The Colorful World of Textile Designer Ann-Marie Netterdag

Gula huset by Ann-Marie Netterdag.

The drawings of Swedish Textile Designer Ann-Marie Netterdag (1942-1942) paint a world in playful and joyous settings. Described as colorful and expressive herself, Netterdag was among the last students to get admitted into the textile program of Konstfack, the prestigious art school in Stockholm, the year Netterdag applied. Dressed in a colorful Marimekko dress, big hat and high heels, she showed up her first school day and soon excelled as one of the most talented student’s. When you look at her drawings it’s easy to see why.

Detail from Gula huset by Ann-Marie Netterdag.

Gula Huset, The Yellow House, depicts the house where she and her son Gabriel lived, in the Swedish small town Alingsås. Gabriel is the boy who peaks out the open window to the right.

I’m very thrilled to have some of her textiles in my collection. Netterdag’s style of drawing just really brings a smile on my face. It’s something about the innocent chubbiness in her style of drawing that fills me with the purest joy. Her drawing style is cute as a button.

Detail from Gula Huset by Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Detail from Gula huset by Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Gabriel, the son of textile deisgner Ann-Marie Netterdag peaks out the window. A hedgehog in the garden peaks back at him. Detail from Gula Huset by Ann-Marie Netterdag.

This textile drawing is called Södra Strömgatan. It’s the name if the street Ann-Marie Netterdag lived on, in Alingsås. After finishing her studies Ann-Marie Netterdag worked as a designer at the textile manufacturer Almedals located in Alingsås. Her emphasis lay in textiles för children. She later worked for Ikea where her creations were sold world wide. She also worked for Finlands prestigious textile manufacturer Tampella, where she created the fabric Paradise, that Nettedag herself regarded as the crown jewel of her career.

Södra Strömgatan, by Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Detail from Södra Strömgatan by Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Detail from Södra Strömgatan by Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Detail from Södra Strömgatan by Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Detail from Södra Strömgatan by Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Detail from Södra Strömgatan by Ann-Marie Netterdag.

This is the Ann-Marie Netterdag textile Skillingaryd. Marvelous detail work as always.

Skillingaryd by Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Detail from Skillingaryd by Ann-Marie Netterdag.

The fabric displayed on the following pictures is another magnificent creation by Netterdag, that I own. I don’t have the name of this one. If you know, please I would highly appreciate it if you write me and let me know.

Design Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Design Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Design by Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Design by Ann-Marie Netterdag.

These chair pads were sold by Ikea. The design drawn by Ann-Marie Netterdag is titled Törnrosa.

Törnrosa by Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Detail, Törnrosa by Ann-Marie Netterdag.
Paradise by Ann-Marie Netterdag.

Ann-Marie Netterdag passed in 1982, only 40 years old. She left an impressive legacy.

For anyone interested in fabrics from the 1960s and 1970s, made by Swedish and Finnish designers, I highly recommend two books by Sara Axtelius:

Tyger vi minns från 1960- och 70-talen

Retro – tyger vi minns

What do you want to create? What brings you joy?

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