Iittala and Pokémon design stripy tableware emblazoned with Pikachu
Finnish brand Iittala has updated its beloved striped Origo tableware with playful illustrations of Pokémon character Pikachu "almost 'adventuring' across the collection".
The collaboration was created to mark 30 years of Japanese media company Pokémon.
Iittala worked with the company to redesign its Origo collection, a selection of everyday tableware decorated with colourful stripes, which was originally created by Alfredo Häberli in 1999 and has since become a firm favourite in Finnish households.
The brand worked with Häberli to create the pieces – a mug, a plate and a bowl. The recognisable stripes that decorate the tableware were subtly altered with a yellow, red and brown colour palette informed by Pikachu, Pokémon's most famous character.
Black and white illustrations of Pikachu also decorate the insides of the pieces as well as their bases.
"Pikachu is almost 'adventuring' across the collection, adding a layer of surprise and charm," Iittala creative director Janni Vepsäläinen told Dezeen.
"At first glance, Iittala and Pokémon might seem like an unlikely match, two worlds that don't obviously touch," she said. "But that quiet friction is exactly what drew us in."
Vepsäläinen explained that the collaboration was created to evoke 1990s nostalgia, nodding to the birth of both Origo and Pokémon.
"Design culture from that era continues to feel relevant today – timeless products that still spark joy," she said.
The creative director acknowledged the unexpected nature of the collaboration, but said that she expects the reaction to be a positive one.
"Pikachu brings happiness across generations," she considered. "Those who grew up in the 90s love it, and so do their children. It creates a shared emotional connection, combining timeless design with a universally loved brand."
Vepsäläinen became creative director of Iittala in 2023, joining the brand after a stint at UK fashion house JW Anderson.
In January, New York studio GAMPworks completed Manhattan's Trainer Court flagship store, a shop dedicated to trading and selling Pokémon cards that centres around a tiled bar-top where visitors buy, unwrap decks, and connect.
The photography is courtesy of Fiskars Group.
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