Swedish Design Movement joins Romanian Design Week 2024 to “Unlock the City”

Now in its 12th edition, Romanian Design Week, a multidisciplinary festival of creative industries organized by The Institute, has opened the city and its available for visiting up until June 2nd. Several exhibitions (RDW Exhibition, RDW Young Design, and RDW Design Flags) will be hosted in the historic monument building formerly housing the CINA restaurant (10, Benjamin Franklin Street), while over 100 related events will take place throughout the city as part of the RDW Design GO! format.

With the theme “Unlock the City,” the 2024 edition of Romanian Design Week aims to explore how creativity and innovation can shape the cities of the future and contribute to the exploration of Bucharest and its potential.

Business Review talked to Jenny Bergström Bonmot, Project Manager of Swedish Design Movement, currently represented at RDW through the Swedish Embassy, to find out more about this concept. The initiative seeks to put Sweden on the international design map, raise the profile of sustainable Swedish businesses and set a global example.

Swedish Design Movement

Swedish Design Movement

Swedish Design Movement

Swedish Design Movement

How did the Swedish Design Movement originate, and what historical events or cultural shifts influenced its development?

The idea to produce a virtual exhibition came when the pandemic hit the world in 2020. We had to cancel a planned exhibition in Milan and many other projects as well, and we didn’t know when we would be able to continue doing physical events again. We had heard about Adorno who had produced a couple of digital exhibitions on Swedish design already, and we decided to go for it. It was also in our interest to be able to multiply the use of an exhibition. We work with Swedish foreign missions across the globe, and a digital and always accessible platform was also attractive in that way.

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What are the core principles and values that define the Swedish Design Movement?
Swedish Design Movement is a label under which we have tried to gather companies within fashion, design and architecture who have high ambitions both in design and sustainability. Together they constitute a kind of statement of the green transition that many Swedish design companies are working for in different ways.

How does the Swedish Design Movement balance functionality and aesthetics in its approach?
Swedish design is traditionally known for clean lines, simplicity and functionality. But I would say that the Swedish design scene is much broader than that, and argue that innovation, experimenting, playfulness, colorful and norm challenging are equally true characteristics. So maybe the Movement can best be described as eclectic – with sustainability at the core.

How has the movement addressed issues of sustainability and environmental impact?
Swedish design companies have addressed these matters for a long time, and many have indeed come a long way. There are still challenges of course, but the discussions of environmental impact are always present, and there are many examples of companies coming together to make a stronger sustainability impact and put pressure on the decision-makers to a higher extent.

What are the current trends within the Swedish Design Movement, and how are contemporary designers innovating within this framework?
Upcycling, new materials and the use of wood are big trends in Swedish design right now.

Why did you create a media kit for Swedish Design Movement? What objectives does it aim to achieve?
To spread knowledge, inspire and highlight Swedish designers and design companies who are working hard to put good products on the market and change the industry for the better.