Marimekko Home exhibits unique Finnish design thinking in the heart of Brera during Milan Design Week 2016

13 April 2016

Finnish design house Marimekko takes part in Milan Design Week by bringing the Marimekko Home to the heart of Milan on 12-17 April 2016. Located in an apartment on Via Palermo, the Marimekko Home invites the guests of Milan Design Week to take a peek into the Finnish design brand's everyday aesthetic and celebrates its functionalistic and inclusive design philosophy. The Marimekko Home is created with the support of Finnish design icon Artek.

"When Marimekko was founded in 1951, it was one of the first lifestyle brands in the world. Marimekko design has always aimed at bringing joy to everyday moments through bold prints and colours. We want to empower people in their daily lives and encourage them to turn their homes into a source of inspiration and means of self-expression. What better way to do that than to bring our vision of the Nordic home to Milan Design Week.

As a Swede living in Finland, I have learned that functionalism and inclusivity are inherent in Finnish design thinking, and good and qualitative design is a core part of Finnish homes. Marimekko and Artek have both had a great significance in the formation of the Finnish design aesthetic, and therefore we are extremely excited to work together with Artek on this project", says Marimekko's Creative Director Anna Teurnell.

The Marimekko Home built in Milan will present the design house's fall/winter 2016 collection. It explores the mindset of strong, confident women when the first signs of fall begin to appear and when winter finally takes over with its cosy charm. It was inspired by the surrealists' investigation of the space between fantasy and reality, and how this dialogue can be combined with Marimekko's inclusive and functionalistic design approach. Prints by Finnish designer icons, such as Oiva Toikka, Maija Isola and Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi, create an interesting interplay with more recent prints by Aino-Maija Metsola, Maija Louekari and Sanna Annukka.

The Milan Design Week is one of the world's most notable furniture and interior design events, gathering around 300,000 industry professionals and media representatives annually.