Oiva - Päärynä plate 15 x 12 cm, green

Maija Isola (1927–2001) is probably Marimekko’s most famous designer. The Finnish artist designed her first printed textiles in 1949 for Printex Oy, Marimekko’s predecessor. She worked as head designer of Marimekko’s interior fabrics until 1987. She also had an illustrious career as a visual artist.

Kristina Isola is a Finnish textile designer who has followed in the footsteps of her mother Maija Isola, one of the most well-known Marimekko’s textile designers. Kristiina Isola, who has studied at the Free Art School in Helsinki and at the department of photography of the Institute of Industrial Arts, made her first sketches for fabrics at the age of sixteen as an assistant to her mother.

Sami Ruotsalainen is a Finnish designer who graduated from the University of Art and Design Helsinki in 2005 with a Master’s Degree in ceramic and glass design. Among the most important works by Sami Ruotsalainen, there are the Maku series designed for Arabia and the Oiva tableware collection created for Marimekko.

Sami Ruotsalainen has designed the strong and clean shapes of the tableware set, while the decorations are by Marimekko's pattern designers. Sami Ruotsalainen has had a long working relationship with Marimekko, having acted as an assistant to Kristina Isola amongst others, and is now part of the Marimekko design team.