Print Story

Print Story

Marimekko is a Finnish design house founded in 1951, which is noted for its colorful and bold, graphical prints with some 3,500 print designs over the years. Proving their timeless appeal, the iconic prints have been reborn time and again in thousands of imaginative color palettes. Here’re the 6 patterns incorporated in our Summer 2024 UNIQLO x Marimekko Limited-Edition Collection.

  • 01Ruukku (pot for flowers)
  • 02Melooni (melon)
  • 03Lirinä (sound of gurgling water)
  • 04Demeter
  • 05Asema (station)
  • 06Galleria (gallery)

Ruukku (pot for flowers)

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Ruukku (pot for flowers)
Maija Isola, 1972

Nature was a significant source of inspiration for Maija Isola throughout her career. Flowers in different styles were a frequently appearing motif in her designs year after year –in the expressive Ruukku (pot for flowers) pattern, she painted an inviting, undulating sea of flowers.

Melooni (melon)

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Melooni (melon)
Maija Isola, 1963

A large, laid-back pattern of stylized natural forms, Melooni (melon) is one of the many designs in Maija Isola’s output of the 1960s that superbly captured the spirit of the times.

Lirinä (sound of gurgling water)

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Lirinä (sound of gurgling water)
Pentti Rinta, 1972

Pentti Rinta’s design work for Marimekko from 1969 to 1987 was marked by versatility. He was equally adept at creating impressive, imaginative prints or restrained geometric patterns. The wavy pattern Lirinä (sound of gurgling water) is evocative of summery waters.

Demeter

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Demeter
Katsuji Wakisaka, 1970

Demeter is a small, stylized floral pattern by Katsuji Wakisaka. Printing by hand, the designer ran hundreds of tests to study the mixing of colors between the petals and the center of the flower.

Asema (station)

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Asema (station)
Pentti Rinta, 1970

Designed by Pentti Rinta in the 1970s, the composed and minimalistic Asema (station) pattern has been featured on clothing as well as many different small items over the years.

Galleria (gallery)

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Galleria (gallery)
Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi, 1956

Marimekko's print history has always been quite striped. Some stripes have stood on their own, while others have quietly supported other patterns. Some have lived for a season or two, while others have lived for decades. Galleria (gallery), designed by Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi, is one of those powerful prints that have become timeless classics.