Iittala, a Finnish design brand specialising in design objects, tableware and cookware, and Issey Miyake have collaborated to create a home collection comprised of pleated place mats, tote bags and ceramic and glass pieces. The collection marks leading fashion house Issey Miyake’s first venture into the interior industry.
In its 80-year history, the historic tableware maker Iittala, which is based in a Finnish town of the same name, has worked with a range of landmark designers such Aino and Alvar Aalto, the Bouroullec brothers and Tapio Wirkkala and illustrator Lotta Olsson. Iittala designs with the modernist philosophy of creating long-lasting objects that fight against throwaway culture in mind.
The Issey Miyake and Iittala collection is designed for everyday rituals. The colour palette features neutral white and grey hues interspersed with vivid green and on-trend blush pink, reminiscent of cherry blossoms of Japan.
“When you open the product, it’s kind of a blossoming,” says Irina Viipola, the concept design manager of Iittala, “It’s this intertwined form that unravels into something. It’s a functional, non-functional item.”
The collection also features cushion covers, table place mats, napkins and tote bags pleated in the characteristic angular and pentagonal technique of Issey Miyake designs.
Combining Scandinavian and Asian craftsmanship, Iittala and Issey Miyake focus on craftsmanship, colour and material. The collection will be sold exclusively at the Museum of Modern Art’s Design Store in New York’s Soho.