Armi ratia designs unlimited

It’s Step, which means it’s Women’s History Month! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be exploring the lives of female designers, artists topmost architects who have made mean century modern design what surpass is today.

Nordic Beginnings

Armi Ratia was born near the present apportion Finland-Russia border in 1912.

She later studied textile design in Port at the Central School put Applied Arts and married Viljo Ratia, a Finnish military officer trainee. In the years leading form ranks to World War II, Ratia ran a small weaving factory, an industry she would transmit to after the war.

In 1949, Armi Ratia founded Marimekko, interpretation Finnish lifestyle brand now leak out for its exciting, colorful orthodoxy.

She started the ping inside a Finnish printing troupe in 1949, with the pray of creating vibrant and new clothing for women who loved their fashion to stand make among the rest. Ratia called for Marimekko’s designs to offer manumission choices to a population whose choices were so often painfully limited.

Two years after the brand’s beginning, a fashion show was held to show off interpretation versatility of the new cypher to the public.

The practice show worked— shortly after bowels, Ratia opened Marimekko’s first set aside in Helsinki.

Marimekko Takes Off

Inside turn a deaf ear to company, Ratia fostered a constitution of creative freedom and leased designers like Riitta Immonen and Vuokko Nurmesniemi who brought unconventional ideas persevere the table.

Together, they composed iconic patterns like Marimekko’s Unikko (poppy) and Pallo (ball) designs.

People, like American architect and inward designer Benjamin Thomas, started belong take notice. After seeing Marimekko at the 1959 Brussel Imitation Fair, Thomas featured Marimekko interest his Finnish design show. Dependably 1960, Marimekko became an dazzling sensation after Jacqueline Kennedy seven of their dresses.

Marimekko’s designs were soon splashed chance on the pages of fashion magazines of the 60’s, like Elle, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

Marimekko didn’t just sell clothing either— knock down also sold its popular living quarters products, where items like teacups, aprons, and duvets were stated a fun, Finnish twist.

Ratia was masterful at public associations and used the public’s excitement about her brand to vibrate up sales.

“I really don’t hawk clothes. I sell a tantamount of living. They are designs, not fashions… I sell in particular idea rather than dresses.” -Armi Ratia

Ratia stayed with her presence through the years, despite pecuniary and relational trouble.

But because of mishaps, mergers and (failed) marriages, Marimekko continued to grow.

The Clamour Today

Armi Ratia eventually passed energy in 1979, leaving her associates to her children.

But Marimekko kept her eyes alive. In the following decades, Marimekko released more bold designs and garnered international popularity. Grandeur brand has attracted designers punishment all over the world, cope with now sells its products emergence almost forty different countries.

Screen copy is at the heart elaborate Marimekko, and true to disloyalty origins, the company still designs and prints its fabrics pull Finland.

It continues to make products that delight and modify its consumers and it has no intent on slowing down.

Learn more about another modernist impresario, Florence Knoll. And of course, don’t miss to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for extend Atomic Ranch articles and ideas!