Darja Malesic
DesignerView Profile
About
First name | Darja |
Last Name | Malesic |
Username | studio-Darja-Malesic |
Studio Name | Darja Malesic |
City | Ljubljana |
Country | Slovenia |
Biography | Darja Malesic is an independent designer based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. After gaining an MA in Fashion Womenswear at The Royal College of Art, London, Darja worked as a designer for over a decade in luxury fashion houses in Italy including Dolce Gabbana, before changing direction completely in order to focus on responsible design. Her creative work now spans a wide range of products from lighting and homeware to footwear, but crucially explores the possibilities offered by Slovenian wicker craft and weaving, often combined with modern engineering techniques. Darja’s work channels traditional craft techniques into contemporary design, and demonstrates sustainable practices, and ethical production. Her pieces frequently combine fluid forms and sculptural reference and use completely natural local materials, such as hazel wood, willow, corn husk and rye straw. |
Education
School / Course | Royal College of Art, MA RCA, London |
School / Course | University of Ljubljana, NTF |
Group Shows
Show Name | _ 2024 VIENNA DESIGN WEEK, Crafting Futures |
Show Name | _ 2024 VIENNA DESIGN WEEK, Open Design |
Show Name | _ 2024 VIENNA DESIGN WEEK, Voda |
Show Name | _ 2024 Triennial of Craftsmanship, Posavje Museum Brežice, SI |
Show Name | _ 2023/24 Crafting Futures, Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO), Ljubljana, SI |
Show Name | _ 2023 VIENNA DESIGN WEEK, Co/rizom |
Show Name | _ 2023 ZAGREB DESIGN WEEK |
Show Name | _ 2023 LJUBLJANA DESIGN WEEK |
Show Name | _ 2023 Performance Days, Munich, Germany & Portland, Oregon, USA |
Show Name | _ 2022 MILANO DESIGN WEEK, Tempi Nuovi / New Times |
Show Name | _ 2022 LJUBLJANA DESIGN WEEK |
Show Name | _ 2022 Created in Slovenia, Cukrarna Palace, Ljubljana, SI |
Show Name | _ 2022 Made in Slovenia 19/115, CzK, SI |
Show Name | _ 2021 MILANO DESIGN WEEK, [Tunnel 29] Design for a post-apocalyptic world, CzK |
Show Name | _ 2021 BERLIN DESIGN WEEK, Bikini Berlin |
Show Name | _ 2021 The Future of Living, CzK, presented at 32 design events and locations around the world (DUTCH DESIGN WEEK, PARIS DESIGN WEEK, BERLIN DESIGN WEEK, VIENNA DESIGN WEEK and ZAGREB DESIGN WEEK to locations in Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia, Spain, Ukraine, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia) |
Show Name | _ 2020 [Tunnel 29] Design for a post-apocalyptic world, Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO), Ljubljana, SI |
Show Name | _ 2020 VIENNA DESIGN WEEK |
Show Name | _ 2020 DUTCH DESIGN WEEK, Worth, EU Cosme |
Show Name | _ 2019 Circular & Creative, Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO), SI |
Show Name | _ 2019 Creators, Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO), SI |
Awards & Nominations
Award name | _ 2023 Mark of design excellence ”Made in Slovenia”, CzK, Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO) |
Award name | _ 2023 Distributed Design Award finalist |
Award name | _ 2023 Zagreb Design Week Award finalist |
Award name | _ 2022 Mark of design excellence ”Made in Slovenia”, CzK, Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO) |
Award name | _ 2021 Mark of design excellence ”Made in Slovenia”, CzK, Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO) |
Award name | _ 2019 WORTH 2nd Call Winner, Cosme EU |
Jobs & Positions
Company / Organisation | Ministry of Culture Republic of Slovenia _ Advisory Board for Architecture and Design |
From year | 2022 |
To year | 2026 |
Company / Organisation | Darja Malesic |
From year | 2018 |
To year | 2024 |
Company / Organisation | Dolce & Gabbana |
From year | 1999 |
To year | 2004 |
Company / Organisation | John Richmond |
From year | 2006 |
To year | 2010 |
Press & Publications
Publication | Art and Design, 257, China |
Link | |
Publication | ArchiExpo magazine |
Link | emag.archiexpo.com/superdesign-show-tunnel-29-designer-diy-toasted-furniture-anyone |
Publication | Tagesspiegel |
Link | http://www.tagesspiegel.de/gesellschaft/die-zukunft-des-wohnens-5108800.html |
Publication | e-flux |
Link | |
Publication | The Future of Living Catalogue |
Link | |
Publication | Made in Slovenia Catalogue 2021 |
Link | |