‘Imperfect’, ‘disruptive’ and ‘unpredictable’ are not words often associated with Finnish design, least of all with Iittala, one its founding fathers. But new creative director Janni Vepsäläinen is not afraid to use all three and apply them to the 143-year-old company.
During Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024, she unveils her first collection within a former nuclear reactor in the city. It is not your average debut; London-based composer and artist Damsel Elysium performed a piece using glass ‘instruments’ ranging from two-meter-long hand-blown horns to bells and bottles, all hand blown in the IIttala factory near Helsinki.
‘Fashion brands have been excellent at creating emotional connections with consumers and new audiences,’ says Vepsäläinen. ‘Scandinavian style has got a bit stuck in a design language that is quite controlled,’ she adds. ‘Sometimes perfectionism cannot be a good master. You need to let loose a little bit. There's so much more to explore. We need to be more experimental.’
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inboxEmma O'Kelly is a contributing editor at Wallpaper*. She joined the magazine on issue 4 as news editor and since since then has worked in full and part time roles across many editorial departments. She is a freelance journalist based in London and works for a range of titles from Condé Nast Traveller to The Telegraph.
Artek 2nd Cycle, the brand’s platform for pre-loved design, celebrates its tenth anniversary with an exhibition, ‘Ten’ , and an exclusive e-commerce pop-up© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.