DESIGNEAST.EU » Design Events/News

Křehký Mikulov – art design festival – Czech Republic

Tomáš Kubata — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:18:40 +0000

Křehký gallery is organizing extraordinary exhibiton of art design. Connecting various galleries from European countries (Czech republic, Austria, Belgium, Germany and France), Křehký will exhibit a wide range of objects in castle Mikulov. As the result of cooperating about eight galleries, you can see the very last works of Qubus, studio Piršč, Vessel Gallery, or new gallery Art Design Project. The Křehký Mikulov festival is open from 1^st June to 3^rd June 2012 in Czech town Mikulov, well known for vineyards and fine quality wine.

Budapest Design Week 2012 – Hungary

Viola Mezo — Sun, 20 May 2012 08:34:38 +0000

You can say anything about the Hungarian design scene, but one thing is for sure – and I’m very proud of it -: Budapest Design Week is one of top quality design events in the region, with 10 days of instant fun and inspiring ideas. This year Budapest Design Week takes place for the 9th time between September 28th and October 7th.

This year, we are slowing down and take some time to rethink the world we live in. Slow Design is the motto of Budapest Design Week, thus the design fest focuses on the so- called “Slow Movements” that motivate more considerate consumption in the hope of a better life quality, a more content and composed living, in the hope of economic, social and cultural sustainability. The Slow Movements are driving attention to the anomalies of consumer societies and globalization. The conception has since broadened and conquered all fields of life: Slow Life, Slow Cities, Slow Gardening, Slow Sex, Slow Fashion, Slow Travel, Slow Living, and so on. This is the yoga of living.

Following on the initiative launched last year Budapest Design Week welcomes Finland as the guest of honor in 2012. In accordance with its focal topic, the cultural, applied arts and design values, and even the gastronomy of Fiskars Village is brought to Hungary by Finnagora. Design Week’s traditional programs like the Open Studios, along with a variety of discounts in selected design stores, thematic Design Tours and the Design Week Gastro event are also dedicated to the Slow Movements, direct the attention to Budapest’s cultural, architectural and gastronomic values and help to explore the hidden or never realized local treasures with the guidance of experts. The workshops organized for adults and children invite for creation and recycling in the name of the DIY objectives. Similarly to the previous four years a star designer guest is also being invited and a design-related conference is being organized.

DESIGNEAST.EU is going for sure! C u there!

Kata Szegedi S/S 2012- Hungary

juliahadnagy — Sat, 19 May 2012 19:18:12 +0000

It seems that in this Spring/Summer, every collection is about the latest trends. Sheer T-shirts, high and low hemlines, baggy but elegant trousers characterize Kata Szegedi‘s new, Spring/Summer line too. She’s using neutral colors, mixing with metallic fabrics, but always trying to make a contrast to the innocent outfits with some black. In my opinion, these pieces are not so much for daytime wear, because they aren’t as simple as they seem at first glance. Kata Szegedi’s trademark is in the shapes, experimenting with materials and cuttings, while searching for the perfect harmony.

It is more than great that now you can have the chance to win a brand new Kata Szegedi dress. If you are interested, there are 3 things you have to do: share her collection on Facebook, ask 3 of your friends to like her fanpage and drop an e-mail to info@kataszegedi.com of which dress you want to win. That’s all, good luck!

RIGA shirts – a community trend

Elize Tikmane — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:49:55 +0000

I believe that most of us are proud of the place we are coming from. But is there a way to show it? Those, who love Riga have a chance to state it very clearly – by wearing a RIGA shirt!

In 2009 Asketic design studio launched a product line MIESAI in which they released a product series RIGA. The goal was to make a t-shirt from perfectly selected fabrics, custom made cuts and design. In the interview Aija, a member of the Asketic team, explained: “RIGA shirts and watches are made for people, who celebrate our city and to whom details, clean design and quality matters. Today, we are proud to have a product that not only represents Riga, but is both designed and solely made in Riga, Latvia.” She also pointed out that instead of coming up with a new typeface, the well-known RIGA letters were taken and improved for the foundation of the design.

RIGA product line – shirts, watches (made with in cooperation with May28th) and a tonet, clearly has a story which is expressed in a simple and clear way. One of the key elements for the success was the network of early product users or RIGA pioneers who were not only willing to get the shirt for themselves, but who also spread the word about RIGA products by starting to sell them in their shops, cafes, bars, etc.

Either you’re a local loving the city you live in or a visitor having good memories of it, a RIGA shirt is a must have! If you’re having a brunch in a nice café, you’re going to a concert or an exhibition opening, there is a great chance that you will spot more than one RIGA shirt. Choose your favorite combination of the absolute simplicity and let the world know you’re having a part of Riga. Get inspired by the people already wearing a Riga shirt or share your RIGA at rigashirts.com.

All MIESAI products are available at miesai.com
Twitter: @miesaistore
Facebook: fb.com/miesaistore

Photo report of Minsk Design Week – Belarus

Viola Mezo — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:02:48 +0000

Between 1 – 6 May Belorussian design was on show in Minsk. Here’s a photo report of this newcomer of the Eastern European design scene: MINSK DESIGN WEEK.

Fashion week in Ljubljana – Slovenia

Spela Leskovic — Sat, 12 May 2012 10:45:14 +0000

In April, Ljubljana hosted Philips Fashion Week in Kino Šiška, a recently renovated interior of an old cinema. With a lot of already established Slovene fashion designers, there were also fresh ideas from young talented fashion designers.

First day was opened with a workshop of prints, lead by British designer Nicola de Main and in the evening, young designers, some still students, showed their collections. There were 11 of them, all but one are a member of young@squat. My absolute favorite was Peter Movrin, still a student, but felt like a mistake to have his collection between youngsters. His boldness, fresh ideas and courage to change rules were overwhelming for me.

Among 22 Slovene Fashion designers, who showed us their collections during the next three days, the names that still echoes after their presentation are: Firma by Sanja Grcić with her fresh, vivid colours and astonishing hats that are must haves for the next season, Draž by Urša and Tomaž Draš, who made a pleated pattern alive and their flattering silhouette, AlmiraSadar by Almira Sadar, whose layered parts of shredded textile created gorgeous dynamics and her crocheted flowers brought us back to childhood. Yes, also Niti Niti by Simona Muc, made me want to knit again to create those winter-like pullovers. Of course opinion is always subjective, so you better experience the next Philips Fashion Week in Ljubljana in person!

Photos: Ana Hribar

Assembly festival in Graz

Terpiz — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:19:20 +0000

The 9th edition of assembly designfestival in Graz is bigger, brighter and more versatile than ever before. Stadtmusem Graz with its four floors serves as unique performing stage for designers and artists from 15 different nations, incluiding many designers from central and eastern Europe. A total of 70 national and international designers and artists present their work, studies and brand new collections, from May 10^th to May 13^th, 2012. The main focus of the festival is traditionally fashion. Fashion Shows and Kastner & Öhler Fashion Award are among the highlights of the program. Besides fashion collections the designers present also furniture, product, jewellery or porcelain design.

JULIAKALDY – Budapest

Balázs Pajter — Wed, 09 May 2012 08:02:58 +0000

Generally a diploma work can reveal a lot of information about the designer and it defines the designer’s trend that can establish a career. Júlia Káldy left nothing to chance and with hard work she presented an honorable graduate collection, graduating from Moholy-Nagy University of Arts and Design in Budapest. This collection, called „Unibody” was mostly inspired by her former collection, Urban Oasis, which she made in Copenhagen, where she spent an Erasmus semester in 2010. All of the inspirations that she gained in Denmark have an effect on her works. She carried on the most characteristic ideas, developed the design together with the conception of her Danish works and as a result she could create something exciting in footwear, that has got only positive feedbacks. The pieces of „Unibody” were made in the most minimalistic way, combining simplicity with raw wood soles, contrast of bright and pastel colors with the help of appearing lining and with the statuesque look that together makes the whole collection and the brand unique.

Contact: contact@julikaldy.com
Photos: Unibody: Éva Szombat
Spring collection: Gergő Gönczöl
Capsule collection for Zola Jesus: Olga Kocs

Potato lamp – Poland

Janarta — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:45:18 +0000

Design is a method of materializing ideas. The creation process always starts from the idea. Polish designer Bartosz Swiniarski went from one great idea and was inspired by the irregular, elongated and curved potatoes form the basis of which he has created a high quality design work, called Potato lamp. The lamp is characterized by simple geometric forms composed of triangular pieces of glass, framed in a black binder material, which also has the function of defining and highlighting the triangular shapes.

Designer Bartosz Swiniarski was probably inspired by Cubism and the Tiffany technique that is related to the design pieces of decorative glass lamps. Louis Tiffany came up with the idea of gathering together the pieces of discarded glass thrown off in the production of stained glass windows and using these pieces to form unique and beautiful decorative lamps known as Tiffany Lamps. Light is evenly distributed and partially transparent, the light is brought about complete beauty of the design because only then the material and shape of the glass come to the fore.

Finally we can say that the designer did an excellent combination of traditional and modern: traditional in the terms of technique and materials, contemporary in the terms of form and organic design.

WWW shelf – Croatia

Viola Mezo — Sun, 06 May 2012 19:48:34 +0000

WWW is an interpretation of the ‘shelf’ archetype. Between form and function, between space and dimension, between a not-yet and a not-anymore it creates concrete opportunities and specific associations. Through its parts it is not only a modular system, but also a type of installation in an ever changing space.

Viktor Matic‘s Bachelor Degree Final Project at Faculty of Design and Art of the Free University of Bolzano is all about data. A shelf with a digital angle. The surfaces of this object dissolve into strings which connect and transform into other new surfaces. See his other fantastic creation on DESIGNEAST.EU here.