Design DNA

Created more than 80 years ago, the Finnish architect’s design is one of the most recognisable objects in the world

More than 80 years on, Alvar Aalto’s eponymous vase has lost none of its lustre – and to mark 140 years of Iittala, it’s being released in two covetable new colours

No designer is more synonymous with fluid curves and organic forms than Alvar Aalto. Even his name recalls a sinuous shape: ‘Aalto’ means ‘wave’ in Finnish. Perhaps this is pure coincidence or something more deep rooted, nature’s influence was never far from his works, whether a building, chair or lamp. But the inspiration for his ‘Aalto’ vase is still unclear. While some say its soft, asymmetrical shape was inspired by the lakes in his native Finland, the title of the collection (which the vase was part of ) submitted to Iittala’s design competition in 1936 offers another theory. Named ‘Eskimo woman’s leather trousers’, it suggests that a baggy trouser leg could have influenced its design. Whatever its muse, the ‘Savoy’ vase as it was then known (it was originally created as part of Aalto’s design for Helsinki’s Savoy restaurant) was awarded first prize. It was promptly entered into the 1937 Paris World Fair where it caused a sensation, again scooping the top prize and catapulting Iittala onto the international stage in the process.

So what made it so revolutionary? Compared to the decorative but rigid designs of the time, its bold simplicity was nothing less than groundbreaking. Its sensual curves, too, went against the grain, making a statement against industrial production. It also put its users more in touch with nature.

The ‘Aalto’ vase is the second oldest piece still in production from Iittala’s archive (the oldest is a tumbler designed by his wife, Aino, in 1932), and helped to develop the brand from a glass factory churning out pieces using bought-in moulds, to a pioneer of the modernist movement, a promoter of homegrown talent and a national treasure. Together with fellow Finn Kaj Franck, the Aaltos laid the foundation for the Iittala design philosophy: to make objects for everyday use that combine beauty and function. The ‘Aalto’ vase was the embodiment of their vision. More than 80 years later, this thinking – and the vase itself – has never been more relevant. iittala.com