ProtiMysl: Czech Grand Design 2014

The Czech Grand Design awards have become an annual prestigious event, highlighting the country's best designers of the year. Selected by the Academy of Design Czech Republic, the awards this year will be announced March 14th and will cover the following categories: Designer of the Year, Fashion Designer of the Year, Jewelry Designer of the Year, Graphic Designer of the Year, Photographer of the Year, Retail Store of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, Discovery of the Year and Hall of Fame. The public can additionally vote in the category Grand Designer of the Year. This year, the trophy for the winners is a kimono, designed by the fashion designer Monika Drápalová, the winner of last year's Grand Designer of the Year.

Below is a lost of the recently announced finalists in each category, together with a few select photos of their work. The good news for lovers of great design is that you can see all the works at the National Technical Museum in Prague till the end of March. More information about the awards can be found here.

In the category Designer of the Year
DECHEM - Material vase (Křehký), Vase study, Bandasky, Laboratory Lights (Kavalierglass)
Koncern Design Studio - Car seat for children Aton Q, Solution Q-fix (Cybex)
Milan Pekař - Crystal vases

DECHEM - Laboratory lights (Kavalierglass), photo: Michal Šeba

In the category Fashion Designer of the Year
LaFormela - collection S/S 2015
Ivana Mentlová - collection S/S 2015 Pietro Filipi Silverline
Jakub Polanka - collection S/S 2015

Ivana Mentlová - collection S/S 2015 Pietro Filipi Silverlin, photo: Pietro Filipi

In the category Jewelry Designer of the Year
Nastassia Aleinikava - Bow & Pearls, Vermeer
Janja Prokić - collection Hidden place
Zorya - conceptual collection Poklady

Nastassia Aleinikava - Bow & Pearls, Vermeer, photo: Alex Belyaev

In the category Graphic Designer of the Year
Tomáš Brousil a Radek Sidun - písmolijna Briefcase Type Foundry
Tomáš Celizna, Adam Macháček, Radim Peško - concept and visual style of the 26th International Biennial of Graphic Design in Brno
ReDesign - Prague Spring 2014

Tomáš Celizna, Adam Macháček, Radim Peško - concept and visual style of the 26th International Biennial of Graphic Design in Brno

In the category Photographer of the Year
Jan Grombiřík - portraits of Jana Kratochvílová (Bluepaper)
Adam Holý - book The Overview Effect (Polansky Gallery a VICE)
Václav Jirásek - photographs for the catalog TON 2014-15

Jan Grombiřík - portraits of Jana Kratochvílová (Bluepaper), photo: Jan Grombiřík

In the category Retail Store of the Year
Bistro & obchod No. 19 - concept of the store and bistro and the project Zástěrka
Kurator - selection of clothing, fashion accessories, jewelery and designer objects
Lavmi - visual style and concept of the store in Zlatnická 12

Lavmi - visual style and concept of the store in Zlatnická 12, photo courtesy of Lavmi

In the category Manufacturer of the Year
Kavalierglass - collection of lighting Laboratory Lights (DECHEM)
Lasvit - Lights Moulds (Jan Plecháč a Henry Wielgus), Ice (Daniel Liebeskind), Das Pop (Maarten Baas) a Frozen (Maxim Velčovský)
TON - collection of furniture Merano (Alexander Gufler)

Kavalierglass - collection of lighting Laboratory Lights (DECHEM), photo: Michal Šeba

In the category Discovery of the Year
Jan Horčík - Boyscouts of Freedom (ve spolupráci s Tomášem Bilinou), Endless Illusion, Cutulum
Tadeáš Podracký a Markéta Kratochvílová - diploma study Dioscuri (Tadeáš Podracký), Enfant Terrible (Markéta Kratochvílová) and the collection Skywalker, Pineapples, Finland Objects
Klára Vystrčilová - leather clothing with hand embroider appliques