I'd never heard of these guys Marimekko before, they make pretty fabrics, which are mostly a bit boringly retro for me, but some patterns and items they sell do have a bold and quirky charm about them. Their website and online catalogue are very nice too....but shouldn't talented designers like them be doing something else by now - I mean this retro 70's funky wallpaper revival stuff has been going on for about 10 years now....
They're tapping into an ethnic Finnish tradition, which looks similar to the 70s wallpaper shtick. Perhaps this Finnish look (which has parallels in other Nordic folk design traditions) was the original inspiration for some of the 70s stuff? I hate to say it but it might have influenced some of IKEAs designs...
Marimekko were very popular in the '70s (first half); their influence on 21st century French interior design is pretty huge (albeit unacknowledged!).
I didn't realize that they were genuine '70's survivors!...I still think they should have moved on by now though...:) The designs seem very familiar to me, so perhaps my parents had a marimekko mug or two hiding in the back of the cupboard!
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