Marimekko’s Jokapoika Shirt is Made to Last

While some objects or garments are poignant reminders of the passage of time, the Jokapoika shirt by Marimekko is an everlasting symbol. The relaxed fit shirt enlivened with delicate freehand brushstrokes was designed by Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi in 1956 and went on to become an instant classic for the label, withstanding the test of time again and again.

It wasn't long before the Jokapoika became a sensation, no matter your aesthetic, occupation, or identity. The shirt, which is widely hailed as Marimekko's first classic style, developed into a symbol of liberation, self-expression, and creativity — a canvas through which many wearers proudly display their personalities or identities brazenly.

In celebration of the staple piece, office sat down with Marimekko's Design Director, Emmakaisa Kirves, to discuss the legacy of the garment that has enthralled generation after generation.

Marimekko's first classic style was originally designed by Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi in 1956. What were Eskolin's original inspirations for this timeless design?

Kirves — As a Fin, we know her well and she really was a revolutionary designer at the time. Because if we think about the fifties, it was very much about feminine silhouettes and concentrating the baseline of womenswear on dresses. And then we have Eskolin who brought shirts that were also used by women as dresses that were looser — you could run around in them and feel free. I think she brought something new for women. But of course, the Jokapoika shirt itself was mainly for men. Though as time has gone by, women have been starting to wear it. But I find it very revolutionary how Eskolin took a simple approach to both prints and silhouettes.

The Jokapoika shirt has also been sold for the longest period in the brand's history and it cemented the status of the piece as a garment that is truly representative of the spirit of Marimekko. In your opinion, what qualities of the shirt have allowed the design to withstand the test of time?

I think we wouldn't have that in production every year if the print wasn't super clever. I don't even know if everyone realizes it, but the print consists of one stripe that overlaps. So it's the one stripe with two different colors and then when you see it overlap, it might create a third color. So I think it's both about the shirt, which is of course very iconic, but also its unique intricacies, like the metal buttons. Those elements combined with the print encapsulate the Marimekko essence. It's simple, but it's not just straight lines. So there is the hand-drawn aspect, then the use of color which comes in options of very colorful or more neutral, so you get very different aesthetics that the shirt can be paired with. I think it's the combination of all of these elements.

I think many of Marimekko's other pieces are instilled with this sense of longevity and it goes hand in hand with another core tenet of the brand, which is sustainable design. I think that timelessness and longevity speak to that concept very well. What environmentally-considerate elements of this particular garment can you speak to?

The design itself is something that is relevant in every decade, which calls to the longevity you mentioned. That is the core. It's timeless in the sense that it's not too trendy. The Marimekko method that we abide by is that we create something that is gonna be timeless and relevant not only now, but also after 10 or 20 years. We also haven't really tweaked the Jokapoika since its debut, really. The only thing that we have addressed is the durability of the garment. But the product itself hasn't changed. If we want to make it more durable, for example, we use different colorings — we might use botanical or natural colors. We are always looking for the best quality resources to employ.

That's really important because it opens up this conversation about valuation and I think, especially with this particular garment, it has this grand backstory. When I hear that a piece has a story, I value it more. I think that valuation is an important factor in people holding onto something and treasuring it for a long time or even passing it down to someone else. This type of quality production teaches people that there is more beyond what they see on the hanger.

That's exactly it. For example, when we realized that we had some extra stock and materials, we wanted to do this limited edition capsule with upcycled versions of the Jokapoika. They were sold very, very quickly, of course, because they were unique pieces. So that's something we want to do every now and then. Not in every collection, but we always try to find something new that we can do with the product or even with product runoff.

I know Marimekko has a large printing factory in Helsinki and there is such a wide array of prints that the label has coined. I find it so interesting how many prints the brand has created and how some of them build off of each other to create more contemporary ones. Why is it important for the brand to continue creating and adding to this encyclopedia of prints? And how does the brand consistently reapproach older prints to evolve them into newer ones?

I think we have probably over 3,500 prints in our archive and we are always adding some new ones with each collection. So we needed some system where we can see all the prints, which became Maripedia, but I think it's also about being transparent for the customers and giving everyone the joy of finding their favorite prints. And then if they want to go deeper and read about our history, they can do that too. We have become so synonymous with prints and colors. In the future, we want to set our designers up with amazing archives that they can reference.

It's really intriguing to see a print like this one that was created decades ago, but it's still just as relevant and on the mark of what people are wearing now.

Definitely. And of course, we want to bring new prints every season as well, so we will continue to do so and make new history.

Yes, it's this idea of bridging that gap between your newer prints and the older ones. I know the fabric of the Jokapoika was just as special as the print — the Piccolo fabric. What are some distinct qualities of the textile?

So the Jokapoika was originally cut from sturdy cotton when it launched in the fifties. But nowadays, the Piccolo fabric is a bit softer as we have changed the quality of the textile. But at the same time, even when we changed the quality, we always wanted to somehow maintain the original essence of the shirt, so we really haven't changed it much. We updated a few details because of the new machinery and production processes, but otherwise, we just love it in its authentic form.

I know the brushstrokes on the Jokapoika were the product of Eskolin's experimentation, using freehand strokes on raw fabric. We discussed how the shirt embodies this aura of freedom or boundless expression and I think those gestures are expressive of that notion as well. If you had to characterize the wearer of the Jokapoika shirt, who are they what qualities do they possess?

I think it has always been for people who are a bit more visionary or progressive-thinking. They don't want to wear the classic white shirt, but they want to show off their personality through color and different ways to wear the shirt. I love how nowadays, the creative community that is using the shirt is doing so in so many different ways. Especially in New York. So it's not only the classic way, but what if you wear it as a dress or put it on backward? You can really use it in a unique way and I think people have found that.

Seeing the different ways people interpret this one garment has to be fascinating. Beyond this particular garment, how have all of Marimekko's past designs informed more modern designs? How do you preserve history and preserve the foundations of Marimekko, while also creating pieces for the contemporary wearer?

I think it comes back to our design language. Each garment has a different quality, bu they all still have the same language in them. When we create something new, we always refer to this checklist — so is it a dress that you can bicycle with or run with? Does it have pockets? Can it be workwear? That's another important factor of the Jokapoika shirt — it's inspired by many workwear elements as well. I think it is the creative people who often want their clothing to have these dualistic qualities.

Totally. I think that functionality and simplicity characterize all of Marimekko's pieces. Earlier you brought up the foundations that you want to lay for the future and your future designers. In your current position as Design Director, what is the stamp that you hope the brand leaves on the realm of fashion?

We very much work as a team and that's something that is super important to us nowadays. We definitely want to highlight that we have a team of freelancers and in-house designers and that it's important to get different visions from each contributor. We want to, of course, create future classics, but we don't only want to do so with our archive — we also want to create and bring something new for the customers as well. So it's about being true to our legacy, our history, and our archive. But then taking the elements that we feel are the strongest, like the sort of utilitarian and functional aesthetic, and running with those aspects in the future. Our products have to be honest and they have to be something that we want to wear. And with our prints and colors, we want to bring joy and optimism. Whatever the era may be, we want to inspire positivity. And it's not always easy, but I think that's the heart of our job on the design team at Marimekko — to create future classics and to leave some sort of mark on history because we are definitely making history for Marimekko at the moment.