Materia leather design fair in Romania

Ad| The Materia Contemporary Leather Design Fair in Romania, will take place for the third time on the 4th and 5th November in Bucharest, this year. Here, 43 designers from Romania and Europe will showcase their capsule collections and statement pieces created exclusively for the design fair. I spoke with the founder of Materia Leather Design Fair, Dan Piersinaru.

Dan, how did you get the idea to found a leather fair in Romania?

Back in 2014, I worked for the Crafts Council in London, for a month. It was an amazing experience in which I discovered many new things, including the fascinating world of leather craft and design. What appealed to me most was the way in which leather is positioned and included in contemporary discourse, where craft and design make an awesome team.

Only then did I realize that in Romania, we did not have a stage/platform which could bring together all creatives working with leather. It took me almost two years to set up the first edition of Materia Leather Fair. I was already familiar with what it takes to create a community – as I had previous experiences regarding contemporary jewellery, with AUTOR. However, through Materia I felt that something new was coming to life, therefore it generated much more enthusiasm.

What is the aim of Materia leather design fair?

Materia is about leather creations. It is a fair based on selection, working with designers, artists, and small manufacturers who have a strong, personal discourse. Also, what is very important currently, is to show our numerous and curious audience that there are leather creations, there is continuity and there is a will to keeping alive manual work and the science of leather.

Materia functions as a stage where the creators and the public meet. It raises awareness for this field and it brings together the most creative people.

What kind of leather objects will be showcased?

We love having all kind of objects and designs that embody fresh ideas made using leather. What you will see at this edition of Materia is mostly a selection of: bags, shoes, clothes, jewellery, accessories, and object design.

Will there be a special program or event during the fair?

Materia is a fair and is the main event of this new platform coming to life. A special moment during the fair is created by the prizes we offer together with our partners: Elle Magazine Award, Molecule F award, Public Choice Award. They are meant to support and promote young designers.

At this edition, we have two special guests: Dan Coma and Matei Corvin, leaders in the field of leather craft and design in Romania. They will act as an example of what excellence in this field means.

Another section we have, is the “Recommended by…”, where a public figure in Romania, known for their style and elegance chooses and tags the most surprising creations to be found at this edition. Plus some other surprises that we are preparing, right now.

For more information about the Leather Design Fair take a look on Materia’s Facebook-page.

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