Iiro A. Ahokas

Iiro A. Ahokas was awarded third prize in the Design, Meet the User! competition.

Iiro A. Ahokas, tell us about yourself.
I graduated from the University of Art and Design in 2001, with an MA from the department of ceramic and glass design. I specialised in product and concept design. I have done consulting work in various visual fields, both as a freelance product photographer, and as a freelance designer, in Finland and abroad. My work has been displayed at several exhibitions of art and industrial art.

How do you generally work?
I work quickly and intensively. I brainstorm ideas by listing words, from which the desired feeling is formed. I condense the words into an ideal image, which I call the essence. Using this ideal image I am able to give structure to the concept and decide how it is to be realized. Sometimes I conjoure up a creative storm by gathering around me sketches, pictures, and colour and material samples from which I can select ideas and may spontaneously perceive associations, by combining and shifting my gaze from one place to another. I view the world through its colours, forms and relationships. In this way ideas mature in my mind often without any sketches or paperwork.

What's it like to create a fabric print design at Marimekko?
I have enjoyed Marimekko's unprejudiced, humourous, creativity enhancing atmosphere which is full of possibilities. The progress from an idea to a product has been impressively fast, with experts participating in every stage of the process. At Marimekko I have also achieved one long term goal; to work with textiles and printed fabrics.

What do you think are the most important characteristics in a designer?
A good designer is bold and can adapt. The good designer has the gift of getting tired of things quickly and then moving on, having the will to challenge the old and a passionate need to find something new. I appreciate the use of creativity in all areas of life, every day.

What do you dream of?
As a designer I dream of developing an aesthetic, quality filled environment and of creating aesthetic quality rich items.

If you could choose one place, where would you like to see your fabric design used or displayed?
I would like to see my fabrics as part of a stylish interior decoration solution, and on quality conscious consumers around the world from Milan to Tokyo.