Alvar Aalto, Iittala Designer| Crystal Classics | Crystal Classics


Alvar Aalto

Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) is undoubtedly one of the greatest names in modern architecture and design. His pragmatic yet progressive philosophy and sensuous vocabulary of form have kept Aalto’s designs fresh and original to this day. Aalto believed that good design should be a part of everyday life and his products clearly exemplify this idea.
As early as the 1930s, Aalto’s furniture designs were on exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The most famous of the objects designed by Aalto is the Savoy vase, which was first seen at the 1937 Paris World Exposition. Today the Savoy vase is considered amongst one of the most popular glass objects of all time.

The asymmetrical, soft wave (“aalto” in Finnish) shape was Alvar Aalto’s signature throughout his creative oeuvre, from architecture to glass. The humane touch combined with technical innovation resulted in designs that have proven timeless.

Click here to view Iittala Alvar Aalto collections.

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What started as a glass factory in Iittala, Finland, today celebrates generations of essential objects that are made to enrich people's everyday lives. We believe objects should be distinctive, combinable and multi-functional, with lasting design that inspires individual use and expression.

As a company based in Finland, where quality, aesthetics and functionality are important values, Iittala believes in interior design that lasts a lifetime. The progressive philosophy of our design heroes, Kaj Franck and Alvar Aalto, still inspires us to keep Iittala forever relevant.

We don't just create beautiful objects. We believe in timeless design that will never be thrown away.

The roots of Iittala date back to 1881 when a glass factory was established in a village of the same name in southern Finland.

In its early years Iittala produced blown, pressed, polished, painted and etched glass according to continental models.

In the beginning of the 20th century dinnerware was decorated with a variety of ornaments. 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.

The breakthrough came in the early years of modernism and functionalism during the 1930s and 40s. At that time it was pioneers like Alvar Aalto, Aino Aalto and Kaj Franck who led the development of the Iittala brand. Their belief was that objects should always be designed with thought and make them available for everyone. It was Aalto's and Franck's thinking that set the foundation for the Iittala design philosophy: to push the boundaries and to give people beauty and function.

This breakthrough in Finnish design, also changed glassware ranges led by Iittala in the 1950s and 1960s. A new kind of aesthetics and functionality affected Finnish glassware design while most other countries still used traditional, extensive glassware ranges. A simplified, modern design took over from cut crystal.

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