An international professional forum that builds community besides educating

Five talented Hungarian design brands participating in the training visited Milan between 21 and 23 November to close the third design SPEED mentoring programme. They received support and acknowledgement from internationally renowned professionals to realise their plans. During the study tour, they visited Italy’s most famous concept stores and showrooms. Finally, they presented their brand concepts, creations, and designs to the representatives of the HFDA and IED in person.

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency’s third design SPEED mentoring programme has reached its end, facilitating the entry of Hungarian design brands, which are already stable on the domestic field, on the international market. The participants of this year’s mentoring programme were HANNABI, operating a modern upholstery workshop; IO, providing furniture design, product design, interior design, and technical knowledge; LumoConcept, designing and manufacturing unique lamps; Magnelit, creating magnetic, modular, smart lighting product lines; and Project BRUT, combining antique heritage and modern aesthetics.

During the eight-month training, which is expanding every year, a five-module lecture series and numerous individual consultations took place, in-person as well, during which experts with practical experience helped the mentorees’ development. As a closing event of the programme, the design brands travelled to Milan in November, where they visited special concept stores and showrooms such as Baxter, famous for its clear-cut, silk-soft leather furniture. Moreover, the Rossana Orlandi Gallery, an excellent blend of art and design, considered among the eight most important galleries globally by the international press, and the innovational pioneer, the world-famous Archiproducts Milano, were part of the study tour. Afterwards, the mentorees presented their works at the Italian Istituto Europeo di Design’s headquarter in front of HFDA’s and IED’s representatives. Each of the five design brands presented its brand concepts, creations, and future plans in a thirty-minute presentation to all mentors. The Italian mentors appreciated the Hungarian presentations; there was a creative twist, idea, or even technology in each of them, which rendered their concept unique.

Based on feedback by the mentorees who took part in the programme, the training that took months provided them with indispensable knowledge and experience from which they will benefit in the future. HANNABI’s designer highlighted that the Milan trip had inspired them greatly, and they built numerous domestic and international professional relationships during the training. They accentuated that the mentoring programme was an unmatched possibility for forming a domestic design community, making it possible to create discourse among Hungarian professionals. The brand IO also mentioned the Italian trip as the biggest experience, where they saw the iconic objects and furniture of the prevalent brands of the industry first-hand. The personal acquaintance with an object is an entirely different experience; it gives an opportunity to examine the furniture’s nodes, structural solutions, or proportions from up close.

For LumoConcept, modules held by Jacopo Bargellini – internationally acclaimed strategic, business, and marketing consultant – about brand marketing and brand management have proven to be the most useful lectures. Moreover, they emphasised that it was helpful to see the other mentorees’ presentations, allowing them to spot similarities and differences, from which they could learn a lot. It was also inspiring to understand the social and artistic process that has created Italian design through long decades. Magnelit’s designer pointed out that the mentoring programme provided them with tangible, practical, and valuable knowledge that they can build into the brand’s life in the future. The trip to Milan gave them an enormous amount of motivation and energy. It was good for them to see that Hungarian products stand their ground in Milan regarding both quality and aesthetics. The Project BRUT applied for the mentoring programme, among other reasons, because it provides a professional forum that connects the process of entering the international market. They underlined that it was highly informative to see from up close how an international trade fair works, how to apply, and how presentations are held. Based on the brand’s feedback, the design SPEED mentoring programme helped their development in business, sales, and manufacturing, areas of knowledge that each design brand will need for a successful operation.

A strong export orientation characterises the Hungarian design industry; therefore, it is vital to improve the international availability of Hungarian brands, which contributes to their economic stability. The Agency started a strategic partnership with the Italian Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) in August 2019; thus, Hungarian designers received support from internationally acknowledged design experts in the mentoring programme. As a result, each of the mentorees of the 2021 design SPEED programme could further develop their international networks. The programme’s significance is that it not only helps the expansion abroad by knowledge transfer but provides a wide-ranging network for the participants that gives them an incentive for realising their projects.