The Kurki story

Marja Kurki Ltd was born in 1976 of a woman's powerful vision and desire to put some sparkle and joy into the way people dress. Our main articles are silk scarves and ties as elegant fashion accessories. Originally a one-woman business, Marja Kurki Ltd has, over the years, expanded into a thriving international design house with subsidiaries in Sweden, Denmark and China.

2007

•  Marja Kurki designs a scarf and tie for the Forbidden City in Beijing

2006

•  Golden Hanger 2006 award to Marja Kurki Ltd

•  Design Forum’s Silk30 exhibition

•  An office is opened in Shenzen, China.

2004

•  Marja Kurki 10 years in China.

•  FashionShow in China

•  Partnership with the National Gallery, London.

•  Partnership agreement with the Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki

2001

•   Exhibition at the Wang Fung Gallery, Peking

2000

•  Marja Kurki scarves and ties go on sale at all the international airports in China.

1999

•  Marja Kurki designs a scarf and tie for the World Figure Skating Championships in Helsinki.

1998

•  Marja Kurki designs her first serviette collection.

•  Marja Kurki Ltd is one of the suppliers for the Helsinki City of Culture 2000 project.

•  Scarves and ties are on display in the Finnish pavilion at the Lisbon Expo.

•  Marja Kurki designs a scarf and tie to mark the 250th anniversary of Suomenlinna.

•  A Marja Kurki Shop opens in Stockholm in August.

•  An office is opened in Shanghai, China.

•  Marja Kurki presents her new Pasión jewellery range in October.

•  Marja Kurki Ltd wins the Hopeajyvä image advertising award.

1997

•  An exhibition is held at the Finnish Embassy in Washington.

•  Marja Kurki designs the official scarf and tie for the World Ice-Hockey Championships in Helsinki.

1996

•  The 20th anniversary exhibition of Marja Kurki Ltd opens at the Gallen-Kallela Museum.

•  The book "Design by Marja Kurki" is published.

•  Mrs Hillary Clinton meets Marja Kurki together with 20 other influential Finnish women (including the Speaker of Parliament).

•  Sculptor Kimmo Pyykkö wins the design competition on a nature and wildlife theme held by the WWF and Marja Kurki Ltd.

1995

•  Marja Kurki Svenska AB expands to take in Malmö and Gothenburg as well as Stockholm.

•  The WWF and Marja Kurki launch a scarf and tie design competition for well-known Finns in March to raise funds for nature conservation.

1994

•  First fashion show in China.

•  A Danish subsidiary is founded: Marja Kurki ApS.

•  Ties also go on sale on Finnair flights.

•  Marja Kurki scarf and ties in honour of the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki.

1993

•  Marja Kurki scarves go on sale on Finnair flights.

•  Marja Kurki Svenska AB is launched in Sweden.

•  The Kurki Fashion Company Beijing Rep. Office opens in Beijing.

1992

•  Marja Kurki scarves and ties are on display at the Finnish pavilion of the Seville World Expo.

•  Color Me Beautiful partnership begins, a different scarf for each of the seasons.

•  Marja Kurki shops are opened at Stockmann's department stores.

•  Malaysia project with the UN International Trade Center.

1991

•  The family buys back the Marja Kurki business. Tapani Kurki takes the company's lead.

1988

•  Marja Kurki Ltd is sold to Marimekko but Marja Kurki continues designing part of the collection.

1986

•  Kurjentanssi exhibition at the Finnish Design Center.

•  The Kurjentanssi exhibition poster is selected for the New York Museum of Modern Art. The brochure receives the Award of Excellence in a competition run by the magazine Communication Arts. Over 24,000 designs were submitted, and only 218 won prizes and were published in the Design Annual yearbook.

1980

•  Marja Kurki designs her first scarf.

•  The Finnish Olympic team appears in Marja Kurki scarves for the first time.

1979

•  Marja Kurki visits the Canton Fair and enters into a partnership with the Shanghai Silk Corporation.

1976

•  Marja Kurki Ltd is established.