MY LOVE | HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH MARIMEKKO

One of my happy discoveries upon arriving in the US was the Finnish design house, Marimekko. Their strikingly bold designs, the pop of bright primary colors and simple tent-style mini-dresses were like eye candy and irrepressibly modern. The only problem was that their merchandise was too expensive for a college student. I remember saving for nearly a year to acquire a blue and green striped Jokapoika shirt. It was made of good cotton and lasted for years. It was my one Marimekko indulgence. Over the years I've continued to dream of owning a short Marimekko tent dress with a bright poppy Unikko motif created by Maija Isola. The closest I've come to possessing a Unikko is a tablecloth remnant from a Crate & Barrel outlet.  

Marimekko has gone through many gyrations over the years, typical of all retail houses. They opened stores in more major cities, they sold fabric, they expanded into housewares, bedding, linens and accessories, they collaborated with Crate & Barrel, they closed all their stores in the US for a while, then reappeared as an online store. 

I was excited when I found their website because I had assumed they had pulled out of the US market altogether. It was a very different Marimekko than before, with more fabric designers and an expanded fashion line. Unfortunately the new clothing designs weren't as iconic as the 1970's. Now much of the fabric is knit rather than woven, viscose rather than cotton. I appreciate the fact that they kept some of their iconic fabric designs such as Unikko and Jokapoika. Unchanged from the past, their prices remain high.

Despite my disappointment with their fashion assortment I ordered a dress. It was a simple cotton knit dress with abstract black lines and three-quarter length sleeves. The price tag was such that it could only be worn on dressy occasions. I've worn it only a couple of times and it is already looking limp. To attend a friend's wedding, I purchased a second dress last year. I love the bold circular motifs on this dress and the retro ring tab zipper running down the front. I don't care for the shapelessness of the dress nor the papery cotton fabric which keeps tangling up with my leggings. 

I would have given up on Marimekko if not for the fact that they collaborated with two huge retailers - Target and Uniqlo. 

The Target collaboration seems to have been a one-time thing. I remember going to the store early and finding all the shelves stripped of merchandise. Fortunately Target's online store had items available. I purchased some wild palazzo pants made of cheap cotton/viscose material and wore them for a season.

The Marimekko/Uniqlo collaboration has so far continued for two years. The first year, much of the line sold out pretty much right away. Although the fabric choices were pretty spectacular, the fit was terrible. They had some lovely A-line sleeveless dresses cut just below the knee. For some reason the top of the dress was cut far too tightly and the armholes were too small. I got an XL, one size up from my regular size. Although the bottom half of the dress was too wide, the top half of the dress was too tight. I cut off the hem of the dress, cut a gusset from the trimmed piece, opened up the armscye and created a gusset. It was the first time sewing a gusset and it took me several days but it worked. The dress works now although it is made of the same papery cotton fabric that I don't like.

This year the Marimekko/Uniqlo line offered a wider assortment but the clothes haven't flown out the door like last year. I have fallen in love with their long djaballah-like dresses. They came in two fabric choices - the papery cotton and the thicker linen-cotton blend. Luckily I read the reviews on the Uniqlo site and learned that these dresses were cut extra larger. Both these dresses are Size M, and I could have easily fit into a Size S. The orange and blue striped djaballah is made of the papery cotton material that makes a distinct rustling sound when I walk. I love the oversize pockets and the colors of this dress. I purchased the black and white djaballah when it went on sale. The linen-cotton blend fabric has more substance and despite the large print, it looks good on and super comfortable. With so much time spent at home during these COVID days, this dress is a definite go-to selection. I will use the striped dress when I travel to places that have hot summers.  

Ironically, Uniqlo saved Marimekko for me. The price points are very reasonable and now I know what styles to avoid (the sleeveless tent dresses with too-tight armholes). Hopefully they will come up with another bright selection next year.

Some Links

Marimekko

Uniqlo/Marimekko