Marimekko’s first-ever jewelry collaboration transforms its iconic print into wearable works of art

Marimekko, the Finnish design company known for its clothing, bags, accessories, and home decor, is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its popular Unikko floral pattern by turning it into jewelry. [Photo: Marimekko] The limited-edition Unikko jewelry collection is made in collaboration with Finnish jeweler Kalevala. The collection includes earrings in two sizes, an ear cuff, pendant necklaces, a broach, and a ring. The pieces are made from recycled silver in Kalevala’s Helsinki factory. Prices range from $220 to $850. The pieces will be available on Marimekko’s website starting October 1. “Unikko is an iconic pattern, and it has been in many different forms and different places throughout the years,” Emmakaisa Kirves, Marimekko’s design director for ready-to-wear and bags and accessories, said in a statement. “So, it was a joy to discover how unique, surprising, and even sculptural Unikko became through Kalevala’s design language and craftsmanship.” [Photo: Marimekko] The Unikko pattern, named for the Finnish word for poppy, was conceived in 1964 by designer Maija Isola as an abstraction of a flower. To mark its anniversary this year, Marimekko projected the pattern onto the facade of the Ateneum Art Museum in Helsinki. The company also collaborated with Samsung on cases for Samsung Galaxy products and digital artworks for Samsung’s Frame TV. For its part, Kalevala turns the Unikko print into sculpture, bringing the flowers into three dimensions. Aino Ahlnäs, creative director for Kalevala, said the jewelry maker’s collaboration with Marimekko “brought together each brand’s strengths.”