Press release: Czech Design Takes Britain by Storm! A Gathering of Professionals and an Exhibition of Leading Design Brands at the Czech Embassy in London.

18/08/2024 – The business meeting of the Czech and British design professionals is scheduled for 11 September 2024 at the Czech Embassy in London. The afternoon programme will feature a debate, facilitated by Benedict Hobson, co-CEO of Dezeen magazine. This gathering will also introduce an outdoor exhibition displaying leading Czech design brands, for the whole of September.

On Wednesday 11 September 2024, a business meeting of the leading Czech manufacturers and British designers, architects, representatives from property development companies and design product merchants, will take place at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in London.  At the heart of the event will be a panel discussion faciliated by Benedict Hobson, the co-CEO of Dezeen, the world’s most influential magazine in architecture, interiors and design. Key speakers will include Jakub Pollág, a graduate of the Royal College of Art, a designer and the art director with extensive work experience in London, Dagmar Zvoníčková Fredholm, a Czech designer living in London and co-founder of Novavita, and David Karásek, designer and the owner of mmcité – the major global manufacturer of street furniture.

The meeting will feature an exhibition showing the most unusual pieces from the current production of the 15 members and related brands of the Association of Czech Industrial Design. The UK being one of their key overseas markets. The Association unites Czech manufacturers who share a long-standing, systematic cooperation with designers and a focus on value-added products that contribute to a unique brand narrative. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with brands such as Alca, Klimchi, Preciosa, Ravak, Ton, and USSPA, among others. These brands are major European and global players in their fields, building on the rich tradition of the Czech design, setting trends, and exemplifying quality industrial production that, through a refined combination with thoughtful design, stands out in today’s competitive market.

The accompanying outdoor exhibition will provide for the daily passers-by along the vibrant Notting Hill Gate an opportunity to become more acquainted with these Czech manufacturers. The brands and their products will be displayed on graphic panels outside the Embassy for the whole September. This event is organised in collaboration with the Association of Czech Industrial Design, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in London, and the CzechTrade United Kingdom.

The Association of Czech Industrial Design is a non-profit professional organisation comprising of companies united by Czech-based production and long-standing collaboration with leading designers. Our aim is to promote design as an integral part of innovation and as a powerful tool for competitiveness in both domestic and global markets. We foster cooperation with state and educational institutions and raise public awareness about the significance of industrial design.

The featured brands each tell a unique story. Some boast centuries of history, rooted in traditional Czech crafts such as glassmaking and joinery. Others have evolved from family businesses or represent young, dynamic brands with a progressive view of design as an integral part of a sustainable production. Despite their diverse backgrounds, they all share the same values: honest work, an innovative approach, and a unique, distinctive design.

Czech and British design share roots in the turbulent times of the Industrial Revolution. While the term “industrial design” originated in England, the territory of today’s Czech Republic produced the first piece of design that remains in production to this day. These two significant products from that era, the Ton No. 14 café chair designed by Michael Thonet and the iconic teapot by the first industrial designer Christopher Dresser, perfectly illustrate the social characteristics of our cultures.

➥ Download the complete press kit for the Czech Design in London event (includes press releases, brochure, graphics etc).

➥ RSVP can be confirmed in this link.