Harri Koskinen

Harri Koskinen, one of the best-known young designers in the
world today, has created products
for many prestigious companies.
His work has been showcased in numerous exhibitions all over the world. He has received several awards, perhaps the most
significant of which is the
Compasso d’Oro Award given to
him in 2004 for the Muu chair designed for Montina. Since 1998, Koskinenhas had his own studio, Friends of Industry, which offers product, concept and exhibition design services. Functionality
and uncompromising aesthetics characterise Koskinen’s clean designs. His aim is to find
innovative solutions for both the consumer and the manufacturer.

What inspires your work?
I can be inspired by anything. Collaboration possibilities, discussions about the future and
the past. Industry, methods and processes.

How do you usually work? What is your design process like?
It depends entirely on the subject of the work. In principle, the process proceeds from background research through idea generation to variation and insight. Only rarely do ideas
and insights come through effort; their emergence cannot be predicted.

What does the word Marimekko bring to your mind?
Strong, powerful vision, boldness, high quality.

What is it like to design for
Marimekko?
Great and challenging.

How does designing fabric prints differ from designing other products?
There's no difference in the structural and visual idea. When working motifs for textiles, I draw and paint more than when working on other commissions.

What do you want to communicate with the fabrics that you have designed Marimekko?
I like to leave room for associations...

In what kind of environment would you like to see your fabrics used?
I think that the fabrics I have designed are universal. They interact well with many different kinds of environments.

What do you dream of?
Time management