Behind the desk - RATIA's Office Director Elina Lappi

“The best thing about my work at RATIA is that each day is different: one day, we are coming up with new ideas or taking pictures at the Kaivopuisto harbour, and the next, we are going over contract details with a partner,” says Lappi, who used to work at the Bank of Finland and the head office of a public company, among other places.

The design world and aesthetics have always fascinated Lappi, which is why she is genuinely delighted that she wound up working in the creative world of RATIA.

“I feel privileged to have had a front-row view of RATIA’s positive development throughout the years, and to have contributed to it myself,” she says, describing her long career at the design office.

Lappi’s versatile job description includes administrative functions and marketing; most of her working days are filled with new and exciting projects and developing the company. As examples, she mentions RATIA’s strong, new patterns, and growing investments in daily wear.

“Ristomatti has keenly listened to my opinions from the beginning, which I have always regarded as truly rewarding. This has brought me into the creative process on multiple occasions,” Lappi says. Some ideas have even ended up in the hands of skilled designers as finished RATIA products, as in the case of the new knitwear collection launched in the autumn of 2019.

“We now have several new and interesting projects underway, and are eagerly looking forward to seeing the results enter the markets,” Lappi explains.

Having spent her childhood in Central Finland, Lappi finds it easy to relate to the lifestyle represented by RATIA, which is inseparable from nature, the source of inspiration for many products that are now classics.

“I grew up by a lake, and we spend most of the summer with my family at our summerhouse in Central Finland. Nature has always played an important role in my life. Even in Helsinki, I have always tried to live near the sea, and we enjoy lots of nature trips with our children. Of course, I feel that RATIA is very much about urban city life as well,” Lappi explains.

In the future, Lappi hopes that RATIA, which has already established itself in Finland, will gain a larger foothold on the international markets.

“We already have a presence abroad and I hope that, with new partners, things progress on an even larger scale. That would be a natural continuum for RATIA.”