Finnish design in "Starsky & Hutch"

[mortmere]

When you're a geek from Finland, part of the fun always is finding some Finnish influence, like design items, in foreign movies and television series. A couple of well-known examples include the tulip chairs in "Star Trek", whose original designer was born in Finland, and Princess Leia's Lapponia jewellery in "Star Wars". Seeing such things makes us Finns ridiculously proud. :D

With "Starsky & Hutch", finding anything of Finnish origin seemed so unlikely that I haven't really been looking, but then one very, very minor detail caught my eye in "Death Notice".

In the background in one girl's flat, there is a picture frame with a white and blue design in it. I don't think there is a Finn alive (at least one who's even remotely interested in design) who wouldn't instantly recognize that as Maija Isola's classic Marimekko print design "Kaivo" (1964). 

A very, very minor "yay" for this. (For a big "yay", it'd take something like "Kaivo" curtains or duvet covers in Starsky's flat. Hmm, actually, I think Starsky would really like some Marimekko designs...)

Comments

[matsir]

If I'm remembering correctly, a friend had couch pillows with a design a lot like that (or a knock off) on them. (In the '70s, probably from Sears or Penney's) I didn't know it was famous and Finnish!

[mortmere]

Memorable design, then! Could well have been genuine Marimekko - their designs got some high-profile attention in the US in the 60s when Jackie Kennedy bought some of their dresses, and they've been part of the Scandinavian design craze ever since.

[hardboiledbaby]

You get all the props for spotting the awesome :)

[mortmere]

:D I may be just *slightly* obsessive in this thing. But then, it's fandom, obsessing is almost obligatory.

Finnish design

[ursulaangstrom]

Very interesting entry, Mortmere.

I recently did one of those ancestry DNA analysis kits and learned I have a smidgen of Finnish ancestry. This was a delightful surprise. Thanks for teaching me something about Finnish design. I like this design since it looks like crescent moons to me and I am born in the zodiac sign Cancer. Cancer is the only zodiac sign controlled by the Moon. So anything that reminds me of the moon is something I collect. I appreciate you sharing all of this.

Ursula Angstrom

Re: Finnish design

[mortmere]

I've noticed your surname is a Scandinavian one - a smidgen of Finnish there, another of Swedish or Norwegian here? Who knows if you have common ancestors with David Soul himself... ;)

(This design was actually inspired by the designer's childhood experience of looking into the bottom of a well (that's the name of the design, too, "kaivo" means a well). But it does look like crescent moons, too.)

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

Cool!

[mortmere.livejournal.com]

Isn't it just? I also like that the print is here in fresh blue/white, not in the very 60s/70s red/black or yellow/brown that I've most often seen it.

[marianrose.livejournal.com]

Fantastic find! Makes me happy too :)

[mortmere.livejournal.com]

Good to hear that! Do you have some Finland connection, or are you just happy for another bit of prop trivia? :)

[marianrose.livejournal.com]

No connection to Finland. The design itself was what I meant. It's lovely and gives me a happy vibe.