Iittala’s new collection is called The Curious Mind of Oiva Toikka
Iittala's new collection The Curious Mind of Oiva Toikka will be launched in August.
IITTALA WILL LAUNCH a brand-new collection in August, titled The Curious Mind of Oiva Toikka. The collection’s message is that you can and should show your personality and unique style in your home – each object in the home has its own story.
The new collection is based on original sketches by glass artist Oiva Toikka, recently discovered in the Iittala archives. A few years ago, the Iittala design team came across three boxes full of drawings and sketches Toikka had made during his time at the Iittala and Nuutajärvi glassworks. Along with familiar favorites like Kastehelmi, the discovery included a number of never-before-seen patterns and sketches.
In collaboration with Toikka’s family, Iittala is now presenting the discoveries to the world in the form of The Curious Mind of Oiva Toikka. In addition to glass items, the collection consists of textiles, art prints, and home accessories.
The collection includes tableware, of course, but also other products like the new Fiskars X Iittala scissors that capture the visual world of Toikka.
Many of Toikka's works are inspired by the natural world. He is best known for his art glass birds.
The Curious Mind of Oiva Toikka encourages everyone to embrace their own unique style.
Oiva Toikka (1931–2019) is known for his boundless imagination and bold, experimental style that differed from the reduced design language usually associated with Nordic design. “I’m not looking for perfection. I want it to be fun!” he has famously said. Toikka is perhaps best known for his flock of glass birds, Birds by Toikka.
The new collection, The Curious Mind of Oiva Toikka, also represents the vibrant, colorful expression of the legendary designer. The collection’s items are tied together by six different pattern designs: the graphic Gepardi and Pampula, the colorful Helle, two patterns depicting our feathered friends, Lintula and Lintunen, as well as the captivating All you need.
Toikka dreamed of becoming a graphic designer. He ended up studying ceramics but continued to draw imaginative, distinct patterns and illustrations for all of his career.
In the Gepardi pattern, Finnish for "cheetah", one can find the wild cat hiding among leaves and birds. Toikka's designs typically reveal further layers upon closer inspection.
The collection is based on six pattern designs found in Toikka's archives. They adorn a variety of items ranging from dishware to home textiles and art posters.
In the individualistic spirit of the designer, The Curious Mind of Oiva Toikka encourages us all to boldly present our own personal styles in our homes – we shouldn’t take ourselves or our décor too seriously. Instead, we can all take a leaf out of Toikka’s book: “I’ve always been on the borderline of good taste. I find it an entertaining neighborhood.”
See also:
• All designs by Oiva Toikka >
• All products by Iittala >
Edit: Emmi Ratilainen Images: Iittala
Published on 20 May, 2021
