10 of the most iconic Marimekko collabs to know

Finnish design house Marimekko is famed for its bold, dynamic, colour-bursting prints. Since its founding in the 1950s, Marimekko has gone from a fledgling textile brand to a widely successful fashion and homeware label, maintaining its mojo throughout. Beloved over the years by everyone from Jacqueline Kennedy (who wore an A-line dress by Marimekko on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1960) to Elton John (who has a pair of Marimekko trainers) and Sarah Jessica Parker (Marimekko curtains can be seen in Carrie Bradshaw's apartment in episodes of Sex and the City), the brand’s distinctive, cheerful aesthetic continues to spread its joy across the globe today.

Each Marimekko print is a work of art, always including the name of the design and the artist who created it. As the label began to garner international recognition in the early 1960s, Marimekko started to work with a host of collaborators plucked from the art and fashion industries, creating coveted, limited-edition collections. Below, Vogue Scandinavia rounds up the brand’s most iconic collaborations so far.

Related: Print power: How Maija Isola grew Marimekko into a cult brand

Joining creative forces with sports juggernaut Adidas, Marimekko announced their first collaboration with the German brand in 2021. Since then, the labels have created four limited edition collections where Adidas’ signature performance wear meets Marimekko’s most iconic prints, such as Unikko by Maija Isola and Laine by Annika Rimala. The collections focus on celebrating the “expression and movement” of the human body. Adidas’ sports excellence coupled with Marimekko’s rhythmic prints is certainly a match made in heaven.

In June 2022, Marimekko launched a collaboration that was wearable art, quite literally. Working with French artist Virginie Hucher, whose works are known for their abstract and fluid silhouettes and vibrant colour palette, the iconic Finnish brand unveiled a limited collection featuring A-line dresses and top-and-skirt sets. The coveted pieces were constructed around Hucher’s artworks, arriving in beautiful white, blue, red and brown hues from her paintings.

For the unveiling of Marimekko’s spring/summer 2023 collection at Copenhagen Fashion Week, creative director Rebekka Bay decided not to take the traditional route. Instead of a runway show, she opted for an intimate, family-style dinner. Marimekko’s SS23 showcase had another special element, revealing a capsule collection created with Brooklyn-based contemporary artist Landon Metz. For the collaboration, Metz used Marimekko’s designs as his canvas, breathing new energy into them with his visual dynamism and sense of movement. The collection consisted of four dresses, three tops, and a skirt featuring crisp whites with contrasting, vibrant blues and pinks.

Related: Mad about Marimekko: Meet the superfans who can’t get enough of the iconic Scandi brand

In 2018, Marimekko announced another hotly anticipated collaboration. Together with Uniqlo, the brand created a nine-piece collection that combined Marimekko’s unique prints with the Japanese retail giant’s quality loungewear. The patterns for the collection were all designed by Maija Louekari, drawing inspiration from nature and urban living. Blue-and-white polka dots, retro florals and colourful geometric patterns adorned the clothes and accessories, with one of the prints even designed exclusively for the collaboration. After the huge success of the first collaboration, Marimekko and Uniqlo worked together again and created two capsule collections in 2020 and 2021.

In 2008, Marimekko announced one of its biggest collaborations so far. Partnering with Swedish clothing company H&M, they produced a summer collection of 50 pieces entitled ‘Tribute to Marimekko’ and featuring Marimekko’s most popular prints from the 1950-1970s, such as Piccolo by Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi and Jokeri by Annika Rimala. The collaboration introduced pieces for women, men and children, taking Marimekko’s famous vintage prints worldwide to over 1,500 stores in 28 countries.

In celebration of International Women’s Week in March 2022, Marimekko did a unique collaboration with three up-and-coming visual artists from around the globe: Yoyo Nasty and Camilla Engström from Sweden, and Cassi Namoda from Mozambique. For the partnership, Marimekko commissioned the artists to create one-of-a-kind artworks to be auctioned during International Women’s Week 2022. Once sold, the paintings were sewn into a custom-made, classic Marimekko A-line dress according to the buyer’s measurements. The proceeds were donated to Gurls Talk, a non-profit organisation supporting adolescent girls’ and young women’s mental health and well-being.

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One of Marimekko's earliest and long-time collaborators, Japanese designer Katsuji Wakisaka created print patterns for the brand from 1968-1976 and again in 2001. Katsuji’s work is known for his vivid colour palette and playful approach to pattern composition, making the designer the perfect partner for Marimekko. The colourful car emblazoned Bo Boo print designed in 1975, became an instant hit and remains a favourite among children and grown-ups.

In 2022, Marimekko created a capsule collection with the Italian luxury accessories brand Mansur Gavriel. An ode to summer bliss and happiness, the collaboration introduced five limited edition bag styles and combined two of Marimekko’s iconic prints, Mansikkavuoret (Strawberry Mountains) by Maija Isola and Suomu by Annika Rimala. Bringing the bold sweetness of these prints to life in Mansur Gavriel’s classic silhouettes, the collection is a true summer accessory must-have.

Related: How 3 female entrepreneurs brought the Marimekko x Mansur Gavriel collab to life

In September 2022, Marimekko announced yet another exciting collaboration. Partnering with Angel Chen, a renowned Chinese fashion designer, the two created a lust-worthy capsule collection that combined Marimekko's iconic Unikko print by Maija Isola with Chen's vibrant approach to fashion that blends Western and Eastern aesthetics. Comprising two dresses, two tops and a 1990s inspired baguette style bag, the collection brought Marimekko's Unikko to life via Chen's signature primary colours and sequins.

Another Marimekko collaboration with a legendary Swedish brand will arrive in March 2023, when the much-anticipated Bastua collection with Ikea launches. As the name suggests, the collection is inspired by the love of the sauna (bastu in Swedish) culture that originated in the Nordics. Boasting a unique selection of homeware products, the collection celebrates the joy and relaxation of the experience of taking a sauna. Marimekko has designed a new print specifically for the collaboration, which will be revealed once the products hit Ikea stores across the world this spring.