The creativity and playfulness that Danish toy designers bring to their work is a bigger story than just that of LEGO and its founding in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen.
In 1999, Dorthe Mailil, a Danish designer and illustrator, launched Maileg (pronounced My’lye) after a ‘pixie’ she produced at Design School won the hearts of her classmates. From that clay figure, Dorthe switched to fabric and another Danish toy legend was born. The Maileg range is available at Nordic Chill, in The Colombo.
Maileg toys merge modern Scandinavian design with storybook whimsy and meticulous attention to detail. They help children explore the pure and simple wonder of imagination. Theirs is a timeless world filled with beautiful accessories and settings to be collected, cherished and shared with friends and family for generations.
Dorthe continues to provide all creative direction for Maileg, contributing to a growing family that now includes bunnies, mice and many more cute animals – all living in a charming world of hand-sewn clothing, modern furniture and playful accessories.
Sustainability and protecting the environment are a big part of the Maileg ethos and it takes the responsibility seriously. This is reflected in its manufacturing processes and also the packaging used. No product contains toxic substances. Packaging is made from recycled materials and re-used where possible.
DID YOU KNOW? The name Maileg came about through the same process that Ole Kirk Kristiansen followed 90 years ago in coming up with the LEGO name. Dorthe took her last name and combined it with “leg”, the Danish word for play. Similarly, LEGO combines and abbreviates the Danish words “leg godt”, meaning “play well”.