Design Competition:
Re-branding Bulgaria
- Introduction
- Calling all creatives!
- Dive into Bulgaria’s rich cultural heritage and reimagine it through innovative souvenir designs. We invite designers, artists, and makers to create modern, memorable, and marketable products that capture the spirit of Bulgaria. Let your creativity shine and celebrate the essence of our country in unique and meaningful ways…
- Theme
- “Rebranding Bulgaria: Timeless Beauty, Modern Soul”
- Participants are encouraged to blend traditional Bulgarian motifs, symbols, and stories with contemporary design approaches to create souvenirs that appeal to global audiences while staying rooted in cultural authenticity.
- Objectives
- How can souvenirs stay authentic to Bulgaria, whilst engaging modern day tourists in our rich and varied cultural narratives?
- Promote Bulgarian Culture: Highlight Bulgaria’s heritage and landmarks
- Encourage Sustainability: Emphasize eco-friendly materials and production methods.
- Boost Creativity: Foster innovation in the souvenir market.
- Support Local Craftsmanship: Incorporate traditional techniques into fresh designs.
- Criteria
- Authenticity
- Emotional design
- Product semantics
- Make souvenirs understandable
- Brake the language barrier
- Add a practical function
- Think also digital
Design Scope
Your submission should:
1. Reflect Bulgarian Identity – include recognizable cultural elements such as:
- Traditional crafts (ceramics, woodcarving, weaving).
- Iconic landmarks and architectural symbols
- Natural treasures
- Bulgarian globally recognized achievements
- Musical heritage
2. Be Practical and Appealing –
Ensure it’s functional, portable, and visually engaging.
3. Recommended Categories:
- Accessories
- Home & Décor
- Wearables
- Stationery
- Digital Souvenirs
- Others: Pictorial images; Symbols; Local Materials
Eligibility
- Open to individuals or teams worldwide, with a focus on Bulgarian or Bulgarian-inspired themes.
- Students, professionals, and hobbyists are all welcome to participate.
Submission Requirements
Participants must submit:
- Design Concept: A visual representation (sketches, digital mock-ups, or 3D models).
- Product Description: A brief (max 300 words) explaining the design inspiration, cultural relevance, and proposed materials.
- Optional Prototype: Physical samples are encouraged.
- Submission Format: Digital files in JPEG/PNG (for images) or PDF (for documents).
The jury:
Elena Mustakova
Interior Designer
Elena Mustakova graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Design from NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti), Milan and continued with a Master’s degree from Politecnico di Milano. To date, Elena is the co-founder and creative director of moustache studio, an interior and product design studio working mainly in the field of public interiors and mostly hotels.
Domenico Orefice
Product Designer
Domenico Orefice is a multidisciplinary Italian designer, trained at the Politecnico di Milano and with professional experience in an international design studio. He works on limited editions and bespoke pieces, while also curating creative direction for companies and multinationals, overseeing brand image, installations, and exhibition design. His work has been showcased in major national and international venues, including Triennale di Milano, Salone Satellite, Edit Napoli, as well as in Paris, Berlin, and Los Angeles.
Ilian Milinov
Product Designer
Ilian Milinov is a product designer with a recognizable style and a distinct approach to design. He doesn’t limit himself to working in just one industry or with one material.
After dozens of international awards, Ilian is an example of a Bulgarian designer who can easily be called successful. His mission is to create design that “solves problems,” such as the hanging folding chair Hang Stool or the Seattable project he developed for ORT.
Maja Lalić
Architect
Maja Lalic is an architect with a focus on sustainable urban development and circular design. She is co-founder and creative director of Belgrade’s Mikser organization and creative director of Mikser Festival dedicated to the development of creative potentials of the Balkan region. Recognized internationally as an experienced design curator with an eye for creative talents who are set on “changing the world”, Maja is invited to the Jury panels of prestigious international design competitions such as Salone Satellite, Timisoara Architecture Biennale, The Global Graduate Design Show, etc.
Barry Brand
Brand Strategist
Barry Brand is a creative, brand strategist and a business innovator. With a proven track record of driving growth and delivering impact through marketing, brand positioning, experience design, and business development. He founded he own business Dare to Care More 4 years ago. Taking a visionary approach to business development by shaping brand narratives around kindness, empathy, and human connection.
Submission ends – 31.05.25
Details
Prizes
Timeline
Submission Process
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