The new exhibition at the Malmö Museer show all those women designers who put Sweden on the international design map already in the 1950s. The exibition got its name from the Finish designer Viola Gråsten whose popular pattern from 1952 was called Oomph. Viola Gråsten emigrated to Sweden as there was a shortage of wool yarn in Finland because of the second world war. In Sweden she created colourful ryas and pattern. The dress below has the Oomph pattern.
Even Katja of Sweden used Viola Gråsten’s pattern in her first collection launched in New York 1949.
I was at the launch of the Oomph exhibition to see the Katja of Sweden dresses lent by Kerstin Maripuu, see below.
The print in the back ground is by Astrid Sampe. Katja’s colourful dresses above are outstanding as always but I was stunned by all designs at the exhibition that still last and that has a natural place in our homes even today. We should be grateful for those brave and talented designer women!
The design to the left is by Maud Fred in Fredholm. The others are by Katja of Sweden.
Photos taken by Sara Thorsson
Source: Oomph, Malmö Museer
