Zlín, January 8, 2025 – Michael Dolejš from the Najbrt studio, renowned glass artist Lukáš Novák, and other big names from the world of design will join the jury of this year’s Best in Design competition. The competition is part of the Zlin Design Week festival, organized by the Faculty of Multimedia Communications at Tomas Bata University in Zlín, and traditionally attracts the attention of emerging talents as well as established experts. In addition to experienced professionals, last year’s winners will also be part of the jury, giving them the opportunity to evaluate their peers’ work from the perspective of the new generation. Designers under 30 can submit their projects in four categories by February 2, 2025, and compete not only for a prize of up to 1,500 euro.
“Being part of the Best in Design Zlin Design Week jury is a great honor for me, and I’m already looking forward to selecting the best works from all the submissions. I see the competition as a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their skills, compare themselves with others, and get noticed. I believe that together with the other jurors, we will select the best projects that deserve support and attention,” said graphic designer Michael Dolejš, who will take part in evaluating young talents this year.
Category: Communication Design
Michael Dolejš will be one of the judges in the Communication Design category. He has been part of the Najbrt studio for eight years, which is behind the logos of several e-shops, posters, and annually creates the graphic identity for the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Another jury member from Najbrt is Barbora Kramná, who interned there and is now part of the creative agency Henceforth. The final member of this trio is digital artist Dan Zucco, who led his own animation studio in London for ten years and is now the creative director at the directing and design studio Man vs Machine.
Category: Product & Industrial Design
In the Product & Industrial Design category, Berlin-based design studio Büro Famos returns to the jury. Hanna Litwin and Romin Heide teamed up in 2012 and focus on everyday products, collaborating with European brands such as Normann Copenhagen, Ton, Bolia, MINI, and La Cividina. They also teach at several prestigious design schools. The designer duo will be joined by last year’s category winner and overall Best in Design 2024 winner Marek Kuźmiński, who impressed the jury with his project “Ruce vzhůru” (Hands Up) and also took home two additional Best in Design awards: the Media Award and the prize from former Member of the European Parliament Martina Dlabajová. Lukáš Novák, a designer specializing in glass objects, decorative items, and lighting, will also join the jury. He designed a lighting collection for the Czech brand Lasvit and a hand-cut drinkware collection for Czech glassmaker Rückl.
Category: Fashion Design
The Fashion Design category will be judged by two jurors. Rafał Zakrzewski participated in last year’s Best in Design competition and won first place in this category with his work “Opětovné spojení s látkou” (Reconnection with Fabric). Alongside him will sit Branko Popovic, co-founder and director of the FASHIONCLASH foundation, known for the annual FASHIONCLASH Festival.
Category: Service Design
Social designer and researcher Janka Csernák from the MOME company will once again be evaluating young talents in the Service Design category. She will be joined by Roman Seller Novotný, an expert on service design and transitional design related to innovations in the public sector, who works at the Masaryk University in Brno, and German designer Dorothea Wagnerberger, last year’s winner of this category. Her master’s thesis Gendermedol – Interactive Exhibition Trail and a Card Set to Raise Awareness of Gender Differences and Discrimination in Medicine was presented at the German Design Graduates exhibition and NordiCHI in Uppsala, Sweden.
Extra Category: Media Award
The Media Award, introduced by the festival three years ago, will be decided by journalists Eva Slunečková and Veronika Pařízková, along with Václav Bedřich. Eva Slunečková has been leading the ELLE Decoration magazine for the last three years, focusing on interior design, art, and architecture, and writes for outlets such as Art & Antiques, Artalk, and Forbes.cz. Veronika Pařízková is the editor-in-chief of the online design magazine DesignNews, has led the Czechdesign.cz online magazine, and contributes to magazines such as Finmag, Vogue, and Designum. Václav Bedřich is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of CzechCrunch, a platform focused on business, startups, technology, and other current topics. He is also the founder of the design and development agency Bold92.
“The Best in Design competition is a great opportunity for young designers to present their ideas to leading professionals and the general public. They not only gain valuable contacts but also often find opportunities for professional growth, both in the Czech Republic and abroad,” added Marek Kos, the festival’s spokesperson.
Designers under the age of 30 can participate, either as individuals or in teams. They can submit their works and projects by February 2, 2025. More information about the Best in Design competition and how to apply can be found on the official website.
