Marimekko Memories

The Marimekko store in Harvard Square was a huge inspiration for me. I started to take the train into Harvard Square in 1974 (long before I had permission to do so!) with this store being a huge draw for me. I loved the fabric, the vibe, the way the colors made me feel. Wish I still lived around there – I would love go look at this display and remember the excitment going there gave me. I think the only thing I bought there was a remnant/seconds piece of fabric….back then that was all I could afford!

Marimekko design blossoms again in Design Research Building windows in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Bright Marimekko design has returned to the large windows of the legendary Design Research Building in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Design Research (D/R), the famous retailer and importer that closed its doors in 1978, had a significant role in Marimekko’s history by bringing the brand to the US market in 1959. It was at D/R that Jacqueline Kennedy purchased the Marimekko dress she was wearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1960.

Now Jane Thompson, wife of the late architect Benjamin C. Thompson, who founded D/R, has together with a team of D/R alumni created window displays for the momentarily empty Design Research Building. The displays feature both classic and new Marimekko fabrics as well as vintage dress designs from the 1950s through the 1970s, loaned from collectors, mixed with current Marimekko fashions. The beautiful window displays celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the beginning of the partnership between D/R and Marimekko.


Posted on Monday, October 12th, 2009 at 8:47 pm under Updates.

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