Talks
Jurgen Bey: The Making of Droog Design
TALK (EN)
Thursday, 30 April 2026
6.30 pm, Vitra Schaudepot
The premiere of Droog Design at Milan’s 1993 Salone del Mobile was a sensation. A modest show of works by complete unknowns, it gave rise to an international movement that put Dutch Design firmly on the map. »Droog« is Dutch for »dry«, an apt description of the deceptive simplicity characterizing the group’s witty designs, which combine an innovative use of everyday materials with an uncompromisingly down-toearth philosophy.
Hella Jongerius began her career with the group and soon became one of its leading figures. Throughout the 1990s, she developed her unique design approach in its context, combining craftsmanship with industrial processes and questioning traditional boundaries. By testing and expanding the possibilities offered by materials to yield products that are at once soft, thick, and strong, she created works like the Pushed Washtub (1996) currently on display in the exhibition »Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things« at the Vitra Design Museum.
Jurgen Bey (born 1965) is a renowned Dutch designer. He holds a degree from the Eindhoven Design Academy and first gained prominence with the Droog Design group, a collaboration that gave him a defining influence on the global image of Dutch Design. Bey is known for critical, context-based projects ranging from furniture to interiors and public spaces. His iconic Treetrunk Bench (1998) is part of the Vitra Design Museum’s collection. In 2002 he teamed up with Rianne Makkink to establish Studio Makkink & Bey; he also served as director of the Sandberg Institute.
Looking back at the early years of Droog Design, Jurgen Bey tells the story of the design movement and talks about working with Hella Jongerius when they were both involved with the group.
Free admission; please book your ticket at design-museum.reservix.de
Am Boden: Marc Lunghuß reads from his debut novel
TALK (DE)
Thursday, 28 May 2026
6.30 pm, Vitra Schaudepot
We are delighted to welcome Marc Lunghuß at an event accompanying the exhibition »Verner Panton: Form, Colour, Space «. The author will read from his debut novel »Am Boden« (On the Floor). Verner Panton designed textiles, rugs, and carpets that defined an era. Marc Lunghuß tells the story of a carpet salesman from Lower Saxony whose family history weaves with the history of West Germany. In his novel, floor coverings epitomize West German interior design culture and reflect social change as well: from the spread of wall-to-wall cosiness in the 1970s and 1980s to the decline of close carpeting in the 1990s, when post-unification Germany became obsessed with hard parquet.
Marc Lunghuß (born 1974) studied Philosophy and German Literature in Heidelberg and Berlin. He worked as a theatre director in Stuttgart, Frankfurt am Main, and Leipzig. His stories have appeared in numerous anthologies and journals. His first novel, »Am Boden«, was published by Bärmeier & Nikel in autumn 2024.
The reading will be followed by a conversation between Marc Lunghuß and Education Curator Anastasia Chaguidouline. You are welcome to ask questions!
Free admission; please book your ticket at design-museum.reservix.de
Camper: Designing a Company
TALK (EN)
Thursday, 9 July 2026
6.30 pm, Vitra Schaudepot
Join us for a lively conversation about the Spanish cult shoe brand Camper, its history, and its innovative design development at an event accompanying the exhibition »Hella Jongerius: Whispering Things«. Shoemaking is a family tradition for Lorenzo Fluxa, and when he founded his own footwear company in Mallorca in 1975, it was to meet the demand for a fresh style. The radically idiosyncratic brand he created soon achieved international renown. At Camper, design means far more than product development – it defines the entire company.
The programme »Camper Together« was launched to foster collaborations with leading designers and artists to develop products and create unique concept stores. The partnerships established within this programme distinguish the Camper brand and demonstrate how creative collaboration drives innovation. When Hella Jongerius took on the role of art director in 2009, she developed a comprehensive colour scale in a system that can be used for other collections as well.
Find out more about the Camper legacy as Camper staff talk about the company’s design process and its history, discuss the philosophy underpinning the »Camper Together« programme, and reveal what it is like working together with renowned designers and artists.
Free admission; please book your ticket at design-museum.reservix.de