Marimekko - Company Announcement

INFORMATION ON MARIMEKKO’S EXPANSION AND STORE OPENING PLAN FOR 2012

Marimekko Corporation, Stock exchange release 10 February 2012 at 8.45 a.m.

INFORMATION ON MARIMEKKO'S EXPANSION AND STORE OPENING PLAN FOR 2012

Marimekko is expanding its operations in all its main market areas. In the
United States, Marimekko seeks for growth by investing in new stores and
changes its partnership agreement with Crate and Barrel. The expansion of the
store network in Northern Europe continues. In the Asia-Pacific region, China
is opened as a new market and efforts in Australia are stepped up. 

Marimekko is undergoing a dynamic phase of internationalisation. To increase
transparency, the company announces its growth plans by main market area for
2012. Significant investments in internationalisation continue and Marimekko
aims to open ten to twenty new stores in 2012. Seven of these have already been
confirmed. The start-up date of the remaining stores depends on finding
suitable retail premises, and the openings will mostly take place in the latter
part of the year. 

The own flagship store, opened in New York in October 2011, has exceeded
Marimekko's expectations and the company thus sees it logical to step up
investments in company-owned stores in the United States. Marimekko is
currently searching for retail premises in a few cities on the East and West
Coasts. The aim is to open one to three stores already before the end of the
year. 

Marimekko and the US-based home furnishings retailer Crate and Barrel have
decided to change their 2011 partnership contract. Going forward, Crate and
Barrel will not retain exclusive rights to retail Marimekko's interior
decoration products in the United States and Canada in the home specialty and
department store chain category. Thus, Marimekko may open discussions also with
other high-quality department stores. The experiences from the current
Marimekko shop-in-shops are good and Crate and Barrel will focus on developing
the operations of them. Crate and Barrel continues to hold the right to open
additional shop-in-shops, though no new shops are planned at this time. In
other respects, including e-commerce, the companies will pursue their
cooperation as originally planned. Crate and Barrel had the intention to open
15 shop-in-shops by the end of 2013 in addition to the current seven shops. 

In Northern Europe, at least five new company-owned stores will be opened in
2012, three in Finland and two in Sweden. At present there are 34 company-owned
stores and 21 retailer-owned Marimekko stores in Northern Europe. 

In the Asia-Pacific region, the trend in sales in 2011 was very strong. China
is opened as a new market this year. Marimekko announced on 30 January 2012 the
signing of a partnership contract with Hong Kong-based Sidefame. The intention
of the partnership is to open 15 Marimekko stores in China and Hong Kong by the
end of 2016. The first store will be opened in Hong Kong this year and the next
in Shanghai as soon as suitable store premises are found. Efforts are also
stepped up in Australia, where a subsidiary has been established and a local
team has been hired to take on responsibility for distribution. The aim is to
open one or possibly two own stores in 2012. Also, this year will see the
opening of the sixth retailer-owned Marimekko store in Tokyo. 

The targeted store openings in 2012 are in line with Marimekko's previously
declared internationalisation strategy. The positive experiences from Northern
Europe and the United States has encouraged the company to decide on investing
even more in expanding the network of company-owned stores. This will change
the ratio of wholesale to retail somewhat, and it will commit more of the
company's capital and resources. 

In the financial statements bulletin released today, the planned total
investments for 2012 of the Marimekko Group are estimated as being in excess of
six million euros. The above-mentioned store openings are included in this
figure. 

Further information: President and CEO Mika Ihamuotila, Tel. +358 9 758 71

MARIMEKKO CORPORATION
Group Communications

Piia Pakarinen
Tel. +358 9 758 7293
piia.pakarinen@marimekko.fi

DISTRIBUTION:
NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd
Key media


Marimekko is a Finnish textile and clothing design company renowned for its
original prints and colours. The company designs and manufactures high-quality
interior decoration items ranging from furnishing fabrics to tableware as well
as clothing, bags and other accessories. When Marimekko was founded in 1951,
its unparalleled printed fabrics gave it a strong and unique identity.
Marimekko products are sold in approximately 40 countries. In 2011, brand sales
of Marimekko products worldwide amounted to approximately EUR 170 million and
the company's net sales were EUR 77 million. The number of Marimekko stores
totalled 90 at the year end. The key markets are North America, Northern Europe
and the Asia-Pacific region. The Group employs around 430 people. The company's
share is quoted on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd. www.marimekko.com.