Happy Cheery Marimekko

Now listed in my etsy shop,funkomavintage, is this superb midcentury modern, mcm, vintage Marimekko print.
It's by Maija Isola who designed many of Marimekko's now classic, legendary fabrics.



Marimekko began as Printex, a fabrics printing company. Finn Viljo Ratia bought it in 1949 and his wife Armi Ratia hired young artists to design fabric for the company. They were wild and bold ! Sales were slow so the company made clothing of the designs.
The first Marimekko clothing was designed by Riitta Immonen, and in 1951 Marimekko held a fashion show in Helsinki.

Now, Marimekko designs are printed on fabrics and all manner of home decor items....from bedsheets to bath towels to wallpaper. Dresses and shirts and accessories are designed using the wild fabrics.
Tote bags, kitchenware, and children's and men's wear come from the design tables of Finland's Marimekko.
All over the world, major cities have a Marimekko shop. They're instantly available by mail via the internets too!

Even Anthropologie had dresses made of Marimekko! It is quite popular again...
today, many of Marimekko fabrics are well-known.
Here's just a few.. These pictures are on the Marimekko website, click the clicky link there <--- Maija Isola's cheerful Pergola pattern (1965) is made into a sweet jacket by Marimekko designer Samu-Jussi Koski.





Maija Isola's Kissapöllö from 1961, is here in a dress by Koski.

Kivet 1959.



Kaivo 1964
and the sweet and wild.....unikko.
Marimekko says: Unikko came about in 1964 after Armi Ratia had announced in public that no floral fabrics are designed at Marimekko. Maija Isola did not accept rules or restrictions and designed in protest a complete collection of bold floral patterns.