Marimekko, Mansur Gavriel Team Up on Accessories Capsule
The 1960s birthed some of fashion's
most enduring prints.
In 1962, the Missoni family debuted its iconic chevrons after discovering Raschel warp knitting machines, while Gucci's Flora motif first appeared as a silk scarf around the neck of Grace Kelly in 1966.
Although the Italian contribution during this decade is well-established, the Finns, by way of textile manufacturing company Marimekko, lay claim to their fair share of remarkable designs.
Two were recently pulled from its archives to be splashed across a limited run of handbags by accessories label Mansur Gavriel. An ode to summer joy, the capsule collection will be available from June 7 on both brands' e-commerce and at select international stockists.
"We've always wanted to challenge the notion that something needs to be neutral in order to be timeless," Marimekko's creative director Rebekka Bay told WWD.
In its infancy, company founder Armi Ratia began commissioning eye-catching prints from local artists and held a fashion show to demonstrate how these could elevate straightforward silhouettes.
The Mansur Gavriel capsule follows suit with Mansikkavuoret, a strawberry mountain print dreamt up by Maija Isola, and Suomo, Annika Rimala's cheeky interpretation of fish scales, adding a touch of whimsy to two structured totes, two bucket bags and a handy zip-pouch. Each is made of water-resistant cotton canvas printed at the Marimekko factory in Helsinki.
"Armi Ratia was a female entrepreneur with a strong, cohesive vision," said Mansur Gavriel codesigner Rachel Mansur, who fostered an appreciation for Marimekko during her studies abroad at the Danmarks Designskole. She and Floriana Gavriel take a similar approach, "with the aim to create a specific world with a very focused visual language."