Marimekko: The Art of Printmaking

Finnish for ‘Mary’s dress’, Marimekko was founded in 1951 by Armi Ratia. Going against the restrictive fashion of the period, it produced flowing dresses in abstract patterns and vibrant colours, which remain the house’s signature to this day. Over the last eight decades, Marimekko's artists have created some 3,500 designs, which have graced clothing, bags, accessories, ceramics, bedding, fabric, and more.

Blending archival photographs and advertisements with modern campaign imagery as well as newly commissioned photography, Marimekko: The Art of Printmaking tells the story of the house’s most iconic designs. Four distinct sections guide the reader through the Marimekko philosophy and lifestyle, via its factory in Herttoniemi, where fabrics have been created from the very beginning, on to a rich sourcebook of pattern and finally to the brand’s ultra-sustainable, super-creative future.

In ‘Art of Printmaking’, follow the making of the iconic Unikko (poppy) print, its multiple variants and colourways, and discover how an initial idea evolves from sketch to dress, through colour trials and printing table. Learn Marimekko’s unique ‘Language of Pattern’, through in-depth explorations of its iconic patterns, interspersed with the themes – floral, minimalistic, architectural – that make up Marimekko’s vivid lexicon. In ‘Making Marimekko’ and ‘Marimekko Next’, discover the past, present, and future of this creative powerhouse, in the voices of its own creative talents. Dive into the exhilarating tale of Marimekko’s success and an unstoppable whirlwind of breath-taking imagery.

Marimekko is a Finnish lifestyle and design house, celebrated worldwide for its lively, original prints and products. Laird Borelli-Persson is Archive Editor at Vogue.com and author of seven books, including Fashion Illustration Now and Fashion Illustration Next, both published by Thames & Hudson.