designwire daily | Marimekko Launches Student Competition Why Not Together?

Marimekko Launches Student Competition Why Not Together?

by Sheila Kim | Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Marimekko Why Not Together?

Best known for its bold and punchy textiles, Finnish company Marimekko turns 60 this year, and to celebrate, it’s launching a student competition. The theme is based around the idea that when people from diverse fields and cultures join forces, the interaction can spawn innovation. This comes straight from Marimekko founder Armi Ratia, who says, “Why not together? I only want to bring people together so that they get to know each other and gain something from one another.”

“Why Not Together?” is thus an international competition, inviting students enrolled at Aalto University (Finland), Parsons The New School for Design (U.S.), Design Academy Eindhoven (the Netherlands), Royal College of Art (UK), Tama Art University (Japan), and Konstfack (Sweden). Marimekko is taking submissions in three categories: everyday living, encounters, and service. The winning student or team for each category will take home 8,000 euros in prize money, while runners-up whose ideas catch the company’s fancy will be awarded 3,500 euros. But what’s potentially more significant is that Marimekko may produce the winning creations, which can help get a foot in the door for aspiring product designers.

The first phase of the competition is currently open through May 6, and participants invited by the jury to continue to the second phase will have until August 31 to submit prototypes of their proposals. The jury, made up of Marimekko heads and design professors from each of the participating schools, will announce the results on September 14.