For more than a century, expert glass craftsman have been producing Iittala glass in Iittala, Finland. Iittala glass is made for everyday use for everyone, but with the philosophy that even practical objects should be thoughtfully designed. A perfect blend of beautiful form and uncompromising function, Iittala offers an ideal selection of everyday drinkware, wine glasses and barware. Some favourites from the HabitusLiving team include…
Aarne
The Aarne, from decorative artist and pioneering Finnish glass artisan Göran Hongell, is a mouth-blown glassware range that has been a gold medal winner since 1954 (at the Milan Triennale). To mark Iittala’s 100th Glassware Anniversary in 1981, Aarne was brought back in production. In 1988, Aarne won the American Table Top Award and has been winning design lovers over ever since.
Citterio
In 2004, Antonio Citterio and Toan Nguyen created Citterio, a mouth-blown decanter with every element reduced to its purest and most essential functional purpose. The neck opens slightly to allow just the right amount of air in so wine can breathe while still allowing the light to ignite the colour of the vintage. With its pure and well balanced lines, the decanter stands perfectly alongside Iittala’s various wine glasses.
Ultima Thule
Tapio Wirkkala designed a significant proportion of his work for Iittala – the most famous being Ultima Thule. Inspired by the melting ice in Lapland – the legend is that Ultima Thule was a far northern island buried in ice and snow, where the sun never set – Wirkkala originally created the surface of Ultima Thule in the 1960s after carving into a graphic mould. An exclusive design reflecting the thousands of hours spent perfecting the glass-blowing technique required to produce the effect.
