Sometimes I think IKEA is the end of Scandinavian Design. If you visit the store you’ll find a number of incredibly beautiful things that were inspired by high-design (and higher-priced) Scandinavian Design originals, which make me less inclined to think about the originals anymore.
Then I walked into the Marimekko store on Madison Avenue and was jolted out of my apathy. Their textiles, which are intended for both dressmaking and decorating, are really one of a kind. Not even Lily Pulitzer prints have the same dense colors and happily kooky graphics. They’re appealing and eccentric; pretty but not precious. For a minute there I though about giving up my little black dress, and living out the rest of my days in Marimekko tunics.