Design - thisisFINLAND

Bold prints and sustainability: Finnish design house Marimekko celebrates at 70

Finnish textile and clothing brand Marimekko marks 70 bold and colourful years in 2021. We talk with Mika Ihamuotila, the chair of the board, about the company’s history and future – and about his love for the Finnish archipelago.

Arts & culture Festivals

How two festivals in Helsinki brought art, music and design to audiences, despite obstacles

Two beloved fixtures on Helsinki’s early autumn calendar – the Helsinki Festival and Helsinki Design Week – shared outdoor exhibitions, pop-up gift concerts and other memorable experiences while respecting pandemic restrictions.

Arts & culture Design

Finnish design company Iittala celebrates 140 years of creating a world in glass

The town of Iittala, 125 kilometres (75 miles) north of Helsinki, has a tradition of glassblowing and design that goes all the way back to 1881. As the Iittala brand celebrates 140 years of creativity, we look at its prominent place in Finnish design.

2015

Helsinki Fashion Week held for the first time

Source: Helsinki Fashion Week

Arts & culture Art

Helsinki show spotlights the continual renewal of an age-old Finnish art form

It’s a word that many find difficult to pronounce, but the technique and designs of “ryijy” tapestries hold a special place in Finnish culture. We visit an extensive ryijy exhibition at Kunsthalle Helsinki to see a traditional art form that remains vibrant.

Arts & culture Literature

“The world was very large in those days”: A brief guide to Finland’s Moomin books

Here’s our concise list of the Moomin novels, by Tove Jansson, perhaps Finland’s most famous writer and artist. Relive the adventures, or, if you’ve only seen the comic strips, discover the original books. Plus: A slideshow takes you inside the National Museum’s Moomin exhibition.

2005

The year Helsinki Design Week, Scandinavia's biggest design fest, was founded

Arts & culture Design

How Finland’s Moomins moved from beloved books to coveted mugs

The first Moomin book, in 1945, introduced a cast of characters that gained international fame. We talk to the designer behind one of the most unusual Moomin success stories: the mugs that you can find in almost every Finnish household. They’re so popular that someone even wrote a master’s thesis about them.

Business & innovation Sustainability

Finland aims to bid farewell to rubbish dumps

Recycling waste saves natural resources, produces raw material for the circular economy and generates new business opportunities.

Arts & culture Fashion

Bold Finnish fashion designers attract global attention

Aalto University’s spring fashion show, held every May in Helsinki, is on the agendas of international journalists, scouts, bloggers and anyone else who’s into apparel. What’s behind the most recent success of Finnish designers?

1987

The year Design Forum Finland started promoting Finnish design