Image Courtesy of Marimekko.
It all began with a Finnish textile design. Armi Ratia founded Marimekko in 1951, enjoying incredible success with her strikingly graphic textile patterns. The unmistakable company logo, which is still in use today, was created just three years later. Marimekko’s designs can now be found all over the world and, if you have time, it’s worth delving deep into the history of this brand. We speak to Marimekko’s creative director, Rebekka Bay, whose eyes light up more than once during our conversation.
SLEEK: What do you find inspiring about Marimekko?
Rebekka Bay: My love affair with Marimekko started a long time ago. I grew up in Denmark, and I remember seeing Marimekko fabrics, tablecloths and tea towels in my parents’ house. Then, about 15 years ago, in Florence, I happened to come across Marimekko A-line maxi dresses, which probably date back to the late 1960s. As I ran my hand over the fabric and the print, my childhood memories flooded back. That was the actual moment when I rediscovered Marimekko for myself. Then, seven years ago, when I was invited by Marimekko to work with and for the brand, a very special journey began for me. Over time, I fell in love with living and working in Helsinki, with the incredible team spirit and the people and, to be honest, with Helsinki too.
S: What does Marimekko’s magic formula mean to you?
RB: Marimekko has been in existence for 71 years. I think our values are incredibly of the moment and also resonate with younger generations. The highly recognisable visual quality of our designs is a joy. Marimekko’s design has a wonderful simplicity and the patterns are unassuming. Even the abstract or conceptual patterns are understandable and identifiable. I don’t believe you can look at a Marimekko pattern and be sad.
S: And it seems to me that close collaboration with artists is also a special feature…
RB: Absolutely. Especially in the early days of Marimekko, it was all about the art of printmaking and not about clothes. And so the dress became the canvas for us. To my mind, this idea is absolutely visionary. In our archive there are 3,500 prints designed by various artists and print designers. We’re continuing in exactly the same way, drawing on our archive but also developing new prints every year. For me, art has always been the zeitgeist. I believe art shows us the earliest themes and changes in an era. And I think artists have a keen sense of how to visualise an emotion, a mood, a shift or a transformation. That’s why, when we collaborate with artists, I always really look for someone who inspires me from the very first moment.
Currently, for the first time, we’ve taken works of art and draped clothes around the works of art. It was important for us to respect and honour the organic forms. I think a challenge like that is something that really inspires our own teams, because it’s up to us to figure out how we can do justice to the artist through our work.
Image Courtesy of Marimekko.
S: There have always been strong and influential women throughout Marimekko’s history. Is that important for you?
RB: Yes, because I’m a woman [laughs]. You’re right, our company history has been influenced by some very strong women. We are a predominantly female company, and this has an impact on how we work, how we interact and how we think. We design clothes that don’t restrict women or get in the way in everyday life. I’m from Denmark, so I know that people want to ride a bike while wearing a dress. So we design dresses with pockets so you can carry things and dresses that we women can wear comfortably all day long. I want clothes that become more beautiful over time and that you can hand down or keep. I want to design clothes that can be repaired. And I want clothes that make you feel both confident and self-assured.
S: So you think further ahead than just one season. That’s inspiring and equally important.
RB: We’re definitely thinking ahead. This August we’re launching our first pre-loved platform, where Marimekko pieces can be resold, including vintage items of course. That’s one element of our approach, but our work with our huge archive is also a kind of recycling. When we start a collection, our team always takes time to figure out how our work can have the most impact and be the most sustainable during a season. In the same way, every season we improve our materials. We look at any new idea or new venture to see if we can bring something better or more sustainable to the market. For example, last week I presented a new collection of canvas bags in Copenhagen. To make these bags we use recycled cotton, printed in Helsinki, and all are designed with as few metal elements as possible. Such reductions or conscious decisions clearly indicate that there is always an opportunity to innovate. We work and design with an eye to durability, timelessness and repairability. This extends as far as the question of whether a hem should ideally be 15 centimetres long so that it can be shortened or let down. Actually, we should always design clothes that can be altered. In the design process and product development, we’re really concerned with longevity. All these challenges that I’m describing really inspire us.
S: I find your processes of precise observation and cooperative reflection very striking. Finally, can I ask you for your definition of identity?
RB: Oh, I guess I don’t have a quick definition off the top of my head [laughs, and I see her really thinking]. Maybe it’s this: identity is the sum of all parts and what you make of them. So it’s the sum of all the things that make you who you are. What you do with it is always your decision.
Image Courtesy of Marimekko.
As featured in SLEEK 74 – IDENTITY. Available in print and digital here.