How to enhance your design brand in Hungary and abroad?

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency promotes the work of emerging domestic product designers and those ready to be marketed with permeable mentoring programmes. In the last three years, design START helped the development of seventeen brands, while design SPEED supported sixteen brands. In 2021, ten talents participated in one of the mentoring programmes lasting several months that provided professional support for becoming more potent on the domestic market and conquering foreign ones. This January, applications to the mentoring programmes are open again, which provide a unique growth opportunity for the brands.

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency (HFDA) created efficient, long-term, and permeable mentoring programmes in order to provide comprehensive aid to the fulfilment of Hungarian fashion and design industry brands. The new training series will start soon, so we have good news for those who have delayed the application so far and those simply wanting to reach the next level: the HFDA issued a tender again for the design START and design SPEED mentoring programmes, which are starting for the fourth time.

Let us provide you with a short summary of the two trainings:

The design START mentoring programme aims to promote emerging businesses’ professional and business success and create domestic stability for them. In 2021, five brands – Esstre, KOMOK, marta edocs, OBAI concrete, and Vandor Studio – took part in the three-phase training. First, the mentorees widened their knowledge in a series of workshops consisting of six modules in topics such as business planning, financing opportunities, design- and brand communication, and digital marketing. Afterwards, every product designer completed a two-week professional internship with a Hungarian manufacturer of their choice, which has proven to be an outstanding source of inspiration in each case. Finally, the creators took part in a three-day study tour in Paris where they visited places such as the Maison&Objet design fair, the VIA exhibition space, the Dissidi workshop, the Maison Dada – Ellia Art Gallery, the India Mahdavi Showroom, and the Philippe Hurel Showroom.

The design SPEED mentoring programme launched in collaboration with the Italian Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) targets stable Hungarian product designers who are ready even for appearing on the international market and are devoted to further developing their business. The training launched for the third time in 2021 provided exceptional professional support for five brands: HANNABI, IO, LumoConcept, Magnelit and Project BRUT. The mentorees participated in a five-module presentation series and numerous individual consultations during the eight-month training. In addition, world-famous professionals with practical experience such as Jacopo Bargellini, Alberto Bottalico, and Giovanni Ottonello assisted their improvement. As the last step of the programme, the five talented Hungarian design brands visited Milan at the end of November. During the study tour, they visited famous concept stores and showrooms such as the Archiproducts Milano, the Baxter, and the Rossana Orlandi Gallery. Finally, they presented their brand concepts, creations, and designs to the representatives of the HFDA and IED in person.

Different criteria apply to the admissions to the HFDA’s design START and design SPEED mentoring programmes. The table below will help you choose the training which is right for you. The starting mentoring programmes will accompany new talented creators on their way to success with  a series of workshops and presentations of updated thematics, new experts, personal mentors for emerging brands, an expanded study tour, and extra showroom visits.

Join the design START and design SPEED communities; join now!

If you have any further questions, please get in touch with us via design.mentorprogram@hfda.hu.

 Application to the design START mentoring programme: HERE

Application to the design SPEED mentoring programme: HERE