This Marimekko scarf features a section of the “Ruusupuu” design created in 1957 by Maija Isola. The name translates to “Rosetree” and it is one of the fabric company’s most iconic designs.
The legendary Maija Isola was the first full time designer hired by Marimekko in 1949. Isola was first and foremost a painter, and she created over 500 designs for Marimekko during her tenure.
Ruusupuu was part of a series of designs by Isola called “Luonto” (Nature). This series included a total of 24 designs. The collection focused on the silhouettes of plants and was inspired by the art of pressing flowers. Isola did not paint or draw the designs but took found plant specimens and exposed them against a white backdrop. This exposure of the plants’ silhouette was then used to create the screens used to print the designs – much like the solar printing kits many of us have enjoyed as children.
The designs have such a graphic impact which is artfully balanced by the delicate details of each plant form. Isola shows her brilliance in finding this balance in the patterns – we see the intricate details of each leaf while appreciating the bold use of positive and negative space.
cristina buckley 