Finnish textile and clothing design house Marimekko opened its own flagship store in New York City in the heart of Manhattan earlier this month. The shop, with a sales floor area of 350 square metres, is in one of the busiest blocks in Manhattan’s Flatiron District at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, which enjoys growing popularity as a shopping area for local people.
The storefront is featuring a custom piece of art designed by Marimekko designer and freelance illustrator Aino-Maija Metsola. For her piece, Metsola was inspired by culturally adapting Marimekko prints and colors arriving in the lives of New Yorkers. She drew reference from the Flatiron District and the artwork depicts an atmosphere of everyday life in New York with parks, birds, squirrels, people, magnolias, milk shakes and blossoming cherry trees. Marimekko’s goal was to maintain and respect the integrity of the beautiful area while lifting the spirits of those in the neighborhood. Click here to watch a short video about the storefront.
The new flagship store is be built as an experience-rich meeting place in which Marimekko’s varied colours and design idiom lead the customer from one inspiring mood to the next. The range embraces all product lines, and it is intended for the shop to act as a showcase for new products in particular. The shop is based on the same concept as the flagship store opened in the Kämp Galleria mall in Helsinki in February 2011 – the store in New York is also designed by the Japanese architectural firm IMA in cooperation with Marimekko’s own shop design team.
“Opening a shop of our own in an excellent location in the heart of Manhattan supports our strategy of building up Marimekko’s profile and strengthening the brand image. It is crucially important for us to be able to introduce our customers to the whole world of Marimekko in our own way. The new flagship store is also meant to support our online shop, which was opened in the US this year, and our extensive cooperation with Crate and Barrel.” says President and CEO Mika Ihamuotila.
Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, Marimekko was born out of the desire to bring happiness to everyday life. Over the years, famous fashion and style icons have helped establish Marimekko prints to be some of the most recognizable and artistic designs worldwide.
Source & Photos: Marimekko
