Oiva - Merivuokko teapot 0,7 L

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.

Kustaa Saksi (b. 1975) is a Finnish graphic artist and illustrator based in Amsterdam. He graduated from the Lahti Institute of Design and is known for his imaginative prints and bold use of colours. His works include illustrations and prints for advertisements, magazines as well as clothing. In addition to illustrations, he has also created interdisciplinary installations. For example, in 2013 at the Stockholm Furniture Fair, Saksi collaborated with architect Gert Wingårdh to produce a piece made from 15,000 A3-sized sheets of paper. Saksi’s clients include globally well-known brands such as Marimekko, Nike, Sony Playstation, Nokia and Issey Miyake.