Hope, democracy, equality. No, it’s not Obama’s new re-election slogan. Those three words are commonly used in descriptions of this week’s vintage fabric: Marimekko.
It takes one heck of a fabric to express such weighty concepts, but Markimekko – a woman-owned, woman-operated Finnish fabric design house that dominated fashions of the 60’s and 70’s – is no ordinary fabric company. Marimekko was founded in 1951 by Armi Ratia, the wife of a failed oilcloth factory owner. Because women typically could not secure business loans at that time, Armi recruited her husband to secure the loan for her new venture and talked her artist friends into designing graphic prints for her new line of textiles. Soon, she converted the failed oilcloth factory into one of the main hubs of Scandinavian design.
From the beginning, Marimekko prints were large scale, screaming with color and utterly unlike anything else on the market at the time. Marimekko produced a line of simple, a-line skirts and dresses to demonstrate what could be done with these bold, new fabric prints. The dresses were loose fitting and asexual in comparison with the tight-fitting, hour-glass fashions popular at the time. The designs were liberating, functional and egalitarian – anyone, old, young, thick or thin, could rock a Marimekko dress and look good doing it. After all, Marimekko means “a dress for Mary” – i.e. the woman on the street.
Equality by design is a pretty neat idea but it took a style icon like Jackie O to catapult Marimekko into fashion history. Kennedy’s PR people were concerned that Jackie O’s predilection for Parisian haute couture would alienate the “average voter.” It was important for Jackie O to look average but extraordinary at the same time, a more attractive, more intelligent version of “everywoman”. So, in a highly calculated move, Jacqueline Kennedy bought 8 Marimekko dresses to wear on the 1960 campaign trail. The dresses she chose were refreshingly simple – honest yet interesting, unusual but affordable, the prints brimming with optimism and youth. Marimekko’s unconventional, informal tone set the stage for Jackie O’s legacy as an accessible style icon.
So, let’s see, equality – check, style icon creation – check, promotion of optimism – check. All that with prints of poppies and a couple of well placed squiggles? Hey, that’s vintage fabric for you…
Dec 2, 2010, 12.46 PMby wzrdreams
I also adore the Marimekko prints! That blue and red dress is really adorable, but I don’t think it would have nearly as much pizzaz in a more subdued fabric. I would love to try a Marimekko inspired project. Any thoughts on where to find their fabric today?
1 Reply
Dec 2, 2010, 09.52 PMby eringilday
Hi wzrdreams! Good question. Lets see…
For new/repro Marimekko fabrics you could try these…
http://www.finnstyle.com/macofa.html
http://www.kiitosmarimekko.com/marfab.html
http://www.shoprelish.com/Store/pc/Fabric-c46.htm
And for vintage I think your best bet is still eBay or Etsy. Be careful when shopping those sites tho – folks often take liberties when describing a fabric as “Marimekko” when in actuality, it’s not. The real stuff will have “Marimekko,” the date and the name of the print in the selvedge. =) HTH!
Dec 2, 2010, 07.18 AMby kraftykatina
These are great!!! I LOVE the umbrella and the dresses! And power to Armi Ratia for getting a business started when women weren’t as able to. Thanks for the great post!
1 Reply
Dec 2, 2010, 09.46 PMby eringilday
You’re welcome, Katina! You’re right, Armi is definitely an inspiration to lady entrepreneurs everywhere! Where there is a will, there is a way.
Dec 2, 2010, 07.13 AMby mikmik
I see the fabric ones at close look in one Exhibition and they are fab, the patterns itself from that time, they are joust gorgeous, fitted perfectly. I love Markimekko prints and I think they are fabulous if I could use them for the furniture, they are so rich and strong and joust gorgeous.
1 Reply
Dec 2, 2010, 09.44 PMby eringilday
OOoo Marimekko upholstery = genius!
Dec 2, 2010, 01.56 AMby girlofmanycolors
I LOVE MARIMEKKO
Dec 1, 2010, 11.03 PMby darksapphire08
wow, so pretty!
Dec 1, 2010, 10.57 PMby loyl8
I made a set of scrubs with Marimekko fabric here I love any fabric that comes from there, all fun and fits me.
1 Reply
Dec 2, 2010, 12.28 AMby eringilday
O, how cool! I love the keyhole neckline and button closure…adorable!
Dec 1, 2010, 10.10 PMby jeager
It makes you really long for the days when people wore colour! OK – new years resolution: no more buying black fabric.
1 Reply
Dec 2, 2010, 12.32 AMby eringilday
I agree, it’s shame that we are so afraid of color now!! Just look at the cars that are available these days…you can buy one in muted black/green, muted blue/black or muted grey! Wow! There was a time when you could buy a PINK-pink car or a BLUE-blue car. Imagine.
Dec 1, 2010, 09.10 PMby ravenztarot
WOULDN’T THIS ROCK to have a pattern like the dresses above? in any of the fabric!
Dec 1, 2010, 08.51 PMby gwenelle
If I were only forty years younger, I’d wear that long-sleeved dress in a heartbeat!
1 Reply
Dec 2, 2010, 09.56 PMby eringilday
You’re never too old for Marimekko, Gwenelle!!
Dec 1, 2010, 08.51 PMby carolinam
This looks so happy! but i don’t know if i dare to wear such colorfull fabric
Dec 1, 2010, 08.43 PMby nehmah
I would love to make that apron dress in dots fabric. Nehmah
1 Reply
Dec 2, 2010, 12.32 AMby eringilday
Cute idea!
Dec 1, 2010, 07.06 PMby jodieth
I love all of Marimekko large scale prints. I just wish I could afford them. The dresses from the 60’s and 70’s were fab!
2 Replies
Dec 2, 2010, 12.33 AMby eringilday
I know, funny to think that they were once considered “afforable” ~ now Marimekko prints are WAY upscale!
Dec 5, 2010, 12.55 PMby rizzo1
If you live near an IKEA store, they often have cotton textiles in large bright couloured pattern a la marimekko. For example: http://www.ikea.com/dk/da/catalog/products/10185526
Dec 1, 2010, 06.57 PMby keylieghann
OH! That red white and blue polka dot skirt is to DIE for. I want one but I’m afraid I may never take it off! While I wouldn’t mind my DH may not appreciate it ;)
3 Replies
Dec 2, 2010, 12.36 AMby eringilday
Forgive my internet stupidity but what’s a DH?? Darling husband? Designated hitter???
Dec 2, 2010, 04.59 PMby keylieghann
DH/Darling Husband/Dear Hubby or any other variation you can think of for husband I would assume but I’ve always known it to be Darling or Dear Husband.
Dec 2, 2010, 09.43 PMby eringilday
good to know!! Thanks Keyliegh! =)