Finland's Marimekko & Ikea announce limited-edition collaboration

The Nordic sauna bathing tradition is deeply rooted in the culture of well-being and the everyday life of the people – especially in Finland. In 2020, UNESCO added Finnish sauna culture to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The collection will be sold exclusively at most Ikea stores worldwide from March 2023. The products of the limited-edition collection will be revealed at a later stage, according to a press release by Marimekko.

Limited-edition brand collaborations increase Marimekko’s international brand awareness and this way support Marimekko’s international growth strategy. In addition, brand collaboration collections typically generate licensing income to Marimekko. Licensing income from the collaboration with Ikea has been recognised as revenue for Marimekko in Scandinavia in the fourth quarter of 2021.

”Ikea and Marimekko share a strong Nordic heritage and a democratic approach to design, and both brands are committed to bringing joy to the everyday lives of people. We together chose sauna culture as a starting point for this collection not only because of Marimekko’s Finnish roots, but also because it reflects several of the positive aspects of Nordic lifestyle such as inclusivity and closeness to nature – a sauna is typically a space to relax, enjoy, and be completely yourself.  With this playful collection, we hope to ignite a spark of sauna love and ultimately, bring the joy of sauna to people around the world,” Rebekka Bay, creative director of Marimekko, said in a statement.

“We are looking into our Nordic design heritage and a fundamental part of our well-being culture. By combining Marimekko’s long history of making iconic prints and Ikea’s home furnishing knowledge, we want to spread the elements of this culture to help improve and bring joy to the everyday life of the many people,” Henrik Most, creative leader at Ikea of Sweden, said.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (GK)