Iittala Oiva Toikka Collection

Oiva Toikka Collection

Legendary Finnish designer Oiva Toikka was famous for his boundless curiosity, colourful creativity and vibrant artistic creations. The bold, graphic patterns seen throughout the Oiva Toikka Collection are based on previously undiscovered drawings from Toikka’s archives. With The Curious Mind of Oiva Toikka collection, we bring these discoveries and Toikka’s joyful imagination to our collection of home textiles, tableware, art posters, canvas bags, paper accessories and more. Distinct pieces that invite you to express your own unique style in all the curious corners of your life.

Iittala Designer Oiva Toikka

OIVA TOIKKA

Oiva Toikka (1931-2019) is one of the great personas of Finnish glass design. His imaginative, rich and bold glass art is a departure from mainstream Nordic design. Toikka’s individual style is also evident in the utility objects he creates as they often deviate from the traditional clean-lined puritanism of Finnish design aesthetics. In addition to glass, his artistic activities cover staging, fashion design and plastic interior design elements.

Toikka has gained a solid international reputation throughout his prolific career, which dates back to the 1950s, having worked with well-known designers and artists both in Finland and abroad. He has won several prestigious awards including the Kaj Franck Design Prize and the Prince Eugen Medal. In 1993, Toikka was given the honorary title of Professor of the Arts by the state of Finland. Birds by Toikka series combines the artist’s limitless imagination with his expertise in the characteristics of glass. The unique and colorful birds, which are all handmade, have become the passion of collector’s worldwide.
Iittala Oiva Toikka Collection Ibis bird Bamboo vase and PomPom vase

Creative collaboration

Our historic collaboration with Toikka began when another Finnish design legend, Kaj Franck, appointed Toikka as the in-house designer at the Iittala Glass Factory in 1963. During his nearly six decades with us, Toikka created some of our most iconic collections including the world renowned Birds by Toikka.

Iittala Oiva Toikka Collection Birds by Toikka

Curiously creative

I don’t think it’s terribly important to play it safe. That has never been my thing – avoiding risks, trying to make it perfect. There are enough perfectionists around. –Oiva Toikka

Throughout his profound career, Toikka wasn’t afraid to deviate from the streamlined functionalism that characterised Nordic design in favour of colourful, artistic creations often inspired by nature.

Iittala Oiva Toikka Collection Bamboo vases

Creatively curious

I trust in accidents and misunderstandings. –Oiva Toikka

From his bold glass art collections like Birds by Toikka to his modular art pieces like the colourful Bamboos, Toikka’s design was fueled by a sense of daring curiosity. It was by combining that curiosity with his creativity and love of technical experimentation that Toikka created a distinct body of work that wasn’t limited by artistic boundaries.