Unikko, the iconic floral pattern made by designer Maija Isola and produced by Finnish design house Marimekko, celebrates its 60th anniversary in the year of 2024. The lively and semi-abstract pattern first bloomed in 1964 and still appears as contemporary as ever, even being called, “the pattern that doesn’t look its age.” With six full decades of timeless style and global influence, this special milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on the pattern’s history and its enduring impact on the world of Finnish design and beyond.

Maija Isola (1927-2001) was the first full-time designer that was hired by Printex, the company that eventually spawned Marimekko. Early on, Marimekko’s founder Armi Ratia decided to exclude floral prints from Marimekko collections because she believed the true essence of a flower couldn’t be captured in print form. As a tremendously versatile and bold artist, Maija Isola defied the order and designed a whole collection of floral patterns that were so fresh and unique that Armi ended up taking eight of them. One of those she accepted was called Unikko, which was designed to be an abstraction of a flower rather than a photorealistic rendition. Born out of the flower power revolution in 1964, Unikko quickly became popular in the world of pop art and has transcended in a world of ever-changing trends. Today, Unikko now stands as a pillar of Marimekko’s brand identity and has become a powerful emblem of joy and creativity. Not just in Finland, however, as Unikko has also became an icon of print design all around the globe.

Marimekko is ringing in Unikko’s anniversary with limited-edition collectibles that are exclusively crafted for the 60th anniversary collection. Including everything from dinnerware, clothing and bags to pillows, blankets and fabrics, there is something for each and every Unikko enthusiast. To truly commemorate the occasion, textiles include an attached identifying Marimekko Unikko 60th anniversary tag while dinnerware pieces include an identifying stamp on the bottom of the stoneware. New variations of the original pattern are also featured atop the collection, such as the large-scale and abstract Iso Unikko (Big Poppy) and the unique Vesi Unikko pattern that combines both Marimekko’s iconic stripes and the famous poppies into one. The anniversary’s chosen colorway theme showcases bold and springy hues of green, yellow, pink, orange and more.

Unikko’s home country of Finland will be leading the way in celebration to commemorate this special anniversary. Lux Helsinki, an annual themed light festival, kicked off the milestone from January 3-7 as the iconic Unikko was projected onto the Ateneum Art Museum's façade. Later on, the celebration will be brought to Copenhagen Fashion Week as Marimekko debuts its FW24 collection at the National Gallery of Denmark on Thursday, February 1. This final collection of the Unikko print’s 60th anniversary year is said to simultaneously reflect both the heritage and future of Marimekko’s design icon.

Unikko started out as an unlikely triumph, and now it has become an international icon of timeless design. Since 1964, there have been over 100 new colorways, the pattern has made appearances atop airplanes, trams and hot-air balloons, and it has become a symbol of creativity and courage in design. From a company that was once committed to never selling floral patterned prints, Unikko continues to bloom even brighter year-after-year. Stay tuned for new Unikko 60th Anniversary collection releases with each season in the year of 2024 to secure your limited-edition collector’s items. Photos: Marimekko