This year the festival of design also offers innovations in the world of Czech design and interiors, discussions, exhibitions and projects by many schools and institutions. “The 13th year brings a total of 220 events in more than 59 locations throughout Prague. The participants include 94 shops, 18 fashion designers and 89 design studios,” said project curator Jana Zielinski.
More exhibitors – more space
The main epicentre of the event will be the so-called Superstudios. One of these will be on the premises of the Futurama office building in Karlín and will focus particularly on interior design. A second will occupy Šporkovský palác in Hybernská street. This will be the place for all lovers of fashion and jewellery. Exhibitors and visitors will thus have a total area of almost 14,000 m2 at their disposal. The theme of this year’s Designblok is The City. Within the project Prague has been hypothetically divided into three main zones: Holešovice, Karlín and Old and New Town,” added Zielinski.
Designers coming to Prague from all over the world
Last year Designblok was attended by more than 38,000 people, so this year the organisers have noted extraordinary interest from exhibitors, not only among Czech creators, but also their foreign contemporaries. “The stars of this year’s event will be, for instance, French group 5.5 Designers, jewellery designer Roberto Coin or fashion designer Jeremy Scott, who works with the Adidas brand,” says curator Jiří Macek, giving away some of the famous names.
The Czech capital will also attract the leading creators of contemporary design – the London tandem of Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby. Both designers will exhibit in the National Theatre’s New Stage, where the general public will be introduced to their latest creations, including a proposal for the Olympic torch for the upcoming Olympic Games in London.
The inseparable union of design and art
For art lovers, exhibitions have been prepared in the Museum of Decorative Arts (Artist Sheila Hicks), in DOX – Centre for Contemporary Art (Jiří Pelcl’s Luxury Dwelling) or in the small gallery in Rudolfinum, where there will be an exhibition of work by designer Eva Eislerová and students of the K.O.V. studio at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague.
A new addition this year is the project Designblok Dreft Fashion Week, which presents current fashion trends. The public will be offered fashion shows, discussions and other events. Creations will be on display by e.g. Czech designer Liběna Rochová or Klára Nademlýnská. Of course there will also be leading foreign names, including fashion houses Escada, Max Mara, or the maker of luxury shoes, Christian Louboutin.
Further information about the programme of this year’s Designblok is available on the website http://www.designblok.cz/2011/en/
