Marimekko’s fall 2012 line has started to trickle in at FinnStyle, as have copies of the company’s Autumn Issue. This little free newspaper did its job in getting me excited about what’s to come.

In a year in which I’ve been determined to buy less (and better) stuff, Marimekko has been a brand I’ve gravitated toward again and again. The pieces have consistent quality in every category you might judge an addition to your wardrobe: colors that stay just as bright as when they were new, fabrics that hold their shape over several washes, and timeless, bold designs. I have to thank FinnStyle for turning me on to Marimekko with their fashion shows, where the staff encourage all attendees to wear Marimekko items from their own collections to each event. The best part? Inevitably, an age 50-something woman shows up in a fabulous dress from her youth that she’s decided to cover with a trench coat. After some coaxing from the FinnStyle team she’ll take off the coat with much trepidation and get showered in compliments from the crowd. My take on all of this: I’ll be hoarding every last Marimekko piece for life.

Indeed, after 60 years, Marimekko has earned its place on 5th Avenue (just remember it was on Glenwood Avenue first…). I wanted to share these images because Marimekko has impressed me again with their thoughtfulness in the Autumn Issue. Its rare that you’ll find a catalog of this scale with such attention to detail and genuinely good writing to boot.

So, in addition to being excited about socks, dresses, and paper goods, I’m thinking about heading off to the woods after taking in this latest Marimekko “newspaper.” In fact, after spending the weekend celebrating all things Nordic with Tom’s aunt and uncle, I’m feeling like a Finn:

‘Finns have always made use of forests – both as a source of food and livelihood… picking wild berries and mushrooms…’

…Finns also head off to the woods as a way to reduce stress and find welcome solitude. The story goes that Finns are their true selves in the forest. No urban pretence. No keeping up with the neighbours. Just Mari and Mother Nature.

For Hanna, this romantic tale has a grain of truth. ‘When I studied Finns who had immigrated to the west coast of Sweden in the 1960s, I noticed something interesting. Unlike the local Swedes, who took to the sea on their holidays, the Finns would head inland to the forest. They wanted to get away from other people and find their own peace of mind. I think that’s something everyone can relate to.’ [Hanna Snellman, Professor of Ethnology at Helsinki University as printed in Marimekko’s Autumn Issue]

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This entry was posted by Martha on Monday, October 15th, 2012 at 10:45 am and is filed under Affluenza. You can subscribe to responses to this entry via RSS.