Exhibitions

Florence Design Week - Russian Design Pavilion. May, 22-27

Lungarno Collection, Lungarno Details: vicolo dell'Oro 5, Lungarno Acciaiuoli 2P - 4D, 50123 Florence, Italy

In cooperation with CREATIVIRUS project, Florence Design Week and Saint - Peterburg Design Week, the 1st Russian Design Pavilion was inaugurated in one of the most prestigious locations in Florence "Lungarno Collection" by Salvatore Ferragamo on May 23, 2012. The exhibition served not only to promote new trends of russian contemporary design, but also to abandon the stereotypes establishing another kind of relationships between russian designers and producers.

Concept of the Pavilion didn't center on showing "the exotic objects made in national traditions" but on a stylish, functional and innovative design which would be capable to compete with european brands. The most striking examples were the projects by Dima Loginoff and Vadim Kibardin, winners of the most important international design awards such as "iF product Design Award" and "Red Dot Design Award".

Famous english designer Ross Lovegrove said that Vadim Kibardin “has opened his eyes on russian design”. He was the only designer who was given the grant of the Federal Chancellor of Germany in the area of industrial design. Vadim developed the system of visual communications for the Ministry of Finance of Republic Kazakhstan. He has organized and participated in more than 20 personal and group exhibitions.

Some of the most reputable magazines in the world of design such as Women's Wear Daily, Elle Decoration, Frame, Harper's Bazaar and others have had interviews with Dima Loginoff. His designs have been featured not only in a huge number of magazines such as Interni, L'Officiel Hommes, Glamoure, Domus, Collezione Trends, Maison Francaise, but in many books as well. The famous New York agency Agenda Inc. which has cooperated with some of the top brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Vivienne Westwood and others has named Dima a designer of "shockingly beautiful things".

Another emerging russian designers SashaDashadesign, Maxim Maximov, Anna Denisenko, despite their young age, have already participated in different international festivals and have won many important design contests such as "Elle Decoration Award" (russian edition) and "Design and Design" (France). This fact once more demonstrated a necessity for large investments to support and promote russian designers on the international scene.

During the Florence Design Week (May 22-27) there have been organized different events: Russian Design Pavilion opening ceremony held at Lungarno Collection and Russian Design Party at famous cocktail bar "Fusion" by Salvatore Ferragamo, world premiere of the new sofa collection by Dima Loginoff and the "White&White" LED Clock by Vadim Kibardin, presentation of the best wine labels developed by 15 russian designers for the tuscan brand "PAXA" and photo series “GaStar Project” and “Taste of The World” dedicated to the aspects of cross-cultural communication by Masha Knyazeva.

One of the highlights of Russian Design Pavilion activity was an international dialogue created between designers and italian public. This confirmed the effectiveness of the exhibit format of project "Showroom Residence": russian design team was living and presenting its own works at the same place, Lungarno Collection which is a fashion district owned by the Ferragamo family, including hotels, suites, showrooms, art gallery and bar restaurant.

Project was planned as a great marketing chance to promote more competitive image of Contemporary Russian Design on the international scene.

Partners: Saint-Petersburg Design Week, Florence Design Week
Technical sponsor: AR.T.EX
Sponsor of Wine Label Design Contest 2012: PAXA by Marco Bernabei
Media partners: Promotedesign.it, Citycelebrity.ru, "Tara i Upakovka" Magazine di Igor Smirenny, MEBEL PROFESSIONAL
Designers: Dim Loginoff, Vadim Kibardin, Maxim Maximov, Anna Denisenko, SashaDashadesign
Curator: Anastasia Krylova