Marimekko’s signature prints have added vibrancy to apparel, accessories and home décor for more than 70 years. Now the Finnish lifestyle brand has its eyes on denim, using sustainable laser technology to apply its beloved Unikko print to jeans and shirts.
Comprising five versatile color washes, three jeans fits and one shirt, Marimekko Maridenim marks the brand’s foray into denim, promising high-quality craftsmanship and sustainable practices and Marimekko’s signature flair. Additionally, the collection follows the Jeans Redesign guidelines by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which sets the industry standard for responsible and circular denim production.
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Though denim is new territory for the brand, Rebekka Bay, creative director for Marimekko, said it is a natural extension as it has a strong link to the brand and design philosophy.
“In the 1960s, Marimekko introduced the iconic Tasaraita (even stripe) products designed by Annika Rimala who was inspired by the increasing popularity of denim jeans at the time and designed the products as companions to them. Therefore, in a way, this product launch has been a long time coming,” she said.
Here, Bay shares the creative process behind Marimekko Maridenim and how it carries on the brand’s tradition for bold and playful designs.
Rivet: Why is it the right time for Marimekko to launch denim?
Rebekka Bay: While Marimekko has a long history that provides us with an unparalleled source of inspiration, we are also constantly looking for new ways to respond to our customers’ needs and to surprise our audiences. As a print house, venturing into a new product category with Marimekko Maridenim gives us virtually infinite opportunities with denim and, at the same time, it feels like the most natural continuity to Marimekko’s lifestyle offering.
Rivet: How does denim fit in with the brand’s aesthetic, and how are you incorporating Marimekko signatures into the collection?
RB: Marimekko Maridenim feels like a natural part of Marimekko and almost like the missing piece as high-quality denim is a wardrobe staple and essential in styling. Whether you are dressing up or dressing down, denim fits every occasion, and it is also the perfect styling companion to Marimekko’s renowned bold prints and colors.
When it comes to Marimekko signatures, Marimekko Maridenim presented us with the opportunity to extend our art of printmaking into a new canvas by laser-marking the denim products with our patterns, starting with our most famous pattern, Unikko that is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
Rivet: How did you decide on the fits?
RB: Marimekko Maridenim jeans come in three fits: straight, wide and barrel. We chose the fits with three different individual attitudes in mind, so all our customers can find the fit they like and complements their wardrobe the best—whether it is the classic straight fit, a more relaxed barrel fit or a full, flared leg for special occasions.
To complete the assortment, we also designed the Maridenim Vaihde denim shirt that can be worn either as a relaxed fit or a straight silhouette. The Vaihde shirt can be used as a shirt or a jacket, depending on the season, and it matches all the Maridenim bottoms.
Rivet: Why did you decide to follow Ellen MacArthur’s Jean Redesign guidelines?
RB: Marimekko’s long term ambition is to leave no burden for coming generations. We believe that, in the future, timeless and high-quality products will be made in balance with the environment, in line with the principles of the circular economy. We are committed to continuously driving innovation in technologies, materials and business models through collaborations to push the industry forward and to reach our ambitious vision of leaving no trace.
As we entered a new product category, we wanted to set high circularity and sustainability goals for the products and decided to follow the Ellen MacArthur Jeans Redesign guidelines as the foundation is the world’s leading network on circularity. The guidelines are reflected in Marimekko Maridenim through, for example, the material choices and high quality of the products, so they can be used for a long time and more easily recycled at the end of their lifecycle.
Rivet: Were there any challenges following the guidelines?
RB: I would not say it was a challenging aspect per se, but we spent a lot of time researching and finding the right partners, who understood our vision in developing this category.
Rivet: How do you envision Marimekko Maridenim evolving in future seasons?
RB: Marimekko Maridenim is part of our continuous collection and each year we will launch new fits and complementing styles, new colors and new patterns, to complement the core assortment. I can reveal that for the Spring/Summer 2025 collection we are adding a new pattern to Maridenim.
This article is published in Rivet’s Fall 2024 issue. Click here to read more.
