The national treasure that is Finnish glassware brand Iittala
Heritage brand Iittala welcomes the future via its new creative director, a former J.W Anderson knitwear designer.
Finland is often referred to as the land of a thousand lakes, and the Nordic archipelago’s natural wonders, including its 50,000 islands and heavily forested landscapes, are a sight to behold. This unique environment informs much Finnish design and, in particular, is at the very heart of beloved glassware brand Iittala. The brand’s Glass Factory, located near the southern city of Hämeenlinna in the storybook village of Iittala, is an exemplar of what happens when natural beauty meets human innovation.
Iittala was founded as a glassworks in 1881 (a fact now impossible to forget thanks to new branding, but more on that later), and captured global attention in the 1930s and ’40s by abandoning the popular decorative dinnerware style of the time in favour of simple shapes that harmonised function with form. In particular, legendary designer Alvar Aalto’s wave-shaped Savoy vase, a handmade piece that takes some 30 hours to complete, catapulted the company into the global spotlight. More than 85 years later, it remains one of Iittala’s bestsellers. Together with his wife Aino (co-founder of Finland’s other national treasure, furniture company Artek), the couple set the tone for Iittala’s DNA: democratised, beautiful and purposeful. With the introduction of coloured glass, Iittala’s refined beauty adopted a lighthearted spirit.
Iittala is a source of national pride for the Finns; everyone remembers their first piece. So last year’s appointment of new creative director Janni Vepsäläinen, a 38-year-old former knitwear designer for London-based fashion label JW Anderson, was bound to ruffle some feathers. But Vepsäläinen was well prepared and remains resolute that change is “vital to evolve and to find new audiences, to keep the brand alive and thriving”. For her, it’s not about abandonment; it’s about evolution.
Rebrands are always a risk for heritage companies and Fiskars Group (Royal Copenhagen, Wedgwood, Georg Jensen and Waterford are all also in the stable), dived in headfirst. It wiped Iittala’s old Instagram and proudly announced a “bold new era”. A reimagined brand identity was created by graphic artist Aleksi Tammi and type designer Göran Soderström who, between them, count The Weeknd, Troye Sivan, Acne Studios, Nike and Gucci as clients. The giant 1881 typeface and custom “fireyellow” background (intended to represent the colour of molten glass as it leaves the furnace) replace the famous 1950s red “i” logo, a move that’s rattled some diehard fans who have been known to keep product stickers on for posterity.
Vepsäläinen, who has also worked for Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Simone Rocha and The Row, has introduced something of a rebellious edge, featuring models with bleached dreadlocks and bullnose rings at parties instead of picnics. And when it comes to campaigns, Iittala’s poetic placidity has been replaced by a hard-light camera flash.
Vepsäläinen recognises that the decision to hire her was a “radical” one, but applauds the company for their “willingness to change, to look at things differently”. As for the naysayers, she reminds them of Iittala’s own origin story. “The brand has been quite the disrupter in the design world itself, with designs that were very avant-garde for their time,” she says, citing the 1960s Ultima Thule by Tapio Wirkkala collection of dinnerware with tiny glass rivulets inspired by the melting ice of Lapland. “It’s good to remember that everything has been new once, and even those designs that we celebrate today as iconic and classic were once something completely different, even disruptive for their time.”
Space Furniture chief executive Leighton Clarke says that Iittala’s classic pieces have remained bestsellers for years, attributing their popularity to their “timelessness and elegance”. He credits the “apparent simplicity of each piece as a very Nordic combination of beauty and utility”.
To say that the revamped Iittala is pushing the envelope would be an understatement. While some Finns may feel affronted (for now), Vepsäläinen’s perspective is that the changes are necessary in order to remain relevant. This means partnering with young artists and brands in the form of product releases or across events, exhibitions, content and retail concepts.
She unveiled this new vision during Stockholm Design Week in February on the site of a nuclear reactor, creating an immersive experience to introduce Iittala’s Play range – the first under her direction – alongside a collaboration with multidisciplinary artist and instrumentalist Damsel Elysium, who performed with experimental glass instruments mouth-blown by master craftsmen. Vepsäläinen not only expected, but welcomed, the mixed response.
“Boundary pushing in design usually divides the audience. It may speak to some and feel confusing to others. I believe that I have not pushed myself enough if absolutely everyone likes my creations.”
Vepsäläinen is well-versed in the fast pace of the fashion industry and its “constant demand for new ideas”. The designer thrives on change and has upped the ante to include two full collections per year rather than Iittala’s usual individual product releases.
Over time, its product categories have expanded to include ceramics, textiles and steel, but glassware will always be at the forefront of the brand. There are no plans to completely reinvent the wheel but, rather, to “find new angles for familiar things with fresh and unexpected ways to show them”, says Vepsäläinen, who spends every other Tuesday at the Glass Factory ideating and workshopping with the artisans.
“It truly is a magical process and I have so much admiration for the work of our glass blowers … It’s my happy place,” she says.
While Vepsäläinen paves the way for a dynamic future, she guarantees that this new era will not forsake the brand’s rich past. “Iittala’s philosophy is to explore and experiment with new ideas, fostering a sense of playfulness, character and imagination in design. While we are boldly looking ahead, Iittala also reinforces its commitment to craftsmanship and cherishes its heritage as a pioneer in glass.”
