Olle Eksell 2

Makia has had the privilege to continue to work with the archives of the legendary Swedish graphic designer and illustrator Olle Eksell (1918-2007). The clothing collection showcases Olle’s wide array of work as well as pays homage to the versatile and visionary designer.

Olle Eksell was born in 1918 in Kopparberg, Sweden, and was 14 years old when he decided to become an advertising illustrator. Olle studied illustration and graphic art in Stockholm. He later worked at the Ervaco advertising agency and met his future wife, Ruthel Eksell. In 1946 the newly married couple sailed to the USA to continue their studies at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. After the war, they were both keen to see the world.

Besides being an excellent designer and writer, Olle was a tremendous visionary and wrote a book about the importance of combining the relationship between design and economy, Design = Ekonomi (1964). His illustrations range between crazy, fantasy-filled, and abstract geometry. In 2001 the Swedish Government bestowed Olle with the title of Honorary Professor for his significant contribution to the field of design. Olle continued working until his death in 2007.

Olle Eksell 2 is a wide range of unisex pieces featuring Olle Eksell’s original artwork. In the collection, Olle’s positive and endlessly curious style is celebrated on t-shirts, long sleeves, sweatshirts, and more – with “Makia” written in the unique typeface Eksell Display, designed by Olle in 1962. As a counterpoint to Olle’s usually playful style, prints like “Process” showcase his exceptionally methodic approach to the philosophy of design. Discover the collection here.