New project Colors of the New World at Ambiente trade fair
The new project presents a selection of the collections of drinkware which was made in collaboration with the chief artist of the Harrachov Glassworks, Ivana Müllerová, and the designers from the LLEV studio – Eva and Marcel Mochalovi.
Harrachov Glassworks boasts a tradition of more than three centuries, exceptional skills in hand-blowing, coloring, and glass grinding, custom glassware for leading global brands, and a popular tourist area with its own museum, brewery, and a spa. After years of focusing mainly on the development of production and services offered within the glassworks area, the brand is venturing out into the world again. It continues a long tradition of participation in significant international design showcases, where it has garnered recognition and awards.
"For many years, our glassworks focused primarily on custom production for clients worldwide. The most significant market was the United States, with Italy taking the lead in the last two years. However, until now, customers abroad did not have the opportunity to know that the glass comes from Harrachov. This year, we come with an entirely new concept. At the international exhibition in Frankfurt, we will offer customers signature products that were created either by our chief artists or in collaboration with top designers. We first approached the LLEV design studio for this purpose. We've known Eva and Marcel Mochalovi for a few years, and our collaboration quickly and naturally expanded into a broader dimension. They significantly contributed to the selection of sets for our new catalog, its realization, prepared a new graphic identity, which will be reflected in the exhibition stand at the Ambiente fair, new website, and e-shop. During this year, we will also introduce the first joint drinkware set," said the owner of Harrachov Glassworks, Petr Novosad.
Harrachov Glassworks will exhibit ten drinkware sets at the international Ambiente trade fair in Frankfurt from January 26 to 30, 2024. These sets represent exceptional craftsmanship in hand-blowing, coloring, and grinding, as well as a sense of bold design, playfulness, and timeless elegance of Harrachov glass. The exhibition will feature novelties from the past year and iconic sets from the glassworks' portfolio. The Visual drinkware set with an optical effect will be presented for the first time, as well as reinterpreted designs by glass artist Milan Metelák from the 60s to the 80s as futuristic Ufos, the all-black Barman set, and the characteristic Twilight set with a black stem. The exhibition will also include the Airtwist drinkware set, using the old Venetian technique of air-twisted threads, the Wine Tie glass with a knotted stem, designed by Metelák in 1978 according to the prototype of Harrachov glassmakers, and the Masaryk collection, designed in 1947 by artist Rudolf Schwedler for the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Masaryk and supplied to Prague Castle to this day. The selection is complemented by the Asort, Edge, and Happy collections, which impress with the form and cheerful tones of colored glass.
The selection and new proportional and shape changes of the series are led by the chief designer of the glassworks, Ivana Müllerová, in collaboration with the LLEV studio. Under the guidance of the design duo Eva and Marcel Mochalovi, not only a new approach to production but also brand communication has evolved. In addition to updating older and creating brand-new collections, Harrachov Glassworks, in collaboration with the LLEV studio, has also received a new logo, website, product catalog, photographs, and the architecture of the trade fair stand. "We build on the craftsmanship know-how of the glassworks, which stand in the middle of mountains and forests in a place called Nový Svět. This beautiful region in the middle of the Giant Mountains is inhabited by people who have managed to keep the glass furnace burning despite harsh weather and times. We know design, and the enlightened leadership and glassmakers here can mold and refine the most colorful glass far and wide. Design is teamwork and is mainly about dialogue with traders and craftsmen. This process of development and production works here in an ideal balance," say Eva and Marcel Mochalovi from the LLEV studio about the collaboration, adding, "The partially preserved archive of the glassworks and the rich portfolio of historical assortments are a great inspiration and responsibility for us. During our work, we like to connect old, timeless, and quality solutions with new approaches and the needs of society. We seek forgotten techniques or products often unjustly overlooked by the designers of Harrachov Glassworks and bring them back to the table. The goal of our collaboration is to set a new face for products that offer quality user and aesthetic value."
The exhibition stand of Harrachov Glassworks will be on display during the Ambiente trade fair from January 26 to 30, 2024, in hall 12.0 at booth C81 at the Messe Frankfurt exhibition grounds.
