Fourth design LAB program boosted with a legendary curator

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency (HFDA) launches its incubation programme facilitating cooperation between designers and manufacturers again in 2023. This year, the Agency collaborates in the realisation of the programme with an outstanding figure of international contemporary design, Rossana Orlandi. Applications for the design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi will be open soon: the designers can submit their product ideas until the 16^th of May 2023, to then find their partners for collaboration.

The design LAB incubational programme’s primary goal is to facilitate collaboration between sector players, manufacturers and designers, and strengthen and modernise the domestic manufacturing background. Thanks to the programme, talented designers’ plans can meet professional manufacturers, and they can create unique products together along the lines of creativity, spontaneity and versatility.

The programme held for the fourth time gains increasing recognition each year among Hungarian creative professionals. In the past years, many successful collaborations resulted in dozens of competitive and innovative products which stand their ground in the domestic and international markets as well. After closing the programme, the HFDA continues to pay accentuated attention to the development of the duos; its main goal is to expand Hungarian industry actors’ possibilities, increase the sector’s competitiveness, and incentivise exports.

The Agency considers it fundamentally important to provide broad visibility and export opportunities to the collaborations, for which, an international approach is indispensable. This year, further strengthening this vision, the HFDA decided to redesign its programme so the design LAB programme held for the fourth time will be realised with Rossana Orlandi’s curatorial cooperation.

Rossana Orlandi will help the chosen designer-manufacturer pairs with her professional support and assist the implementation processes throughout the whole duration of the programme. The HFDA’s programme will return with a new name: the fourth edition’s title will be design LAB curated by Rossana Orlandi. During the programme, preserving Hungarian cultural heritage and traditions will be of pivotal importance at the same time as meeting international standards.

The fourth design LAB brings some novelties in the processes of application and selection as well; this year, designers will take the first step by applying to the programme with their product ideas. The entries will be evaluated by a curatorial team led by Rossana Orlandi. Interested manufacturers can find the chosen plans in text form on the HFDA’s website and contact the designers who fit their profile the most and whom they consider the most interesting. Eventually, the designers can choose which applicant manufacturer they wish to join in applying to a new round to realise their product designs.

You can find the designers’ call for applications, submitting entries, and other information at the following link.