Italy’s Foremost Museum Hosted Hungarian Design and Art During Milan Design Week

Objects by 13 Hungarian design brands and artists were presented between the 15^th and the 21^st of April 2024 at the Triennale Milano Museum organised by the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency (HFDA) during Milan Design Week. The curator of the Design Walk in Budapest exhibition, the world-famous Rossana Orlandi, called to life a concept focusing on the capital’s rich cultural heritage. The international audience had the chance to see a vibrant cross-section of Hungarian culture through the design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi program’s products and contemporary artworks displayed under the Budapest Select umbrella brand. The exhibition was included in the top 5 recommendations of the most renowned international design magazines even before the opening.

The four key pillars of the HFDA’s strategy include promoting Hungarian designers and helping them enter foreign markets; in this spirit, the Agency assists brands by featuring them in international design fairs and exhibitions. This year, the individual exhibition, which put Hungarian design in the centre, was held at the Milan Design Week, one of the largest design events in the world, in the prestigious Triennale Milano Museum building. Design Walk in Budapest displayed contemporary product design innovations alongside cultural values.

We celebrated a milestone since Hungarian creators appeared at an iconic venue under the mentorship of a world-renowned professional. We have been working with Rossana Orlandi, the highly respected curator of Design Walk in Budapest, for over a year, and the exhibition marked the pinnacle of the collaboration. We organised an independent exhibition under the Budapest Select umbrella brand during Milan Design Week for the third time. I am proud that our appearance in a prestigious place, the Triennale Milano Museum, has not only presented the exceptional talent of Hungarian creators but offered an insight into the multi-layered cultural heritage of Hungary. The exhibition evoked Budapest, inviting several people to discover our country’s vibrant capital in person, which, due to its unique geographic location, acts as a bridge connecting the East and the West, providing a gateway to both – underlined the exhibition’s significance Zsófia Jakab, the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency’s CEO.

The products realised during the design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi program debuted at the Milan Design Week. The collaborations drawing inspiration from the Hungarian cultural heritage and approaching it with an innovative and sustainable mindset have raised the attention of the international audience. The Design Walk in Budapest exhibition was recommended to visitors by trade magazines such as Dezeen, DesignBoom and the design publication of the Italian La Repubblica, Door. As one of the highlights of the week, Rossana Orlandi personally showed the exhibition to the guests. Among the participants were the Italian Elle Decor and Architectural Digest, Domus, Cose di Casa, Australian Vogue Living, and British and American journalists. At the Budapest Select umbrella brand’s events, the Czech Vogue, the Italian L’Officiel and GQ, and NSS reporters also viewed the exhibition.

The design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi products were inspired by the Hungarian cultural heritage, many of the designers drew inspiration from the iconic locations of Budapest, determining the concept of the exhibition in Milan. Design Walk in Budapest celebrated the creative ambience of the capital city of Hungary, cradled by the Danube as a nexus of cultural fusion, showcasing its architectural and design heritage through a contemporary lens. The exhibition emphasised the city's unique ambience, which preserves its multifaceted historical traditions while embracing modernity. In addition to design objects, contemporary Hungarian fine art, sculptures, paintings and photographs completed the atmosphere of the exhibition space.

Hungarian brands appeared in an independent exhibition under the Budapest Select umbrella brand for the third time during Milan Design Week, and as in the previous year, the public was able to see domestic works in additional venues. The exhibition space of Solinfo Group’s brand Timbart and Zoltán Tombor photographer’s images were displayed in Rossana Orlandi’s Master Gallery. Furthermore, the result of the collaboration between Sára Kele and Anna Cserba, MOTO, debuted at the Isola Design Festival. Crowds from all around the world flocked to Milan Design Week, an event that always brings the whole city to life. 1125 events joined the official line-up with 838 brands and the online audience grew by 23% compared to last year, attracting 630,000 visitors from 162 countries.

The HFDA aims to provide further international appearance opportunities for Hungarian brands to increase their visibility and expand their trade borders, thus promoting Hungarian creativity towards high international recognition.

Hungarian design brands and artists debuting under the Budapest Select umbrella brand:

ABODI ceramics X Zakar Clayart Ltd.

Diána Alchhabi X LumoConcept Ltd.

Norbert Juhász (komok) X Barlang Műhely Ltd.

Pócs Judit Studio X Multifelt Factory Ltd.

sarakele studio X Nezozen Ltd.

POSITION Collective

Courtesy of HEART & CHERRY gallery:

Áron Baráth

Bence Magyarlaki

Courtesy of Einspach Fine Art & Photography:

Ádám Dóra

Dániel Kármán

Tamás Melkovics

Menyus Szabó

Zoltán Tombor

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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 programs.

About Budapest Select

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency created the Budapest Select umbrella brand based on international best practices so that Hungarian brands are more easily identifiable during foreign appearances. The brand aims to provide bigger visibility for talented domestic designers during international appearances through strong and unified communication while retaining their individual characteristics.