Finnish Design (Page 4)

Finland was later than its neighbouring countries, Sweden and Denmark, in developing a global design identity. The first one was presented at the Milan Triennales in the early 1950s by Tapio Wirkkala and Timo Sarpaneva, who displayed highly expressive art glass.

Since that time, Finnish design has tended to be more sculptural and more upscale than other Scandinavian designs, and a successful design publicity machine has developed to maintain that image.

In addition to glass, Finland is known for its unique furniture, ceramics, and textiles. Finnish furniture, from Aalto to Kukkapuro, combines a respect for the materials’ inherent qualities with a deft sense of proportion and a sense of quality, while Arabia has adopted the Swedish practice of hiring artists to work in its factories for ceramics. However, Finland probably excels at printed cotton textiles because brands like Marimekko and Vuokko are well-known abroad for their vibrant, eye-catching textiles. Finnish design has a distinctive personality as a result of these incredibly unique contributions.

Finnish Design - featured image

Finnish Design has contributed significantly to the country’s economy and international identity. This beautifully conceived study examines the influence of Finnish modernism and its essential characteristics. The book extensively demonstrates how architecture works in the tension between art and business. Numerous photographs, posters, and illustrations depict every conceivable element of Finnish design’s rich diversity.Read More →

Marimekko featured image

Marimekko, one of the most well-known Finnish textile companies, was founded by Armi and Viljö Ratia in Helsinki in 1951 as the trendy and innovative arm of their parent business, Printex, which they also formed two years earlier. At Printex, Armi Ratia created bold, experimental printed cotton textiles. Still, after this failed to catch the popular imagination, she founded Marimekko.Read More →