The Cultural Mission of Fashion – Katti Zoób

“A young generation has grown up in the fashion world, among whom Hungarian designers occupy a place of renown; they are a very good match and have had instances of special success. In addition, a Hungarian fashion agency has been created, with the precise function within the touristic agency to communicate through and by fashion, boost tourism and put these young fashion firms on course to make the country better known,.” – thus Katti placed Hungarian fashion on the ranking scale. According to her, it will take another ten to twenty years until we can reach really serious levels of success.

Katti Zoób’s studio differs from the others in the respect that, to her, it is not fashion but culture and content that are most important; so, the high-category studio is not as much interested in market presence but a cultural mission – the interview continued.

Born in Sümeg to a career that took her from Budapest to Vienna and then the greatest global fashion centres, the designer produces unique models, and her primary consideration is never quantity but quality.

It is perhaps not common knowledge that Katti first worked as a designer for toys, then went into television, later founded a cotume-making workshop, and this way she entered the fashion world, to recently return to the domestic field and take on a significant role in the preparation of  Veszprém’s European Capital of Culture bid and the organisation of summer fashion shows in Balatonfüred.

Until the beginning of January, you may visit an exhibition in Balatonfüred which features Katti Zoób’s works as inspired by applied artist Anna Lesznai (a definitive character for Katti), a translation to ornament of folk motifs from the Zemplén area of Hungary. According to the designer, Anna Lesznai should be an ageless an timeless role model for every woman: her life is a perfect example for the way a career can harmoniously coexist with a creative life, and also for what a 20th-21st century woman is capable of accomplishing.

“What is interesting in this exhibition is that parts of our collections are put in parallel with the Lesznai oeuvre, and my personal family stories with hers,” – said Katti Zoób, who not only considers Lesznai’s oeuvre exemplary, but also Veszprém and the surrounding region, the gorgeous landscape, and whole-heartedly trusts in the success of Veszprém’s European Capital of Culture bid, supporting it as ambassador.

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