I Traveled to Helsinki for Marimekko Day—These 3 Trends Stood Out the Most

Jalil Johnson is a Who What Wear editor in residence and New York–based writer, fashion authority, and media personality who began his career as a stylist and later spent three years at Saks Fifth Avenue refining his eye for trend reporting, emerging talent, and brand storytelling. He now brings his expertise to his newsletter, Consider Yourself Cultured, and has also been featured in The New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, The Wall Street Journal, and The Financial Times, and Vogue named him one of the "New Faces of Street Style."

Marimekko Day, which was started 34 years ago by the brand's former CEO and president Kirsti Paakkanen, is held at the same time each year almost as a marker of the beginning of summer. For over three decades, an open-air public fashion show has taken place in Esplanade Park, which sits adjacent to the flagship store and serves as an invitation from the brand for attendees to take part in the print-filled world of Marimekko.

Though this tradition has only been part of the brand's history for the past three decades, the ethos at the heart of the event seamlessly ties back to its origin story. In 1951, founder Armi Ratia staged a fashion show as a way to show post-war Finland the different ways her colorful, buoyant prints could be incorporated into everyday life. Fashion is, no doubt, a part of the brand, but it is not simply a fashion brand. In fact, one of Creative Director Rebekka Bay's favorite quotes from the founder is, "Marimekko could have been anything—modern jazz, an ice cream shop, a flower shop." That quirky and punchy quote represents to Bay the idea that Marimekko, beyond just fashion, is ultimately a lifestyle brand.

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That lifestyle proposition has also extended beyond fashion shows into activations like last year's jazz bar in Tokyo, a collaboration with Finnair. Not only did the brand design the servicewear for the business-class section, but there are also two planes within the airline's rotation outfitted in Marimekko prints. There's also the brand's continued presence during Milan Design Week. This year's activation marked the introduction of a floral print, the newest addition to Marimekko's wide array of floral offerings. While touring the headquarters in the industrial part of Helsinki, I had the chance to visit the print mill attached to the building, where I watched the screen-printing process for that latest floral addition, Kukasta Kukkaan.

Something that was highlighted as we watched a roll of fabric make its way down a conveyor belt, periodically meeting a series of screens, was that there is still an immense need for human touch, even though machines aid in the printing process. Intermittently, as the fabric moved along, workers would toss buckets of paint onto the screens before pulling the paint across in an even layer. Human intervention is also essential in the event that a flaw occurs during production. After watching the prints come alive before our eyes, we made our way upstairs to a small room that housed an archive of prints and color swatches created in the color lab. Those swatches are continuously referenced, even as new colors are developed.

In a time where there is so much conversation about the artificial, it was refreshing to see a brand where not only human contribution is prized, but community itself is also viewed as essential to the brand's identity. In the words of Bay, "As a brand, we really only come to life when we invite our community into the brand and invite our community to experience the brand."

That sentiment spoke to the splendor of the Marimekko runway show, which showcased the S/S 26 collection first presented during Copenhagen Fashion Week. There were playful stripes in lemon yellow and mauve pink; sportier offerings, like a horizontally striped polo dress; and, of course, ideal summer dresses outfitted in the Kukasta Kukkaan print. Alongside the show was a live performance by Finnish band Ruusut, and while the show commenced and the band played, the park was filled to the brim with people spanning varying age groups and demographics. No matter who they were, almost everyone seemed to sport some element of the brand, whether it was something as subtle as a printed scarf or striped shirt (made famous by Jackie Kennedy Onassis) or something as dynamic as an entire ensemble made up of one of the brand's most recognizable prints, Unikko.

Rain may have been an unwelcome guest, but within the event's 34-year history, this was only the second time Marimekko Day had been met with rain. But the weather did not seem to subtract from the festivities. If anything, it offered a fitting foil to the spirit of happy coincidences that seems deeply embedded not only within the brand but also within Finland itself—the happy coincidence that a country that spends nearly half the year in darkness has, for the ninth consecutive year, been ranked the happiest in the world; the happy coincidence of getting the last vegetarian meal on my Finnair flight; and the happy coincidence that this lifestyle brand first made its mark through a fashion show and, more than 70 years later, is still sharing its world through public fashion shows open to anyone willing to stand in the rain.

'60s Mod Dresses

Sixties influences have been trickling in for the past few seasons, and a mod-inspired minidress is a perfect addition to a summer wardrobe. This style of dress has long been a Marimekko signature, and a similar silhouette, a sleeveless version, was famously worn by Kennedy Onassis on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Sporty Elements

Most of the looks on the runway were paired with slimline sneakers, which brought a welcome sporty element to the collection. The oversize proportions also contributed to that feeling, giving even the dresses and polished pieces a sense of ease and movement.

Pink

There is never a shortage of color or print when it comes to Marimekko, but the shade that stood out most was undoubtedly pink, which appeared across striped shirting and dresses alike. Its use never felt overly saccharine. Instead, there was a maturity to the color that still allowed it to retain a sense of whimsy.