Category: scandinavian pattern pioneers

Rörstrand's Mon Amie illustration by Maria Larsson

mon amie – the iconic flower of marianne westman

This is a pattern loved by generations of Swedes since it was released by Rörstrand in the 50’s! I have so many memories seeing Mon Amie (My Friend) on countless tables of family and friends from my childhood until this day. It’s a reference for everything related to outstanding pattern design in Sweden and nobody …

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Perssons kryddhylla by Astrid Sampe

four female forerunners of swedish pattern design

Luckily, there are many strong role models for Swedish female designers and artists. Here are four women that completely changed the road map of Swedish textile design! I encountered their names early on in my art education as their influence on what we consider typically “Swedish” is groundbreaking. Back then, I didn’t really contemplate the …

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Cover from book by Salka Hallström Bornold

mah-jong : fashion for rebellion

rebellious design for an equal world Talking about pattern pioneers this post just had to be written! I couldn’t possibly miss introducing one of the most iconic brands of the Swedish ’70s – MAH-JONG! I love to share this because Mah-jong is not well known abroad although it belongs to the classics of Swedish fashion and design history. The most interesting …

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Green Birds by Josef Frank

the austrian designer who became the synonym of swedish modern – Josef Frank

  In 1933 the 48 year old architect and designer Josef Frank (1885-1967) fled to Stockholm from Vienna in the dawn of the growing National Socialism. He was of Jewish ancestry and as so many others feared to remain in his native country. Given his wife was born in Finland but raised in Stockholm, this was a logical choice. But …

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Stig Lindberg, book by Anna Larsdotter

the man behind the green leaf – Stig Lindberg

  There are few patterns in Scandinavian design history as iconic as the famous stem of green leaves by the Swedish designer Stig Lindberg (1916-1982). As one of the most influential post-war designers in Sweden he worked with ceramic, glass, tableware, textile prints and more during his long and successful career with Gustavsberg Porcelain Factory. Berså was produced …

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Ten Swedish Designers with Uniqlo fall/winter 2013

swedish design: 10-gruppen

When our neighbours in Finland take pride in one of the most famous design houses of the world – Marimekko (previous post HERE) – we love our own take on this type of bold, colourful, graphic textile design in Sweden: 10-gruppen, known as Ten Swedish Designers abroad. They were founded in 1970 by ten young designers who wanted to …

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Unikko by Maija Isola, photo by Marimekko

marimekko – a love story

I got a lovely little parcel on my birthday earlier this week. The dots is of course a MOST suitable pattern for the founder of this blog, but the flower also reveals a sweet spot of mine called – Marimekko. Marimekko is the synonym of nordic, contemporary design at its best. Founded by Armi Ratia and her …

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