National Héritage

Artistic collaboration with Sallay Handmade Manufacture

Szegedi slippers « Reloaded » 1.0 collection  2017–2019

The so-called « szegedi slippers » are among the respected national cultural heritage of Hungary. The living tradition of creating, wearing, using this shoe-style has been signed on UNESCO National Cultural Heritage List and was announced officially on 14th September 2018 at the Hungarian Parliament. The slippers style became a symbol of national identity and has been recorded as Outstanding National Value to the Collection of ‘Hungarikums‘ in the administration of the government at the Ministry of Agriculture of Hungary. The ‘Hungarikum’ is a hungarian term that designates a value worthy of distinction within a unified system of qualification, classification, registration. It represents the high performance of the Hungarian typical attribute, uniqueness, speciality and quality.

The shape and the visuality of the style came from the era of the turkish occupation in Hungary ( since 1520 ) and soon the slippers became accessories of the national ethnic outfits. The original & authentic shoe style’ s characteristics shows a curled up toe-cap, often red velvet vamps which were enriched with hand-embroidery of wildflower motifs. The slippers were made on a symmetrical shoe-last so they could be worn either on the right or left foot. The shape of the slippers were adjusted to the shape of the feet because the wearers swapped them daily to preserve the original view & structure. They were mainly used for homewear on festive days, for receiving quests at the house mostly on the southern part of Hungary.

After the World War I. and the Trianon Treaty ( 1920 ) the style has reached its heyday as the designers of the era started to use national elements and motifs for haute-couture fashion of high society’s orders. Clothing items – inspired by folk art – became popular for special occasions so the slippers appeared in the high-class fashion wardrobe, too. More ornated pieces were embroidered with butterfly motifs decorated with beads and sequins for complete the evening outfits.

Nowadays the hand-crafted technique of the production process is fading away. There are only a few cobbler who knows the sewn sole and heel fixing process technique by hand.

My cultural mission is to draw attention to this unique piece of footwear accessory so I designed a new line and created a capsule collection titled « Reloaded » continously since 2015. I find my new styles should be a part of the cosmopolitan fashion trends and excites the fantasy of a shoe-addict woman.

Szegedi Slippers Reloaded 1.0 collection 2017-19

My partner is Sallay Tibor artisan from Szeged in this work who created my designs in his atelier at Sallay Handmade Manufacture. The embroidery works were realized in an industrial embroidery workstudio with the expert Éva Szeles near Baja, Szeremle Hungary.

DAALARNA FOLK Collection 2020 / by Anita Benes / artistic collab for Folk Collection’s image campaign

Bridal slippers were also very popular accessories of the Hungarian wedding attire. It was customary that the groom gave a white pairs of slippers as an engagement gift to the bride.

BUI VIET HUNG, METU | Metropolitan Budapest University 2025 Diploma | Fashion photography | image campaign | Tutor & consultant : Almási J. Csaba | Theme: ‘The Flow – Interwoven – How past and present cultures intertwine in contemporary fashion?

Szegedi Slippers Reloaded 2.0 collection 2020

Samples designed for the Hungarikum HUNG-2019 tender announced with the aim of supporting the Hungarian Outstanding National Values by the Ministry of Agriculture Budapest, Hungary. The hungarikum tender is published every year to pass on the traditional clothing culture of the Carpathian Basin. These following product developments were proceed in Sallay Handmade Manufacture. The hand-embroidery development works were made by Vukov Anik​ó Veronika, enthnologist – certified embroiderer – in Szeged, Hungary.

Brand book image graphic design: Zsuffa Zsanna Lídia graphic designer

Szegedi Slippers Reloaded 3.0 collection 2022

NEWS | EVENTS | EXHIBITIONS

OSAKA World Exhibition 2025 | the heritage is represented by Attila Kovács J. at the Hungarian pavilon

VII Szegedi Slippers’ FESTIVE DAY | organized by the Foundation for Szegedi Slippers | 14th June 2025 | Szent-Györgyi Albert Agóra, Szeged

FOLKLOR IN FASHION 2024 | National Folk Art Exhibition | Hungarian Heritage House | Budapest Hungary, see more…

EUGLOH SZTE Design Management MA | Szeged 17th May 2025

II. Conference of TENDENCIES IN FASHION STUDIES | organized by PTE BTK Pécs University and the Hungarian Academy of Science | 9th May 2025

KATTI ZOÓB Fashion & Museum | Collective exhibition | A tradíció és a divat új egysége a Fúziós Divat | contemporary fashion and folk art | Balatonfüred

MŰVÉSZETEK VÖLGYE FESZTIVÁL 2024 | Kapolcs Folkudvar cooperation with Hungarian Heritage House Budapest

SUSTAINABLE TEXTILE FORUM | Association of Hungarian Light Industry and Innovatext Zrt. | 30th September 2024 | Hungarian Heritage House | Budapest Hungary

SZEGED DESIGN WEEK 2024 | Exhibition at KissKunszt Gallery Szeged

TRAFIK KÖR ART HUB | presentation of the Szegedi Slippers heritage | image film | podcast | virtual map 2024

SUMMERFEST 2024 | Exhibition at Szigetszentmiklós Cultural Centre

Hogyan válik kortárssá a hagyomány? Podcast TKKME on the air of Radio Dabas 93.4 | 27th May 2024

LIVING FOLK ART 2021 | National Folk Art Exhibition Hungarian Heritage House | Budapest Hungary

TRAFIK KÖR Contemporary ART HUB | Dabas Hungary | 2021 October | exhibition

WORKSHOP | Dabas Hungary | 2021 October | Memory party board game | Footwear of Folk origin

HUNGARIAN ADVENT BALL | Beijing, China on 4th December 2019 organized by the Hungarian Cultural Institute of Beijing and was managed by Mrs. Szonja Buslig the director of Hungarian Cultural Institute in Beijing

33. FESTIVAL of FOLK ARTS | Buda Castle 20-23th August 2019 organized by NESZ Hungary | Szegedi slippers outdoor exhibition « Footwear in focus » at the Folk Arts Festival