First Talents Mentoring Program Participants Report Brilliant Successes

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency launched the Talents Mentoring Program in 2022 to professionally support talented young people at the beginning of their careers, incentivising them to discover varied opportunities in the creative industry. We are proud to present the results of the mentees of the first edition, who have already achieved significant successes in fashion, design, and arts.

Dóra Surányi demonstrated outstanding performance in fashion design. She received a Fashion Design Award in the Wearable Art category at the BIG SEE Design Week with her collection Nystagmus. Her works were published in Glamour magazine, where she completed her internship during the Talents Mentoring Program. Now, she is preparing for the Budapest Central European Fashion Week SS25 with a new collection, Nystagmus vol. 2, and working on a webshop to offer wearable clothes to the public. She is participating in the practical part of the ongoing second Talents Mentoring Program to consciously build her brand.

Bianka Hajdu stands on the boundary between art and engineering, studying for a Product Design Artist Master’s Degree at METU. Bianka has completed the prototype of the Cajon, combining her technical knowledge with art projects, the plan of which she had submitted to the Mentoring Program. She is now one step closer to realising her dreams. Bianka has also launched her musical project and has released one song, proving her talent in yet another field.

Tamás Lajos continued to work full-time at FabLab after the professional internship under the Talents Mentoring Program. He participated in designing many award objects for the BMW Business Review and Birdo, among others, and he also participated in planning the symbolic “data keys” at the new Gellért Campus of Corvinus University of Budapest. His own project, the Lamp of Twilight, debuted at the Salon Budapest exhibition, where many people were interested in the artwork. He can work at FabLab while pursuing other creative motivations, such as photography or graphic design, while expanding his professional network of connections.

Szimonette Lóki thrives on mastering new technologies and knowledge as a master's student at MOME (Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design). She has contributed her talents to designing and creating costumes for the experimental performance "In Search of Happiness" by the Láthatáron Társulat (Horizon Company). Furthermore, she is diligently preparing for the Budapest Spring Festival's fashion show, where, alongside her own creations, her redesign of an actress's dress will also grace the runway. As part of a university project, she is engaged in a collaboration with the Mountex brand. Her previous work has been featured at the FISE gallery, and she has been invited to exhibit her creations in Brussels and Paris, showcasing them to an international audience soon. Currently, she is working on costumes for the graduation show of dance students. In addition to her university studies, Szimonetta serves as a guest lecturer at the Szegedi Tömörkény István Gymnasium and Secondary School of Arts.

Brigitta Szekernyés is studying for a Master’s Degree in Fashion, Clothing and Textiles at the Royal Danish Academy, where she participates in significant projects for the Davids Samling Museum and the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum, among others. Her project, Solaer, is widely famous, and several celebrities and magazines have picked up her work. For instance, Noah Cyrus, singer and actress (Miley Cyrus’ sister), wears a Solaer top in an Instagram story; moreover, Glamour magazine conducted an interview with her, and soon, InStyle magazine will report on the former Talents mentee’s work.

Nikolett Tóth studied at the Master's Program of the Budapest Metropolitan University. At the request of the Central Bank of Hungary, she created a collection inspired by the institution’s contemporary picture gallery with her peers and created an Art Deco-style collection upon request by the Museum of Applied Arts, which will be exhibited soon. Nikolett and her classmates also took part in a photo shoot at the Biodome Light Dome installation. The pictures will soon be published on the official platforms, further increasing her work’s visibility.

The members of the first generation of the Talents Mentoring Program have proven that talent, perseverance, and the appropriate professional support can make dreams come true. We are proud of them and looking forward to seeing their future achievements. In the meantime, the second Talents Mentoring Program is running with nine talented entrants. Currently, during the theoretical part, the mentees can participate in lectures, workshops, visits to shops and workshops to familiarise themselves with a wide range of employment opportunities in the creative industry.

Continue to follow the path of the talents with us!