourages us all to “just be yourself and dream big — that will take you far! And after 70 years, it is safe to say that this lifestyle design house is no where near Finnish-ed.
