Kaija Aarikka

Kaija Aarikka (1929-2014) is best known for her jewelry and home designs made of wooden beads, designed for Aarikka, a company she founded in 1954 with her husband Erkki Ruokonen. Even though most Aarikka products are made of wood, Kaija Aarikka was very broadminded when it came to experimenting with different materials; she graduated as a textile artist and often used materials like glass or silver in her designs. In 1994, the beloved designer received the prestigious Pro Finlandia Medal and in 1999, she was awarded the Finnish honorary title of ’kauppaneuvos’ by the President of the Republic of Finland.