On July 21, 2021, the Embassy of Italy to Ukraine together with the Italian Trade Agency and the Italian Institute of Culture, organized in Kyiv the 5th edition of the “Italian Design Day” that took place at the Toronto-Kyiv Complex.
This official event has been displayed in over 100 cities around the world to celebrate Italian creativity and innovation in this field.
In the first part of the day, we had a conference directed by the director of the Italian Institute of Culture Eduardo Crisafulli, in co-partmership with Kovalska industrial-construction group and sponsored by Lazzarotti & Associati architects, focused on a very topical issue: “project and materials – new challenges for the sustainable recovery of the Made in Italy” that was broadcasted live on the official Facebook page.
At the presence of a qualified crowd of architects, intellectuals, influencers and design enthusiasts, the Ambassador of Italy, Pier Francesco Zazo opened the Italian Design Day explaining how “architects and designers have to be innovative and give their contribution to the creation of a better world which has been on one side hit so hard by the pandemic and on the other has to face increasing challenges related to climate change. The Italian design, which is an outstanding expression of the iconic “Made in Italy “, enjoys indeed great popularity in the whole world, for its unique capacity to harmonize and combine together many values: not only the functionality and the technological skills and innovations but also the sense of beauty, the aesthetics that the Italian people inherited by the Magna Graecia and the Roman Empire and combines tradition with modernity”.
Moreover, the ambassador underlined: “Designers and architects have a moral responsibility and need to be careful in choosing the materials and respect the territory. Their projects should be fully sustainable and respect the environment and the principles of circular economy to better preserve our planet “.
Made in Italy has always been synonymous of high quality and, for what concerns furniture and design products (but non only), Italy is Ukraine’s first trade partner among Western countries.
Among the speakers of the Conference were the Ambassadors of the Italian Design, such as architect Francesco Fresa, designer and architect Elena Salmistraro, designer Marta Giardini plus an available video of Aldo Cingolani, President of Bertone Design Group, known for its high specialization especially in industrial design and has written important pages of the history of Italian Design with Pininfarina and famous car models of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Alfa Romeo. One of their latest creations is the design of the Freccia Rossa 1000 high speed train.
Elena Salmistraro is a young brilliant and eclectic designer and artist well-known for the originality of her works. She told us a story, made of emotions and feelings, travels, legends, cultures and diversity, of colour and original and identifying shapes, where the natural use of each element blends with poetic accents in an endless weave between reality and fantasy.
Francesco Fresa is a co-founder of the renowned PiuArch studio based in Milan which has carried out important projects, both in Italy with leading companies especially in the field of fashion, but also abroad including the city of Kyiv, related to interior design, brand stores, offices and residential buildings, urban development and redevelopment of the industrial complex. Different projects united by the attention on spaces, green areas and sustainable processing techniques.
Marta Giardini is a well-known designer and architect that worked for some of the most important fashion companies such as Armani and Trussardi and currently puts her talents towards the rediscovery of regional traditions and artisanal design craftsmanship.
Paolo Coia presented his sculpture “The Italian Creative DNA” which was donated to the city of Kyiv represented at the event by the deputy Mayor Oleksander Kharchenko.
The second part of the Italian Design Day 2021 was the outdoor fashion show and party curated by art director Reza Golestani, Production Studio 44, and fashion art director Tanya Berner.
The esteemed guests enjoyed design, fashion, cuisine, live music and a taste of the Italian lifestyle.
