Tiiliskivi printed cotton fabric
Armi Ratia · Date not documented
Textile
Armi Ratia
- Geometric textile patterns
- Creative direction
- Everyday design
Armi Ratia was a Finnish textile artist and entrepreneur who co-founded Marimekko in 1951 and shaped its creative direction. After graduating in textile design in 1935, she established a weaving business in Vyborg.
Official house website
Five looks to know
Collection selection
Tiiliskivi printed cotton fabric
Pattern designed 1952; photographed printing undated
Tiiliskivi is a textile pattern attributed to Armi Ratia. This example shows the design printed on cotton fabric.
Marimekko / Nordic Nest
Collection selection
Unikko printed cotton textile sample card
1960–1979
Pattern designed by Maija Isola for Marimekko, co-founded by Armi Ratia. This Powerhouse sample card documents Unikko, the floral textile design attributed to Maija Isola.
Powerhouse
Collection selection
Lokki cotton fabric
Pattern designed 1961; photographed printing undated · Marimekko textile designs
Pattern designed by Maija Isola for Marimekko, co-founded by Armi Ratia. Broad waves turn the changing shadows of curtain folds into an abundant, rhythmic repeat.
Marimekko; photographer not stated
Textile design
Piccolo textile pattern — Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi
Pattern designed 1953; digital pattern image undated · Marimekko — signature textile
Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi designed these lively painted stripes for Marimekko in 1953. Included as a signature of the house co-founded by Armi Ratia.
Marimekko
Collection selection
Tasaraita striped shirt — Annika Rimala pattern
Pattern designed 1968; photographed shirt undated · Marimekko — signature textile
Annika Rimala’s even stripes became Marimekko’s inclusive cotton-jersey collection in 1968. The modern shirt illustrates a signature of the house co-founded by Armi Ratia.
MarimekkoCollections & archive pieces
1 collections represented · 1 pieceSelected work
1 piece
About Armi Ratia
In 1949 she joined Printex, commissioning bold printed fabrics that became the basis of Marimekko. Her leadership brought together designers with backgrounds in painting, ceramics and graphic art, including Maija Isola, Vuokko Nurmesniemi and Annika Rimala. Ratia’s own work included the geometric Tiiliskivi pattern of 1952. She imagined design as part of a complete way of living, extending beyond clothes into homes and everyday surroundings. Through art direction, talent development and publicity, she helped turn a Finnish textile enterprise into an internationally recognized design house.