A designer who loves Scandinavia talks about the charms of Marimekko and Finland

I was happy just to be able to see the Marimekko factory. It was my first time in Finland.

OnTrip JAL Editorial Department (hereinafter referred to as JAL): What first sparked your interest in Nordic textile design?

Masaru Suzuki (hereinafter Suzuki): Actually, I originally wanted to do graphic design, but I ended up enrolling in the Department of Dyeing and Weaving Design (currently the Textile Design major) at Tama Art University. I was conflicted at first, but then by chance, in my first year at university, I came across a photo in an interior design magazine. There was a Marimekko textile hanging like laundry, fluttering in the wind. It had a very bold graphic pattern, and even though it was a small black and white photo, it was very impressive.

This was in the late 1980s, when Marimekko was completely unknown in Japan. The magazine was in English, but when I looked up the information in the caption, I found out that it was made by a Finnish company called "Marimekko."

JAL: After that, you actually visited Finland for the first time in 2008, so that was quite a while later.

Suzuki: Before I launched my own brand, OTTAIPNU, in 2004, I was designing ordinary curtains to make a living, or rather, to earn a living. I had been to textile exhibitions in Germany and France, but I had no connection with Scandinavia. I liked Marimekko and Finland, but when I saw them, my heart ached (laughs). In reality, I wanted to make something vibrant like this, but in reality, I was designing plain fabrics in beige and other dull colors.

But I still wanted to try making my ideal textile, so I started OTTAIPNU. I went to Finland for the first time in 2008, and I just wanted to see Marimekko there. I didn't have any connections at the time, so I sent an email to the factory, but I didn't get a reply, so I went there and called them, but it didn't work. I just looked in from the outside (laughs).

JAL: What other places did you go to?

Suzuki: I visited many Marimekko shops in Helsinki. It was interesting. A local housewife came into the store with a large cushion in her hand and bought it by asking for fabric to wrap it in. When I was walking around the city at night, Marimekko curtains lit up by the room lights were floating in the windows. I also went there at the end of January when it was very cold, but even so, I passed someone wearing a coat made of Marimekko fabric with cotton inside. Seeing how perfectly integrated it was into everyday life made me realize that it is a truly beloved brand.

When traveling on business, it's essential to look for vintage fabrics

JAL: Since then, you've been going to Finland every year. Is this for work?

Suzuki: Yes. Since 2010, my dream came true and I have been working for Marimekko, so I go there two or three times a year. Finland is a country with almost no aristocratic culture, so it's easy and friendly, and the city is safe, so I can relax very easily. I always go there as if I were on a business trip to Osaka (laughs). I rent an apartment-style hotel to work in, and it's very comfortable.

JAL: Do you do sightseeing in addition to work?

Suzuki: I like to visit museums and architecture. I also love looking for vintage fabrics. I started looking for them in earnest in 2010, but I still find a lot of patterns I've never seen before. If I come across a textile that really appeals to me, I'll buy it right away, whether it's by Marimekko or an unknown artist.

I work for Marimekko, which I love, but I have to keep proposing new designs every time, and while it's fun, it can also be tiring. So I started thinking about what else I could enjoy when I go to Finland. Now I'm completely hooked, and I feel like I have to work hard so I can go and buy fabrics (laughs).