One of the world's most celebrated design icons began life as a rather unconventional competition entry. In 1936, Finnish architect Alvar Aalto submitted a series of playful, freehand glassware sketches to a design competition organised by Karhula-Iittala, under the wonderfully curious pseudonym Eskimo Woman's Leather Breeches.

His organic, undulating shapes were unlike anything being produced at the time, and his entry won first prize. But turning those fluid drawings into glass was another challenge altogether! Traditional glassmaking techniques struggled to achieve the dramatic curves, so Aalto worked with the glassmakers to experiment with new methods, eventually using specially shaped wooden moulds into which the molten glass was blown.

The collection made its international debut at the 1937 Paris World's Fair, and the now-famous vase soon found a home in Helsinki's Savoy Restaurant, designed by Alvar and his wife Aino, giving rise to its affectionate nickname, the Savoy Vase. Originally just 14cm tall, the classic Savoy grew to 16cm in 1957, while taller variations, including the Finlandia Vase, offered more generous proportions for long-stemmed flowers.

Still mouth-blown in Finland by Iittala, the Aalto Vase remains a beautiful example of how an imaginative idea, a little experimentation and exceptional craftsmanship can create a design that transcends generations.