Immonen, Riitta Narhi

▪ 2009

      Finnish fashion designer

born May 13, 1918, Ilomantsi, Fin.

died Aug. 24, 2008, Helsinki, Fin.

was cofounder, with textile artist Armi Ratia, of the Marimekko clothing, textile, and interior-design company. Immonen designed all 27 outfits in Marimekko's debut showing on May 20, 1951, and her stylish, elegantly cut dresses—fashioned from Ratia's boldly coloured handprinted cotton fabrics—established what was to become Marimekko's signature look. Immonen trained as a dressmaker and in 1942 opened a salon in Helsinki, where she progressed from making wartime clothes from mass-produced fabric to using unique handwoven textiles in one-of-a-kind couture designs that caught Ratia's attention. In 1956 Immonen resigned her 49% share in Marimekko to focus on her own salon, turning out limited-production professional uniforms (from 1955), couture (until 1975), and the ready-to-wear line Riitta Immonen Sport (until 1985). Immonen also contributed (1953–64) a fashion-advice column in the Finnish women's magazine Eeva.

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