2 minute read
Hungarian Rhapsody
Designers from Hungary are making a big impression in the design world now, as Absolutely discovers
Words PEARL BOYD
Hungary has a strong history of bringing incredible design to the world, from the emergence of the Bauhaus movement to critically acclaimed creatives such as Sándor Bortnyik and MarcellBreuer. Already being recognised worldwide asa top 10 leader in production and a top five rising leader in craft, Hungary is a global authority in creativity and the Hungarian Fashion and Design Agency (HFDA) is now bringing a new generation of talent to the world stage. Following the success of their debut at last year’s London Design Festival, the first Budapest Select exhibition at Maison & Objet showcased designers who have a strong mindset of sustainability and responsible design, with installation concepts being based on environmental awareness and practicality. Brands featured at the exhibition cover a wide range of design disciplines, from lamp makers to architects studios. The harmony of the objects being presented will convey the atmosphere of the vibrant and contemporary Hungarian design community.
The HFDA strives to help the Hungarian design industry thrive by connecting creative makers with both Hungarian and international professional organisations and educational institutes. By working closely with designers, enabling them to collaborate with manufacturers and by organising branding and marketing workshops, the HFDA gives up-and-coming talents the opportunity to make a living from their craft.
Founded by ceramic artist and designer Ábel Lakatos, Danubo aims to revive traditional ceramic craftsmanship with crisp but quiet pieces. To produce his work, all moulds are manually crafted by the designer, resulting in modern shapes that feel organic to the touch. Danubo is committed to socially sensitive, sustainable ceramic design, so each set is carefully handmade in Hungary to order.
Viaplant is an independent brand that attributes high importance to appreciating nature’s beauty and diversity through introducing more elements of nature into our homes. Having created a material which contains the renewable parts of the plant, the application is wide and varied from fashion design and tiles to lights and furniture.
A second key aspect of Viaplant’s design approach is the renewal of urban green waste: the brand finds beauty in plants usually considered weeds or invasive which communities often try to get rid of e.g. ragweed and goldenrod. Barnabás comments “Using real plants creates texture and appearance rich in colour and artistic details, moreover it emits a wholly unique, never seen before atmosphere once light shines through. For us, it is of the upmost importance to bring more nature into our homes and also upcycle useless plants, weeds and green waste.”
The ethos of Anna Regős’ textile designs is not to keep up with the latest trends, but to express her sense of life and style, with the need to create long-lasting materials. This is what she believes is one of the fundamental pillars of environmental awareness. This belief is supported by Regős’ commitment to using only natural materials and working exclusively with Hungarian manufacturers.
When designing the Geometric Pattern collection, Regős combined traditional patterns with space issues and took inspiration from op-art and the works of world-famous Hungarian artist Victor Vasarely.
