MCBW 2016 Reception
Munich literally gave a warm welcome to the guests at the MCBW 2016 Reception on February 22; the spring-like temperatures were a real treat for the more than 400 fans of design who gathered at BMW Welt. Dr. Silke Claus, Managing Director of bayern design, and Ralph Wiegmann, Managing Director of iF, were among the speakers.
In his presentation, keynote speaker Guillaume Alvarez, Senior Vice President of Steelcase, shared special insight into his industry, emphasizing that design does more than represent creativity, it creates emotions.
David Pappie, Director of the Top Sectors at the Dutch Ministry of the Economy, was invited as a representative of the Netherlands, this year’s MCBW partner country. The creative sector in the Netherlands will introduce itself at MCBW 2016 as a driver of innovation for a better future. Cross-discipline design that addresses social and economic issues will be in the limelight.
One of the guests of honor at the reception was Ilse Aigner, Bavarian State Minister for Economic Affairs, Media, Energy and Technology. She drew attention to the exceptional role of good design and stated that the links between design and the economy are the key to self-confident, daring innovations.
Munich is the ideal site for the country’s largest design-oriented event of international renown.
Josef Schmid, Deputy Mayor of the City of Munich, emphasized the impact of MCBW on the region. He declared the event a showcase for creativity in the industry. Design Connects Visions for Economy, he added, is the ideal motto for a show that fosters dialog among creative people.
The reception was an excellent starting point for many productive discussions. In a convivial atmosphere, ideas were shared and momentum was kick-started.
One of the highlights of the gathering was a unique fashion show titled twilight Eden. Students of Deutsche Meisterschule für Mode and of Designschule München displayed 39 garments created from select FEDRIGONI fine papers.