Finnair (Helsinki) has announced a new Airbus A330 Marimekko special livery with this announcement:
The design collaboration between Marimekko and Finnair takes a new step as a Finnair Airbus A330 will soon feature a previously unseen blue colorway of Marimekko’s classic Unikko (“poppy”) print. The plane will fly from Finnair’s Helsinki hub to the airline’s long-haul destinations starting from the end of 2014, joining a sister Airbus A340 aircraft (OH-LQD) painted in a different Unikko colorway in 2012 (below).
Above Copyright Photo:TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com.
“During this year we have been celebrating the fifty years of our most iconic pattern Unikko all over the world, reminding people of its story of courage and faith in oneself. We are very excited to continue the celebrations and our design partnership together with Finnair with the new Anniversary Unikko that will fly on the sides of Finnair’s Airbus 330, delighting people around the world,” says Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko, Marimekko’s COO. “For the celebration and as a continuation of our wonderful partnership with Finnair, Unikko also now has been given a special blue colorway, inspired by Finland’s thousands of lakes and beautiful, clean nature.”
“We are excited to build on and extend our partnership with Marimekko, a great Finnish company that has long shared our values and vision,” says Finnair CEO Pekka Vauramo. “Our two aircraft wearing the beloved Unikko livery are flying ambassadors of Finnish know-how, positivity and creativity. They make a proud statement as they soar toward the great cities of Asia, where both companies see a bright future.”
The design collaboration between Marimekko and Finnair began in 2012 and Marimekko for Finnair textiles and tableware were brought to all of the Finnish airline’s aircraft in 2013 (above). The collection was designed according to the airline’s needs by Marimekko designer Sami Ruotsalainen, in original Marimekko patterns by Maija Isola. The blue, green and grey colours and the classic prints used in the collection tell the story of Finnish nature and recall the perspective of looking out from an aircraft window, flying high above the landscape.
Unikko (“poppy”), is one of Marimekko’s most beloved classic patterns. The pattern was created in 1964 as a protest against Marimekko´s founder Armi Ratia, who had announced that Marimekko would not print any floral patterns, because flowers were more beautiful in nature than on fabric. Designer Maija Isola refused to obey Armi and created an entire series of floral prints. One of them was Unikko, which rapidly became a firm favorite and has stayed in production for already fifty years. To celebrate this five-decade milestone and the design collaboration between Marimekko and Finnair, a special anniversary version of the iconic pattern in a new, custom colorway will feature on a Finnair Airbus A330.
Image and photo: Finnair.
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Filed under: Finnair Tagged: A330. Marimekko, Airbus, Airbus A330, Finnair, Unikko, Unikko floral print
