Hungarian Design and Art Reached a New Milestone at Milan Design Week

Each season, it is a great experience to present the amazing creativity of Hungary at the Milan Design Week; however, this year, we had every reason to be proud of our designers even before the exhibition. As a result of a lengthy professional work, an iconic venue in Italy, the Triennale Milano Museum housed the Hungarian creations. There is growing international professional interest in the Budapest Select umbrella brand, clearly shown by the fact that the exhibition was included in the top 5 recommendations of the most prominent international design magazines such as Dezeen, DesignBoom, and the design publication of the Italian La Repubblica, Door, even before its opening.

Although the progress is already visible to many, it is still the most exciting for us, the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency team. We debuted as new players during our first Milan appearance, but we knew that Hungarian product designers would soon achieve great success. This year, many professionals, journalists, buyers and enthusiasts were consciously searching for Hungarian brands. I was proud to hear how our designers are perceived by professionals.

Interest was further enhanced by Rossana Orlandi , the curator, who personally held a guided tour through the exhibition, in which, the Italian Elle Decor and Architectural Digest, Domus, Cose di Casa, the Australian Vogue Living, and British and American journalists also participated; moreover, at #BudapestSelect umbrella brand events, I had the chance to consult journalists from the Czech Vogue, the Italian L’Officiel and GQ and NSS.

Behind all these successes is a professional team and their coordinated and persistent work. When we founded the HFDA, we established four basic pillars, an important element of which is promoting #Hungariandesigners and helping them enter foreign markets; in this spirit, we assist them with appearances at international design fairs and exhibitions. Preparation is indispensable for success on the spot. This is why we selected the brands successfully participating in design LAB for the exhibition. The design LAB program has set as its primary objective the promotion of successful collaborations between actors in the sector and the strengthening and modernisation of the domestic manufacturing base. In addition, the program aims to increase the competitiveness of manufacturing development and promote exports in the sector, which will support the utilisation and increase of Hungarian manufacturing capacities, reduce foreign exposure, and encourage Hungarian designers to enter the market.

Combining all of these with the designers’ creativity and the unique beauty of Budapest, the Design Walk in Budapest exhibition came to life, which was a great success at the Milan Design Week. Our exhibition has not only presented the exceptional talent of Hungarian creators but also offered an insight into the multi-layered cultural heritage of Hungary. The exhibition has evoked Budapest, inviting several people to discover the vibrant capital of our country in person, which, due to its unique geographic location, acts as a bridge connecting the East and the West, providing a gateway to both.

The exhibition emphasised the city's unique ambience, which preserves its multifaceted #historical traditions while embracing #modernity. In addition to the design objects, contemporary #Hungarian fine art, sculptures, paintings, and photographs completed the atmosphere of the exhibition space.

Congratulations to the HFDA team and the designers for this phenomenal success. You can read more about the event, the designers, and the design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi program on the HFDA website.