Raffaele & Elisa Carrieri

Altai is an internationally-renowned gallery that arose from the passion and research of Raffaele and Elisa Carrieri. In 1997, they opened their gallery in Milan where they exhibited the first Saharian mats ever seen in Europe, followed by Central Asian felts and kilims from Kurdistan. The Milanese were amazed, among them Ettore Sottsass, Maddalena De Padova and Vico Magistretti. The Carrieris’ expert eyes immediately recognise unique pieces with primeval origins, humble yet extremely sophisticated. These are masterpieces that have been trodden on and handed down for thousands of years. Raffaele and Elisa subsequently opened their new gallery in 2000 and Altai Studio in 2005, to handle bespoke production for famous architects and prominent international brands. Altai today hosts twenty unique collections. Essential textiles, abstract yet steeped in history, humanity and culture. Mats to separate earth and sky. The tapestries, kilims and rugs tell tales of century old gatherings, sunshine and solemn celebrations. Sensitive and deeply concerned about the dramatic situation in the area, from 2006 until 2013, Raffaele and Elisa organised annual charity auctions to support micro-projects to help people disabled by the wars in Afghanistan. Since 2014 Altai has also supported NOVE Onlus, a non-profit organisation founded by Susanna Fioretti to assist vulnerable people in Italy and abroad, especially in Afghanistan where NOVE propagates female inclusion and emancipation by means of literacy, sport, work and logistics.

altai.it/en

@altai_gallery

Alvaro Catalán de Ocón

Alvaro Catalán de Ocón is a renowned Spanish designer recognised for his dedication to the field of design with a focus on protest-related projects, aesthetic expressiveness and practicality in his creations. He's a leading figure among a new generation of Spanish designers who emphasise personal vision, social responsibility and sustainability in their work, shaping the present and future of design. Alvaro's designs are characterised by a strong focus on social and environmental responsibility. He began his career after studying industrial design at the Instituto Europeo di Design in Milan, and at Central Saint Martins in London, subsequently founding his studio in Barcelona. His notable creations include the La Flaca lamp, the PET Lamp project that combines PET plastic bottles with artisan craftsmanship, and the Plastic Rivers rug collection made from recycled PET plastic. Alvaro's innovative approach involves combining traditional crafts from different parts of the world with industrial manufacturing processes to create functional and contemporary objects that address social and ecological issues. ACdO/, co-founded alongside Enrique Romero de la Llana and Sebastian Betanzo, serves as a platform for self-producing and marketing his most personal projects.

catalandeocon.com

petlamp.org

acdo.es

@alvarocatalandeocon

@petlamp

@acdo.es

Jackie Dettmar & Anastasija Lesjak

Jackie Dettmar has extensive experience in the fields of product development, design and marketing. Since 2020, Jackie is the Vice President of Marketing, Design and Product Development at Mohawk Group, the world’s leading producer and distributor of quality commercial flooring. Prior to this, she worked at Mohawk Industries for more than three decades, holding various positions including Vice President of Commercial Product Development and Design from 2010 to 2020. Jackie studied textile science at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, later acquiring an MBA degree in business studies. Mohawk Group is committed to building and serving communities through human-centred design, equity and social enterprise, believing that better floor coverings emerge from better design, innovation and sustainability. Based on longterm collaborations with 13&9 Design and Dr. Richard Taylor of Fractals Research, Mohawk Group’s collections of fractal-based patterns support well-being and are scientifically proven to reduce stress in all types of spaces.

mohawkgroup.com

mohawkind.com

@mohawkgroup

Dr Anastasija Lesjak is the Creative Director and Co-Founder of 13&9 Design, an interdisciplinary design firm that develops products across multiple categories made by local suppliers, artisans and craftspeople. 13&9 also designs products for international companies such as Mohawk Group, XAL, VITEO Outdoors, and Artifort Lande Group. Born in Bosnia and educated in Graz, Austria, Anastasija resides and runs her company from Graz, recently titled a UNESCO Design City. Her diverse background, with a medical degree and fashion expertise as a designer, Anastasija gives her a unique perspective and enhances her team’s interdisciplinary process. In addition to her role as Creative Director of 13&9, Anastasija also consults for INNOCAD Architecture. Her expertise in strategy, trends and building partnerships has brought new energy to the INNOCAD team and 13&9 international acclaim. Anastasija travels the globe representing 13&9 and Graz, City of Design at international UNESCO programmes in Europe, Asia and the United States.

13and9design.com

@13and9design

Lidewij Edelkoort

Co-Founder World Hope Forum

Li Edelkoort is a trend forecaster, publisher, humanitarian, design educator and exhibition curator. From 2015-2020 she was the Dean of Hybrid Design Studies at Parsons in New York where she founded a Textile Masters and the New York Textile Month festival. Her thought-provoking writings and podcasts have become increasingly popular at a time when she is regarded as an activist and champion for change. In 2020, she co-founded the World Hope Forum with Philip Fimmano as a platform to inspire the creative community to rebuild a better society. Launched in 2020, PROUD SOUTH is a mesmerising visual book that celebrates the creative forces from the southern parts of the planet. Through the colourful and expressive lens of contemporary fashion, photography, styling and art, Edelkoort and Lili Tedde bring together emerging and established talents from wide and far, illustrating that the axis of global creativity has indeed dramatically shifted. In 2025, Edelkoort is launching a second edition of PROUD SOUTH focusing on craft and design. Of the movement, she says, “A southern generation of creatives is standing up, expressing local craft, embracing regional materials, recognising ancestral practices and cherishing indigenous values.”

@lidewijedelkoort