by Marimekko
Marimekko Pattern: Karhunkukka (1964/2004) (translation: Bearflower)
Designer: Maija Isola and Kristina Isola
Soon after my last post, which mentions Marimekko, I found an article in the Guardian about how Marimekko may have won John F. Kennedy the 1960 presidential election! Jacqueline Kennedy wore these Finnish cotton dresses, and seemingly the voters liked that these were less stuffy than her Parisian wardrobe. Certainly it helped increase the fame of this company. It’s an interesting story of the company and the women in it.
If you’re in Glasgow go see: Marimekko: Fabrics, Fashion and Architecture which runs from September 10 to November 8 at The Lighthouse, Glasgow, Scotland.
And here’s the Marimekko website. I remember long ago I made a couple of garments out of bold and colourful Marimekko fabric for myself and later for my first child. Back in 2002 when visiting Helsinki we noticed two large and elegant Marimekko stores on fashionable and touristy shopping streets.
(Thanks to Pekka Nykänen for the Guardian link!)
September 6, 2005 in Art Exhibitions, Finland, Estonia & Finno-Ugric by Marja-Leena
Why are Finns so creative? There are only five million Finns and there is so much fine Finnish music and design.
Are Finns creative because of the geographical and cultural situation: a small nation between the eastern and the western world, part of both, but completely different?
Or is it just the nature? Clear sky, lakes, forests. I don’t know, but being a Finn myself I often think about this. Perhaps it is in the genes? What do you think, Marja-Leena?
Anna, I have asked those questions many times myself! This year there have been articles by American press, like Finland Diary, searching for answers, particularly in music. The present day education system gets a lot of credit. Yet Sibelius, Alvar Aalto, glass design, etc. came into fame before Finland’s modern days. Genes and environment it must be…