Hungarian design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi incubation program launched with five manufacturer-designer duos

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency (HFDA) launched its incubation program again in 2023, in cooperation with one of the best-known icons of the international design sector, Rossana Orlandi. The Hungarian design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi program was popular among the applicants, from which the professional jury selected five manufacturer-designer duos who will realise their projects in collaborations. This year’s buzzwords are creating innovative products of high quality in line with international standards, in which, cultural values and traditions are reflected.

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency launched its first design LAB program in 2020 to incentivise cooperation between the actors in the creative scene. The incubation program successfully connects the work of manufacturers and designers each year and provides them with an opportunity to implement their unique, mass-producible products which live up to international standards with the help of high-level mentoring in a professional framework. An outstanding figure of international design, Rossana Orlandi joined the program in 2023, acting as a curator and mentoring the duos throughout the whole duration of the design LAB.

Rossana Orlandi joining the design LAB program is an important milestone to support domestic design industry actors and the manufacturing base. An important antecedent of the cooperation is that eight products of three Hungarian designers were exhibited in Rossana Orlandi’s Master Gallery during the Milan Design Week held in the autumn of 2023. In addition to mentoring the selected manufacturer-designer pairs in the incubation program as a professional icon, her participation also means greater international visibility for the Hungarian brands. Based on the duos’ feedback, it is one of the most determining opportunities of their careers to work with Rossana Orlandi. We are also eager to see the results of the collaborations; incentivising cooperation is important for us, which is clearly emphasised in this program – summarised Anita Forintos-Szűcs, Deputy General Managing Director of the Hungarian Fashion and Design Agency.

The design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi program was open for applications first for designers; altogether, 22 domestic designers submitted their design plans, and their 35 product ideas competed to get into the program. In the second round of the call for applications, manufacturers could apply together with the designers qualified and selected during the first period.

A jury led by Rossana Orlandi decided on the participants in the program. The selected manufacturer-designer duos presented their project plans to the audience at the 360 Design Budapest exhibition. A key aspect of the program is to create products that reflect the values of the Hungarian cultural heritage, and in this spirit, the concepts of the selected pairs also reveal an exciting harmony between innovative techniques and the emphasis on tradition.

The Átló (Diagonal) project made in the collaboration of Barlang Műhely Kft. and Studio Komok – Norbert Juhász, presents a furniture line emerging from playful geometric experimentation. As the name shows, they placed the diagonal as a simple geometric phenomenon in the spotlight, and the diagonal as an analogy also sends a message about the importance of human relationships. 

The Bloomaire project will be realised as the result of the collaboration between Lumoconcept Kft. and Co & Co Designcommunication - Diána Alchhabi. Bloomaire is a kinetic movement chandelier collection, the product collaboration elegantly combines art, nature, and technology to create a new spatial dimension of light.

The Szelíd Kövek (Tender Stones) project is the joint work of Multifelt Factory Kft. and Judit Pócs. The furniture and design panels are inspired by stones shaped by the sea, which contribute to an intimate yet modern atmosphere in community spaces. They used acoustic solutions that represent a traditional and a high-quality artistic value in addition to functionality.

Nezozen Kft. and Sára Kele created the Pontum project in collaboration. The solid wood furniture collection was inspired by Budapest’s bridges. The collection’s minimalist aesthetics show parallels with the design of bridges while representing the importance of connections and building bridges between people.

The Hungarian mythical creatures project was realised in the collaboration of Zakar Clayart Design Kft. and Dóra Abodi. The concept’s base is that mythological creatures live on in Hungarian folk tales and folk art, literature and fine arts. The main characters of the collection including interior architectural solutions were inspired by myths and folk tales.

The joint work has already started, and the HFDA is following up with the milestones of the program’s implementation this year with factory visits. The duos will have the opportunity to further develop their workflow based on professional guidance by Rossana Orlandi. In the last few years, dozens of exciting products came to life in the design LAB programs in the spirit of creativity and versatility. The program, which started in 2023 and is expected to run until March 2024, also aims to deliver projects that are competitive in the domestic and international markets, and that are outstanding in terms of both sustainability and innovation.

The Hungarian design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi program contributes to the HFDA’s goal of expanding domestic design industry players’ opportunities, promoting the sector’s exportability, and realising strategic collaborations that can open a gate to the international scene.

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About the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency was founded in 2018 to support every actor in the fashion and design industry in an efficient and structured way, following predetermined strategic pillars: professional coordination, enhancing Hungarian brands’ availability and trade opportunities, educational development and manufacturing development. To realise its goals, HFDA organises domestic events each year, such as the region’s major fashion event, the Budapest Central European Fashion Week, or the 360 Design Budapest exhibition, which has received international awards. Besides, they provide Hungarian creators opportunities for participation and debuting at international fashion events such as the Milano Fashion Week and the Maison & Objet design fair. Strategic cooperation with professional organisations, increasing exports, and supporting Hungarian brands’ professional development with mentoring programs are among their accentuated goals.