MARIMEKKO TEAMS UP WITH SLUSH AND JUNCTION TO FIND BOLD PATTERNS IN THE CENTENARY OF FINLAND’S INDEPENDENCE

Marimekko Corporation, Press release, 30 November 2016 at 8.30 a.m.

Throughout 2017, the 100th anniversary of Finland’s independence, Marimekko will encourage participation in and create opportunities for innovation. In collaboration with Slush, Europe’s leading event for technology and start-ups, and Junction, the largest hackathon in Europe, produced by Aalto Entrepreneurship Society (Aaltoes), we will organise a competition entitled Marimekko Designathon for the new generation of creators, where we will look for new innovative ideas and solutions challenging the conventions of traditional textile and clothing industry.

The Marimekko Designathon competition combining design and technology will be held as a hackathon at Marimekko’s headquarters in Helsinki in September 2017 and it will be one of the events of Helsinki Design Week. A jury composed of international experts and the competition organisers will select the best ideas, and the winners will have the opportunity to present their ideas at Slush 2017.

“We will build a successful future for Finland by doing things together and crossing boundaries open-mindedly. With the Marimekko Designathon competition, we want to invite younger generation creators to challenge the traditional conventions of our industry and develop fresh and unprecedented ideas. The project brings together trailblazing Finnish design and technology in a new way, and we can’t wait to see what innovative solutions, new beginnings, might come out of the collaboration,” says Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko, President and CEO of Marimekko.

“Unique design and user experience are the cornerstones of the success of many thriving start-ups. Collaboration with Marimekko will open the door for the Slush start-up community to a completely new area of expertise, which in the long term will hopefully have a significant positive impact on the design know-how of local start-ups,” notes Slush CEO Marianne Vikkula.

“At Junction, we are excited about breaking down barriers between design and technology through our collaboration with the timeless design house Marimekko. The experimental culture of a hackathon such as Junction presents companies with a new and different way to start developing their own business. To the younger generation of creators, the collaboration between Junction and Marimekko is an encouraging example – it will inspire future top professionals to develop their skills broadly and challenge established industries with new innovations and ideas,” says Ville Leppälä, Head of Junction.

Print pattern to symbolise collaboration

Maija Louekari, a younger generation print designer, has created a pattern entitled Hyvä myrsky (good storm) to symbolise the collaboration between Marimekko, Slush and Junction. The pattern was inspired by a thought of a brainstorm where bold ideas and people meet and new beginnings are born. In the pattern, multi-interpretative storm clouds and flashes of lightning form a good storm which freshens the surrounding world and so enables something new to emerge.

Further details about Marimekko’s projects and events related to the centenary are available, inter alia, at www.marimekko.com.

Photo of the Hyvä myrsky pattern: http://mediabank.marimekko.fi/l/FnLwKk2jntrB


Additional information:
Asta Halme, Marimekko Communications
Tel. +358 9 7587 233
asta.halme@marimekko.com


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Marimekko is a Finnish design company renowned for its original prints and colours. The company’s product portfolio includes high-quality clothing, bags and accessories as well as home décor items ranging from textiles to tableware. When Marimekko was founded in 1951, its unparalleled printed fabrics gave it a strong and unique identity. Marimekko products are sold in about 40 countries. In 2015, brand sales of the products worldwide amounted to EUR 186 million and the company's net sales were approximately EUR 96 million. More than 150 Marimekko stores serve customers around the globe. The key markets are Northern Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region. The Group employs about 400 people. The company’s share is quoted on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. www.marimekko.com.