Why it belongs in ORBIS
Finnish design house founded in Helsinki in 1951 by Viljo and Armi Ratia. Its best-known textile, the Unikko poppy print, was designed by Maija Isola in 1964 - reportedly in defiance of Ratia's own declaration that Marimekko would never print flowers.
Marimekko was founded in Helsinki in 1951 by Viljo and Armi Ratia, with Armi Ratia steering the company's design direction toward bold, unconventional prints. The brand's best-known pattern, Unikko, was created in 1964 by textile designer Maija Isola - as an act of creative rebellion, since Ratia had publicly stated Marimekko would never become known for flower prints. Unikko went on to become one of the most recognizable prints in Nordic design history, still produced on heavyweight cotton printed in Helsinki.