Hungarian design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi Programme Products To Debut at the Milan Design Week

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency (HFDA) launched the design LAB programme in April 2023 in collaboration with the internationally acknowledged design icon, Rossana Orlandi. Five manufacturer-designers duos realised product development ideas in the programme. Under Rossana Orlandi’s mentoring, the teams created products that stand their ground in the international market. The public will see the products for the first time at the exhibition held in the prestigious Triennale Museum during the Milan Design Week between the 15^th and the 21^st of April 2024.

The HFDA launched its first design LAB programme in 2020 to foster collaboration among creative industry players. The incubation programme successfully connects manufacturers and designers year by year, who work together to create series-producible, high-quality products that meet international standards.

The fourth design LAB programme is a milestone since domestic designers and manufacturers had the chance to work with an international mentor for the first time during the product development process. Rossana Orlandi participated in realising design LAB as the programme’s curator from the selection of the project plans until the last steps. Her decades of international experience, her expertise in fashion, design, and contemporary arts, and her interest in the Hungarian cultural heritage contributed to creating the products that innovatively combine tradition and modern technology. Several contemporary artists' careers were launched in her Milan gallery; among others, she discovered the now world-famous Jaime Hayon, named one of the 100 greatest artists of our time by Time Magazine.

We have been working with Rossana Orlandi for over a year to display Hungarian creativity in its entirety to the international audience. The HFDA’s strategic goal is to help Hungarian brands enter international markets, and domestic and international appearances ensuring high visibility contribute to this objective. International trade fairs and exhibitions offer opportunities for export development, and have a sales incentivising impact. The fact that the products of the design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi programme will be displayed first at the Milan Design Week in an individual exhibition provides high visibility to the exhibitors on the international scene, which contributes to increasing their competitiveness – summarised Zsófia Jakab, Ministerial Commissioner for the development and coordination of the creative industries and CEO of the HFDA.

Five projects were realised in the manufacturer-designer duos’ collaboration under the design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi programme. The teamwork of Barlang Műhely Kft. and Norbert Juhász (studio komok) resulted in the Átló furniture line, emerging from playful geometric experimentation. The sideboard and the armchair place the diagonal as a simple geometric phenomenon in the spotlight, while the diagonal as an analogy also transmits a message about the importance of human relationships. Lumoconcept Kft. developed a kinetic motion chandelier with Diána Alchhabi, designer. Bloomaire, inspired by the bell tower of Matthias Church, elegantly combines art, nature, and technology to create a new spatial dimension of light. In the Silent Stones product line, Multifelt Factory Kft. and Pócs Judit Studio combined functionality with traditions and artistic inspiration. The curved, felt-covered acoustic panels were inspired by pebbles polished by the sea. The products that fit into concrete bases offer the flexibility of rotation and securing, provide a multitude of design variations, and contribute to an intimate yet modern ambience in communal spaces. The Pontum furniture line was inspired by the bridges of Budapest and brought to life by Nezozen Kft. and sarakele studio. The minimalist aesthetics of the collection show parallels with the design of bridges while representing the importance of building bridges between people. The solid wood furniture is available in two colour variations; the furniture range has white natural ash elements as well as black pieces, that uses a special ancient Japanese wood-burning technology called yakisugi. Zakar Clayart Design Kft. and Dóra Abodi, artist and designer (ABODI, ABODI Ceramics), created the pieces of ABODI Hungarian mythical creatures in collaboration, inspired by myths and folktales. The project was embodied in ceramic objects of gods and creatures born in clay, tempered in fire, and coloured with a custom-developed glaze.

In alignment with the strategic objectives of HFDA, the finished design LAB products will be in the spotlight at the Milan Design Week at the Agency’s exhibition in the Triennale Museum between the 15^th and 21^st of April 2024,.

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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 products’ 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 professional events such as the Milano Fashion Week or the Maison&Objet and the Milan Design Week design fairs. Their primary tasks include strategic cooperation with professional organisations, increasing exports, and supporting Hungarian brands’ professional development with their mentoring programmes.