Discovered by Aino Aalto on her travels through Europe in the 1930s, Artek’s Zebra textile brings a cosmopolitan influence into modern interiors. Fashion trends have come and gone, living spaces have evolved, but the pattern’s bold stripes remain as striking today as they were ninety years ago. Zebra is available in both the classic black and white colourway and an earthy brown and white palette which offers a soft warmth while retaining the pattern’s playful nature. The textile is made using a double jacquard weaving technique, giving it a structural presence and durability that makes it ideal for upholstery and lifestyle accessories. The brown and white colourway is available from 3 September.

The Zebra print that appeared on Aalto furniture in the 1930s was the first documented example of a woven zebra-patterned fabric.

When Aino Aalto embarked on a journey through Europe in 1935, she was on the lookout for inspiration that would inform her distinctive aesthetic. Her travel diary of the time includes notes on a zebra pattern she spotted in Style Clair, a Parisian department store. She subsequently ordered a quantity to be sent back to Finland, where Aalto furniture appeared upholstered with the Zebra textile when Artek opened its first store in Helsinki in 1936. 

As one of the original champions of the zebra print, Artek presents the Zebra textile on all upholstered furniture in black and white or brown and white, and across a range of lifestyle accessories including bags and cushions, adding a light touch of maximalism to living spaces.