Representatives of various Italian design magazines went to the Iittala glass factory on Friday to take a peek at what drives one of Finland’s top exports. The glass industry has long had a strong foothold in the city of the same name, but the functionality of the factory gained praise from the visiting dignitaries.
”The work process here is different than it is elsewhere,” said editor of Vogue Italia, Carlo Ducci. “This is where artistry and productivity meet. It’s important these days for the form to fit the fuction of a product. These aren’t just baubles, you can actually use all of these items.”
Top names in Finnish design – like Marimekko or Artek – are well-known around the world. But there is a downside to a recognisable brand: a long-standing design tradition can hold back development.
The managing editor of Italian magazine Abitare, Mia Pizzi, says that young Finnish designers follow in the footsteps of iconic designers too slavishly.
”The thumbprint of masters like Tapio Wirkkala and Alvar Aalto can be seen in contemporary design, as well,” Pizzi says. She encourages designers to work more closely with other Nordic colleagues to heighten visibility.
Copying vs. Finnish quality
The biggest challenge faced globally by design is copying. With 3D printing becoming more common, quality design can more easily find its way into foreign mass production in places like China.
”Many other countries copy everything,” Pizzi says. “It’s a problem for Italian companies, too.”
The magazine editors say Finnish design is in no dire straits, however, as quality is still the deciding factor in the industry.
”We do not have our eye on Chinese design, which favours quantity, because that trend has passed,” Ducci says. “With consumer goods quality is always the clincher, and Finns are doing very well in that respect.”
