MILAN — Two torchbearers of Finnish design have finally come together. Marimekko, a lifestyle brand founded by Viljo and Armi Ratia in 1951, and Artek, an upscale furniture firm founded by Finnish modernism pillars Alvar and Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen, and Nils-Gustav Hahl in 1935, are getting ready to unveil a limited-edition furniture capsule. Marking an unexpected change from Marimekko‘s signature color pop and wild floral prints, this new collection of stools focuses instead on the simplicity and poetry of the sort of bended woodwork for which Aalto was famous.

The Artek + Marimekko collection features birchwood pieces plucked from a selection of Aalto’s archival designs, incorporated by three motifs designed by late textile designer Maija Isola, who was famous for Marimekko’s signature Unikko print. Among the three are Lokki and Seireeni characterized by wavy lines, and Kivet with its bold rough-edged polka dots. Artek’s Stool 60 is available in Lokki, Kivet, and Seireeni. Bench 153B incorporates Kivet and Seireeni, while Table 90D is crafted solely with the Seireeni motif.

Using marquetry on a veneer top surface, the patterns shimmer as they interact with movement and light. The collection reflects Artek and Marimekko’s pursuit to create long-lasting design, and the production process of this marquetry technique minimizes wood waste. As with all Aalto furniture produced by Artek, the products use Finnish birch, and are made at Artek’s factory in Turku, Western Finland, the company said Tuesday.

Marimekko’s creative director Rebekka Bay said the decision to refrain from the usual burst of colors was strategic, in the sense that the firm wanted to aim for something surprising, even unexpected.

“I think the obvious would be to add printed fabric or bold colorways with prints to the furniture. And instead, we decided that what we really wanted to do was to create something that would be more surprising, but maybe also more sophisticated or elevated or something that really brought our different skill sets together,” Bay told WWD in an interview, explaining their creative team traveled to Artek’s headquarters and vice versa. The two teams exchanged ideas on how to create challenging wood inlays and wood intarsias. “It allowed us to form this sort of architectural point of view,” she said, pointing out that they chose a design from the Architectural series rather than a floral print.

Bay was named Marimekko’s creative director in 2020 and joined after stints as the creative director for Uniqlo, Gap, Cos, and Everlane. For a lot of brands the home category is often a complement to ready-to-wear, but that isn’t the case for Marimekko. “In a lot of our markets, I think we are more recognized for our home collection than our ready-to-wear. So it is more that we needed to build ready-to-wear into a similar position to our position in home.”

Over the decades, Marimekko has leveraged its potential for collaborations to grow its worldwide fame. Its most recent home collaborations include designing a set of prints for Ikea, a special selection of four organic designs by its established designers Maija Louekari and Sami Ruotsalainen. It also paired archival Marimekko’s printmaking with Williams Sonoma Inc. firm West Elm’s modern aesthetic, featuring three archival Marimekko patterns for summer 2023: Primavera from 1972, Kaivo by Isola from 1964 and Papajo by Annika Rimala from 1968.

These collaborations to which it primarily lends its prints and printmaking talents propel the company to new heights, Bay explained. “In any collaboration, we also try to create something which is either a heavy contradiction or goes above and beyond what’s expected of the brands.”

Artek‘s managing director Marianne Goebl said that the collaboration with Marimekko was the result of over two years of discussions. The furniture firm has also lent its pieces for Marimekko fashion shows and in its stores throughout the years. It isn’t the first time Artek has ventured into the world of textiles and fashion. Recently the Helsinki-based furniture maker translated designer Paul Smith‘s signature stripes onto wood dressing screens and stools.

“We’re interested in an outsider’s view on our technique and individuals with whom we can have an exchange that will be surprising and enticing and interesting for our customers. We’re also interested in reaching new audiences, so as to reconnect with existing audiences in a different way,” Goebl added.

The capsule will be exhibited in a space designed by designer Linda Bergroth, will take place at 3DaysofDesign in Copenhagen on June 17 to June 21 at the Marimekko store on Pilestraede 29.

The collection will officially launch Sept. 4 and will be available throughout Marimekko and Artek’s online platforms and physical stores, as well as select dealers.