Riitta Immonen
Illustration — Riitta Immonen in 1949 Riitta Immonen (13 May 1918 in Ilomantsi – 24 August 2008 in Helsinki) was a Finnish fashion designer and entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of Finnish fashion corporation Marimekko. Immonen was also known for her one-of-a-kind outfits, celebrity clients and a question-and-answer column which she wrote for Finnish fashion magazine Eeva in the 1950s and 1960s. Riitta Immonen was born in 1918 in Ilomantsi.
Riitta Immonen
U. A. Saarinen · http: Image record page in Finna: musketti.M012%3AJOKAUAS2_428%3A3 Image record page in Finna: museovirasto.611D1B20566855946AFABF979FE5F12 · Public domain
- Born
- 1918 · Ilomantsi.
- Died
- 2008 · Helsinki.
- Nationality
- Finland
- Occupation
- fashion designer
- Languages
- Finnish
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Illustration — Riitta Immonen in 1949 Riitta Immonen (13 May 1918 in Ilomantsi – 24 August 2008 in Helsinki) was a Finnish fashion designer and entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of Finnish fashion corporation Marimekko. Immonen was also known for her one-of-a-kind outfits, celebrity clients and a question-and-answer column which she wrote for Finnish fashion magazine Eeva in the 1950s and 1960s. Riitta Immonen was born in 1918 in Ilomantsi.
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wikidata · Q4118916 · wikipedia · Riitta Immonen
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Biography
Biography
A self-taught clothing designer, Immonen opened her first design boutique in Helsinki during World War II in 1942 which grew into a success despite the shortages of the ensuing years. In 1951, she and Armi Ratia started up Marimekko to sell fabrics made by Finnish textile firm Printex. However, after the firm's first season, she focused on her own Cinderella collections, and eventually left Marimekko a few years later, continuing to design clothes for the rest of her life. In 1987–1990 she was still designing unique outfits for a company named Atelierika. In 2008, Immonen was the subject of an exhibition at the Finnish Design Museum. She died later the same year in Helsinki.
• Koskennurmi-Sivonen, Ritva: Creating a unique dress: A study of Riita Immonen’s creations in the Finnish fashion house tradition. Helsinki: Akatiimi, 1998.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1918
Riitta Immonen was born on 13 May 1918.
2008
Riitta Immonen died on 24 August 2008.
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Ilomantsi.
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Helsinki.
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authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q4118916: Riitta Immonen
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- “Riitta Immonen”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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