The Iittala x Pokémon collab is cute and useful

The Finnish ceramic and glass firm, Iittala, is not any stranger to intriguing collaborations. Since Iittala’s contemporary rebrand in 2024, led by inventive director Janni Vepsäläinen, the storied firm has seen Nordic readability dropped at the espresso ritual with mugs for Café Kitsuné, in addition to a limited-edition glass assortment uniting scent and lightweight with Byredo. Now, Iittala celebrates 30 years of Pokémon, utilizing considered one of its most recognisable tableware collections, ‘Origo’, because the canvas

The brand new Iittala x Pokémon Capsule assortment marks Pokémon’s thirtieth birthday (it launched in Japan in 1996). ‘Origo’ can also be a Nineteen Nineties child –designed by Alfredo Häberli and launched in 1999 – however very a lot a timeless traditional. With its daring striped aesthetic, it’s used right here to hold the gathering’s vibrant color, with house allowed for a Pokémon character, Pikachu.

The reinterpreted ‘Origo’ items now function Pikachu-inspired colouring, with Pikachu illustrations on the coronary heart of every piece. It’s a fastidiously thought of interpretation, enjoyable with out feeling gimmicky, and suitably nostalgic.

‘At first look, Iittala and Pokémon would possibly look like an unlikely match – two worlds that don’t clearly contact,’ says Janni Vepsäläinen, Iittala’s inventive director. ‘However that quiet friction is strictly what drew us in. “Origo” and Pokémon had been each born within the late Nineteen Nineties, so bringing them collectively felt much less like a collision and extra like rediscovering a shared origin – one thing stunning, but instantly acquainted. There’s pleasure in it, playfulness too, however at all times anchored in Iittala’s perception in readability, restraint, and objects made to endure from one technology to a different.’

Finally, the gathering sits on the intersection of collectability, popular culture, and value. It’s playful but thought of on a regular basis tableware.

The Iittala × Pokémon assortment will launch on 1 Could 2026, accessible in Finland and Japan by way of chosen Iittala shops and iittala.com within the respective markets.