Season Statement
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The Rebellious Flower of Marimekko
If you’re reading this, you are Baby. You love what we love — bold patterns, women-owned businesses, clothing as a form of self-expression, or better yet, protest. The story behind our latest installation — The Rebellious Flower of Marimekko — combines these elements in a collection as vivid and imaginative as the brand’s best-selling designs.
Founded by Armi Ratia in 1951, Finnish label Marimekko has blossomed into a beloved household name. Instead of following the trend of restrictive clothing for women, Ratia introduced “liberating dresses in abstract patterns and vibrant colors.” Early on, this foray into rebellion attracted some noteworthy fans like Georgia O’Keefe, Jane Jacobs, and Jacqueline Kennedy — women that needed clothing to work with and for them, unconfined and intentional. Writing for the New York Herald Tribune, fashion critic Eugenia Shepherd described the brand as “a uniform for intellectuals.” Does it get more Baby than that?!
Marimekko’s visionary patterns, like the famous Unikko (poppy) garnered worldwide attention. The playful sentiment found in oversized petals or hand-drawn stripes has proven to be a powerful tool of expression. Since the label’s beginning, these patterns “spoke to a growing class of working women with a finely-honed taste in design, looking for some color in a post- war world.” Each motif has a history of its own attached to it — their Lenny design tells the story of “an angel who takes to the skies in fast and colorful flight”; the Maisema pattern shows how “the nuances of color and light in Finnish nature change with the seasons.”
Our appreciation for this trailblazing brand is brought to life in The Rebellious Flower of Marimekko. Peruse timeless accessories and clothing made to bring out your most fearless self. Trust, if we love it, you will love it.
Xoxo,
Jill Donnelly
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