Iittala’s new 2022 collection evokes a strong sense of nostalgia

Iittala’s first new arrivals of 2022 feature bold colors and playful patterns inspired by the brand's history – offering a nostalgic blast from the past, the new tones and prints come from the glass factory’s extensive archives.

Iittala Aalto vase copper, annual color 2022
Iittala's annual colors 2022 are copper and ultramarine blue. The annual bird of 2022 is called Crake.

IITTALA'S NEW ARRIVALS are always among the most awaited design novelties of the new year, and 2022 makes no exception. The spring collection includes strong shades of blue and brown inspired by glass and glaze colors of years past as well as a new, nostalgic print in The Curious Mind of Oiva Toikka collection. The Design Stories team has also been anxiously waiting for the new additions to the legendary Teema series!

Iittala Cheetah duvet cover set
The Cheetah print from The Curious Mind of Oiva Toikka collection will be introduced in a soft brown colorway. The new fruity print in the collection is called Frutta.
Iittala Cheetah cushion cover
The Oiva Toikka Collection will also expand with new decorative cushion covers.
Iittala Frutta duvet cover set
The joyful Frutta pattern is based on Toikka's sketches for the eponymous glassware collection.

The playful prints of Oiva Toikka

Iittala's collection The Curious Mind of Oiva Toikka, launched in fall 2021, is expanding with new colorways and one entirely new pattern. The previously introduced Cheetah and Birdie prints will be available in new tones of blue and brown, and they will also adorn a new type of product: decorative cushion covers made of a linen and cotton blend.

The new pattern is called Frutta and, like many of Oiva Toikka's designs, its inspiration stems from nature. Depicting various fruits and berries, Frutta may be familiar to many from the glassware collection of the same name, but now the joyful pattern is also be featured on towelsbed linen and other textiles. Like the rest of the collection, Frutta is based on Toikka's original drawings – specifically, the sketches he made when creating his 1968 glassware series Frutta.

Iittala Aalto vase ultramarine, annual color 2022
Deep shades of blue and brown give Iittala's iconic objects a new look.
Iittala Aalto vase copper, annual color 2022
Founded in 1881, the Iittala glass factory is world-renowned for its color expertise, and the glassworks' archive features over 200 glass colors.
Iittala Aalto vase copper, annual color 2022
In addition to the vases of the Aalto collection, the new copper hue is also seen in the limited edition annual bird of 2022, Crake.

Annual colors ultramarine and copper

For a few years now, Iittala has yearly delved into its archives and chosen an annual color to celebrate the glass factory's expertise in colored glass. In 2022, there are two annual colors: deep ultramarine blue and warm, glowing copper.

Both ultramarine and copper are familiar from some of Iittala's previous collections; the blue shade, for example, was last in production in 2017 when Finland celebrated its centenary of independence. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that both shades evoke such a strong sense of nostalgia, but at the same time, the colors seem very trendy – a pop of cool ultramarine in the home looks bold and energetic while the warm copper tone has a calming effect. The annual colors are featured in Aalto and Ruutu vases as well as the annual bird 2022 which is called Crake.

Iittala Teema mug vintage brown
Teema's new hues are based on the collection's original color palette from the 1950s.
Iittala Teema serving bowl linen
In addition to the new vintage shades, Iittala is also bringing back the light beige linen shade last seen in 2018 as a special edition color.
Iittala Teema mug vintage blue
In the vintage colors, the glaze is slightly transparent particularly at the edges, which makes each piece unique.

The classics' new colors

As a nice continuation to the annual colors, Kaj Franck's iconic Teema series is launched in new vintage-inspired shades, blue and brown. The new hues stem from the original color palette of the collection, which was first introduced in 1952 with the name Kilta, and they also feature a special, slightly transparent glaze that mimics that of the original tableware. This makes the edges of the Teema mug, for example, slightly lighter in shade.

• Read more: Iittala celebrates the 70-year-old Teema series with new vintage-inspired colors >

See also:

All products by Iittala >

Edit: Emmi Ratilainen Images: Iittala

Previous story
Next story




Sign up to Finnish Design Shop’s newsletter and enter a monthly gift card prize draw!

Sign up

For the love of design

Design Stories is Finnish Design Shop's own online magazine, that takes you to beautiful Nordic homes, introduces new products and beloved icons – and much more!

Go to the Design Stories front page

Shop Nordic design

Design Stories is provided by Finnish Design Shop, the world’s largest online store specialized in Nordic design.

Discover our selection

Buy & sell authentic vintage

Franckly.com is a curated online marketplace for pre-owned design maintained by Finnish Design Shop.

Find treasures at Franckly