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Marimekko dresses & fabrics, 1960s

Three dresses hang but face forward against a white wall with a tan outline. The first dress is black with a grey scallopped pattern at the hem. The second has a subtle pattern in gray and black and the third has wide verticle stripes of black and teal. Under the dresses are a pile of smooth round rocks and an unreadable label.
Marimekko Dresses from left to right: Annika Rimala for Marimekko. ‘Varjo’ Dress in ‘Lanketti’ Print, 1963-65. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website; Annika Rimala for Marimekko. ‘Karutakkj’ Dress in ‘Nadja’, 1961. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website; and Annika Rimala for Marimekko. ‘Asumistakki’ Dress in ‘Galleria’, 1963. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.

When the designs of the Finnish textile, clothing, and houseware company Marimekko entered the American fashion vernacular in the 1960s, the brand was quickly adopted by the intelligentsia for its focus on comfort, function, and modern textile patterns. Even in rural New Mexico, O’Keeffe stayed up to date on fashion trends, and Marimekko’s popular designs were perfect for her lifestyle. The co-founder Armi Ratia stated, “Our clothes must be loose and express movement …They are part of modern interiors and modern life!”

While Marimekko textiles are often recognized for their saturated color palettes and busy patterns, O’Keeffe opted for the more subdued pieces featured here. The light cotton fabric kept her cool in the summer, and the loose fit allowed her to move with ease as she explored the desert landscape. Additionally, the pockets offered the perfect places for O’Keeffe to store the rocks she picked up on her daily walks.

Marimekko dresses also played an important role in O’Keeffe’s carefully honed image. When trying to achieve a more candid persona in photographs, she often wore a Marimekko dress, appearing relaxed and casual— as opposed to the iconic black wrap dresses she donned for many formal portraits. The first photographer to capture her in a Marimekko dress was her good friend, Todd Webb.

Marimekko did not only bring fun patterns and saturated colors to Americans’ closets, but the company also produced homeware textiles as well. O’Keeffe used Marimekko oilcloths, a type of fabric made waterproof with a coating of boiled linseed oil, to cover tables and cooking surfaces in her kitchen. Although she often embraced neutral color palettes and minimalism in her interior decor, O’Keeffe always incorporated a pop of bright color or the occasional busy pattern in a room.

A black and white photography of a living room setting features a dark upholstered chair with organice curves supported by a metal structure. There is a pillow with a circle sitting in the seat and a matching ottoman. The chair sits next to a built in fireplace a window and built-in shelves. The foreground shows the edge of a ledge covered in rounded rocks.
Balthazar Korab. Abiquiú House, Sitting Room, ca. 1965. Georgia O’Keeffe Foundation Photographs, MS.57. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
An orange lounger chair with a white cushion faces the interior of a room next to a white abstract circular sculpture in front of a window.
Edgar Bartolucci and John Waldheim, BARWA Associates. BARWA chair, 1940s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A dark gray upholstered chair and ottoman has a silver metal structure that molds curves with a deep seat and thin back. To it's side is a smaller dark gray upholstered side chair on a white metal frame.
Harry Bertoia for Knoll. Bird Lounge Chair & Ottoman, 1952. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A chair made with a cream-colored canvas bordered in dark tan resembling the shape of a butterfly held together by a thin crossed pattern of black metal. The chair sits between a window and an built-in fireplace with a similarly dark tan color. The ceiling is painted white.
Grupo Austral (Antonio Bonet, Juan Kurchan and Jorge Ferrari Hardoy) for Knoll Associates. B.K.F. (Butterfly) Chair, 20th c. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A Chemex coffee maker made of glass with a center section of light colored wood with a leather string knotted around the center.
Peter Schlumbohm for Chemex Corp. Chemex Cofffemaker, 1950s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Addison Doty. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A white enameled tea kettle with a rounded wooden handle. Out of focus and partially showing are a Chemex coffee maker and two dark brown mugs.
Michael Lax for Copco produced by Dansk. Enamel Tea Kettle, 1960s . Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
An armless side chair with ergonomic curves made entirely of a dark brown molded plywood.
Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. LCW Plywood Lounge Side Chair, 1946. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A black/dark gray upholstered side chair with a white metal base with a triangle and 'x' patterns to create its structure.
Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Upholstered Side Chair (LSR) by Ray and Charles Eames, 1950s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A note using cursive writing that says: 'for dear georgia [heart shape] c+r -eames 1979'.
Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Upholstered Side Chair (LSR) by Ray and Charles Eames, 1950s.(Detail: Label) Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A white pillow with a graphic of a red snake in a spiral pattern with the snake's head at the center and tail on the outer edge. The pillow sits on a white background which seems to be a sofa.
Alexander Girard. Pillow made with textile in ‘Snake’ print, 1960s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of the Georgia O’Keeffe Foundation. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A chair with caramel colored wood shaped smoothly and organically with a black leather seat and back sits against a white background.
Mogens Kold Mobelfabrik. MK172 Mogens Kold Dining Chair, 1960s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A dark brown tall salad bowl with a white interior. In the foreground are 2 stacks of 2 dark brown ceramic plates.
Herbert Krenchel for Dansk. Krenit Bowl, 1950s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A simple cream-colored metal lampshade sits on an adjustable stem of the same color with silver springs and a rounded pedestal.
Jac Jacobsen. Luxo Lamp, 1960s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
Three dresses hang but face forward against a white wall with a tan outline. The first dress is black with a grey scallopped pattern at the hem. The second has a subtle pattern in gray and black and the third has wide verticle stripes of black and teal. Under the dresses are a pile of smooth round rocks and an unreadable label.
Marimekko Dresses from left to right: Annika Rimala for Marimekko. ‘Varjo’ Dress in ‘Lanketti’ Print, 1963-65. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website; Annika Rimala for Marimekko. ‘Karutakkj’ Dress in ‘Nadja’, 1961. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website; and Annika Rimala for Marimekko. ‘Asumistakki’ Dress in ‘Galleria’, 1963. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A dining room setting features a plywood table with rounded arm chairs made of wood tucked under the table. Above is a large globe-shaped light made of cream paper with horizontal stripes revealing the structure. The room has a built in shelf, or 'nicho' and a built in fireplace in the far corner.
Isamu Noguchi. Akari 55A Lantern, 20th Century. 2024 reproduction on view. Photography by Brad Trone.
Two short dark brown mugs with subtle curves at the top sitting on matching saucers.
Ulla Procopé for Arabia. Ruska Mugs, 1960. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
Georgia O'Keeffe with a gray bun and dark black dress is viewed from the side to feature a white molded chair that seems to hug her body. The woman holds her hands together and has her legs crossed. A tall skinny plant is behind her with a slight edge of a painting on the wall.
O’Keeffe sits in the Tulip chair in this 1977 photography by Todd Webb. Todd Webb. O’Keeffe in Her Studio - Abiquiú, N.M., 1977. Gelatin silver print, 8 5/16 x 6 inches. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of the Georgia O’Keeffe Foundation. © Todd Webb Archive. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A white round table with a satin sheen has one single leg in the center of the same color that gradually eases into a circular pedestal.
Eero Saarinen. Pedestal Table, 20th century. 2018 reproduction. Photography by Brad Trone. View collection object on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A curved side chair upholstered in a subtle brown and white pattern. The legs are a light brown wood.
Jens Risom for Knoll Associates. Vostra Chair. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A living room setting featuring a green upholstered armchair with a matching ottoman with a yellow pillow against the back. A brown light sits next to the chair. Built-in shelves in the tan walls feature a stereo and other sparse items. A jade plant sits againsta a window in the background providing dappled light and shadow on the chair.
Eero Saarinen for Knoll. Womb Chair and Ottoman, 1948. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A black and white photo showing a valley from above against the suggestion of a moutnain. An exterior wall in the foreground with a large window reflects rounded mountains in the distance.
Balthazar Korab. Abiquiú House, Exterior, ca. 1965. Georgia O’Keeffe Foundation Photographs, MS.57. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A black and white photography of a living room setting features a dark upholstered chair with organice curves supported by a metal structure. There is a pillow with a circle sitting in the seat and a matching ottoman. The chair sits next to a built in fireplace a window and built-in shelves. The foreground shows the edge of a ledge covered in rounded rocks.
Balthazar Korab. Abiquiú House, Sitting Room, ca. 1965. Georgia O’Keeffe Foundation Photographs, MS.57. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A black and white photo showing a valley from above against the suggestion of a moutnain. An exterior wall in the foreground with a large window reflects rounded mountains in the distance.
Balthazar Korab. Abiquiú House, Exterior, ca. 1965. Georgia O’Keeffe Foundation Photographs, MS.57. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
An orange lounger chair with a white cushion faces the interior of a room next to a white abstract circular sculpture in front of a window.
Edgar Bartolucci and John Waldheim, BARWA Associates. BARWA chair, 1940s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A dark gray upholstered chair and ottoman has a silver metal structure that molds curves with a deep seat and thin back. To it's side is a smaller dark gray upholstered side chair on a white metal frame.
Harry Bertoia for Knoll. Bird Lounge Chair & Ottoman, 1952. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A chair made with a cream-colored canvas bordered in dark tan resembling the shape of a butterfly held together by a thin crossed pattern of black metal. The chair sits between a window and an built-in fireplace with a similarly dark tan color. The ceiling is painted white.
Grupo Austral (Antonio Bonet, Juan Kurchan and Jorge Ferrari Hardoy) for Knoll Associates. B.K.F. (Butterfly) Chair, 20th c. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A Chemex coffee maker made of glass with a center section of light colored wood with a leather string knotted around the center.
Peter Schlumbohm for Chemex Corp. Chemex Cofffemaker, 1950s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Addison Doty. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A white enameled tea kettle with a rounded wooden handle. Out of focus and partially showing are a Chemex coffee maker and two dark brown mugs.
Michael Lax for Copco produced by Dansk. Enamel Tea Kettle, 1960s . Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
An armless side chair with ergonomic curves made entirely of a dark brown molded plywood.
Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. LCW Plywood Lounge Side Chair, 1946. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A black/dark gray upholstered side chair with a white metal base with a triangle and 'x' patterns to create its structure.
Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Upholstered Side Chair (LSR) by Ray and Charles Eames, 1950s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A note using cursive writing that says: 'for dear georgia [heart shape] c+r -eames 1979'.
Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller. Upholstered Side Chair (LSR) by Ray and Charles Eames, 1950s.(Detail: Label) Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A white pillow with a graphic of a red snake in a spiral pattern with the snake's head at the center and tail on the outer edge. The pillow sits on a white background which seems to be a sofa.
Alexander Girard. Pillow made with textile in ‘Snake’ print, 1960s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of the Georgia O’Keeffe Foundation. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A dark brown tall salad bowl with a white interior. In the foreground are 2 stacks of 2 dark brown ceramic plates.
Herbert Krenchel for Dansk. Krenit Bowl, 1950s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A simple cream-colored metal lampshade sits on an adjustable stem of the same color with silver springs and a rounded pedestal.
Jac Jacobsen. Luxo Lamp, 1960s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A chair with caramel colored wood shaped smoothly and organically with a black leather seat and back sits against a white background.
Mogens Kold Mobelfabrik. MK172 Mogens Kold Dining Chair, 1960s. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
Three dresses hang but face forward against a white wall with a tan outline. The first dress is black with a grey scallopped pattern at the hem. The second has a subtle pattern in gray and black and the third has wide verticle stripes of black and teal. Under the dresses are a pile of smooth round rocks and an unreadable label.
Marimekko Dresses from left to right: Annika Rimala for Marimekko. ‘Varjo’ Dress in ‘Lanketti’ Print, 1963-65. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website; Annika Rimala for Marimekko. ‘Karutakkj’ Dress in ‘Nadja’, 1961. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website; and Annika Rimala for Marimekko. ‘Asumistakki’ Dress in ‘Galleria’, 1963. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A dining room setting features a plywood table with rounded arm chairs made of wood tucked under the table. Above is a large globe-shaped light made of cream paper with horizontal stripes revealing the structure. The room has a built in shelf, or 'nicho' and a built in fireplace in the far corner.
Isamu Noguchi. Akari 55A Lantern, 20th Century. 2024 reproduction on view. Photography by Brad Trone.
Two short dark brown mugs with subtle curves at the top sitting on matching saucers.
Ulla Procopé for Arabia. Ruska Mugs, 1960. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
Georgia O'Keeffe with a gray bun and dark black dress is viewed from the side to feature a white molded chair that seems to hug her body. The woman holds her hands together and has her legs crossed. A tall skinny plant is behind her with a slight edge of a painting on the wall.
O’Keeffe sits in the Tulip chair in this 1977 photography by Todd Webb. Todd Webb. O’Keeffe in Her Studio - Abiquiú, N.M., 1977. Gelatin silver print, 8 5/16 x 6 inches. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of the Georgia O’Keeffe Foundation. © Todd Webb Archive. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A white round table with a satin sheen has one single leg in the center of the same color that gradually eases into a circular pedestal.
Eero Saarinen. Pedestal Table, 20th century. 2018 reproduction. Photography by Brad Trone. View collection object on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A curved side chair upholstered in a subtle brown and white pattern. The legs are a light brown wood.
Jens Risom for Knoll Associates. Vostra Chair. Gift of Juan and Anna Marie Hamilton. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
A living room setting featuring a green upholstered armchair with a matching ottoman with a yellow pillow against the back. A brown light sits next to the chair. Built-in shelves in the tan walls feature a stereo and other sparse items. A jade plant sits againsta a window in the background providing dappled light and shadow on the chair.
Eero Saarinen for Knoll. Womb Chair and Ottoman, 1948. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Gift of Catherine and Earl Krueger Family in memory of Catherine Klenert, sister of Georgia O’Keeffe. Photography by Brad Trone. View on the O’Keeffe Museum website.
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