Tanssi continues to capture the magic and artistic work of Klaus Haapaniemi.

Dubai UAE, December 7, 2015:  Tanssi means ‘dance’ in Finnish, and this new tableware collection, illustrated by London-based Finnish artist Klaus Haapaniemi, has been inspired by the visual designs by Klaus Haapaniemi for the Finnish National Opera production of The Cunning Little Vixen, a Czech opera by Leoš Janáček. The production will be premiered in January 2015.

The sad yet beautiful story exploring the co-existence of animals, humans and the eternal cycle of life, comes alive in Haapaniemi’s rich designs on tableware created by pre-eminent Finnish designer Heikki Orvola.

The colourful inhabitants of the mystical forest captured on the tableware include a deer charming the forest with the sounds from his flute, a badger showing off in his fur coat and silk shoes, and the vixen and a fox dancing in the shadows of the trees. Reflections from both ancient Oriental and Slavic imagery, as well as traditional stories, shape this collec-tion. With a nod to Art Deco, Tanssi also pays homage to the era of the birth of the opera.

Tanssi also brings a new dimension to Iittala’s decorated tableware with a new col-our palette. The earthy colours and detailed, distinctive pattern give collectors new items to covet.

Tanssi makes a good addition to any current Iittala collection, and goes well with basic pieces such as Teema, or the everyday Kartio glasses. In addition to the ceramic pieces, the Tanssi range includes interior textiles, such as kitchen towels, and storage items, including a round tin box.

New product, new colour

The earthy shades of brown, grey and red of Tanssi collection make a perfect match with Iittala’s new glass colour Desert. The nostal-gic brown colour is inspired by hot summers in childhood and Iittala glass ranges from the 1950s. Available in the Aalto collection from January, Desert is also available in the Kastehelmi bowl and votive.

The products are available as of January 2015.

Klaus Haapaniemi

Klaus Haapaniemi (b. 1970) has received a lot of attention in recent years in the international media with his unique style; he has designed for and collaborated with Cacharel, Christian Louboutin, Established & Sons, among others, as well as the department stores Isetan, Har-rods, Selfridges and Le Printemps. In addition, he has acted as the creative director of the Italian fashion house Bantam.

The international WSGN trend analysis com-pany named him as one of the most important rising illustrators and designers of our time. In addition to the collaboration projects, Klaus Haapaniemi has his own collection, which is based on luxury textiles.

Haapaniemi’s Finnish roots are often high-lighted in the international media; even Kale-vala has been mentioned. Indeed, it is easy to find references to folklore in Haapaniemi’s illustrations; Slavic and Japanese influences are also strongly present. Haapaniemi gradu-ated from the Lahti Institute of Design and Fine Arts and lives in London.

The Iittala Collection is available in Jashanmal Department stores.