IIttala

Iittala is a world-renowned master of Finnish design, producing objects that are as timeless and beautiful as they are essential. Here, for the first time, products and images from different decades are brought together to document the company’s growth dynamically from a small glass workshop in a remote village to one of the design world’s most recognisable brands.

This new publication showcases well-known creations by Aino Aalto, Alvar Aalto, Gunnel Nyman and Jorma Vennola, as well as more recent works by designers including Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Jasper Morrison, Claesson Koivisto Rune, Cecilie Manz, Issey Miyake Studio, Konstantin Grcic, Antonio Citterio, and Marc Newson.

The book’s authors, Florencia Colombo and Ville Kokkonen, organise their pages thematically, with rubrics such as colour, geometry, alongside such broader themes as togetherness. The pair also drill down into local details, such as the way in which Finnish sand (with its high iron content) gives rise to the company’s unique light-green shade; as well as wider commentaries on the way iittala’s development and progression follows that of Finland’s own.

Iittala is the perfect book for the dedicated collector and design fanatic, keen to understand the thinking behind all these gorgeous creations. However, iittala also appeals to broad-minded followers of applied arts in the Nordic region, interior designers, or anyone with a passing passion for the kind of well-made products that come from this little village with a big, worldwide reputation.