During the early years of modernism and functionalism pioneers like Alvar Aalto, Aino Aalto and Kaj Franck led the development of the Iittala brand. Iittala was one of the first companies to make the transition from decorative dinner sets to functional, aesthetically pleasing objects infused with progressive Scandinavian design. This set the foundation for the Iittala design philosophy: to push the boundaries and to give people beauty and function.
In 1936, Alvar Aalto’s series of glass vases won first prize in the Karhula-Iittala Glass Design Competition. Compared to the decorative objects of the time, the simple yet organic shape of this vase was a revolutionary statement. Inspired by waves (“aalto” in Finnish) in the water, the vase is a symbol of Finnish design and one of the most famous glass objects in the world.
Alvar Aalto wanted to ‘free’ glass from geometric form and create an impression of organic, living forms.
Legendary Finnish design duo, Alvar and Aino Aalto, combined modern design with a craftsman’s expertise. The talented couple created exceptional home decor that was both functional and sculptural. This asymmetrical, fluid wave design was originally created for the luxury Savoy restaurant in Helsinki, which opened in 1937. That same year the vase was showcased to universal acclaim at the Paris World Fair and is today considered an icon of Scandinavian design.
Every Aalto vase is unique. Each piece is mouthblown by a master glass maker at the Iittala Glass Factory in Finland, it is then hand cut and polished several times. Iittala curates a selection of colours that give a contemporary elegance to the design. This tall version of the Savoy vase is perfect for showcasing long-stemmed flowers. It’s a striking piece of home décor as well as a memorable gift idea.
Iittala continues to push the boundaries and in 2019, became one of the world’s first industrial manufacturers to create glassware solely from waste glass. They recently introduced their new 100% recycled glass collection made entirely of waste glass which includes the Aalto vase, which are individually mouth blown.
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