Happy prints

WHEN former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton visited Marimekko in 2012, she would never have thought that an off-the-cuff remark she made, "Breathe happiness", would become a slogan for the iconic fashion and lifestyle company. In just two words, she summed up what founder Armi Ratia set out to do, which was "to bring joy and positivity to the everyday lives of people through the bold prints and colours of printmaking", explains Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko, president of the Finnish brand.

Like Pharrell Williams' hit song Happy, it seems that that's what you need to build a company. Over the decades, Marimekko's bright, colourful and simple loud prints have done the trick - whether on its women's ready-to-wear and accessories, a variety of…