National Héritage

Artistic collaboration with Sallay Handmade Manufacture

Szegedi slippers « Reloaded » 1.0 collection  2017–2019

The so-called « szegedi slippers » are one of the renowned national cultural heritage of Hungary. The living tradition of creating, wearing, using this shoe-style has been signed on UNESCO National Cultural Heritage List last year. The great news was announced officially on 14th September 2018 at the hungarian Parliament.

The shape and the visuality came from the era of the turkish occupation in Hungary and soon it became an accessory piece of the national ethnic outfits. Nowadays the hand-crafted technology of the production process is fading away. There are only a few cobbler who knows the sewn sole and heel fixing process 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 ». I imagine my new styles will be a part of the cosmopolitan fashion trends and excites the fantasy of a shoe-addict woman.

« Szegedi Slippers Reloaded 1.0 collection 2018 »

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

DAALARNA FOLK Collection 2020 / by Anita Benes / artistic collab for image campaign shooting

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 festival

For the 70th anniversary of hungarian-chinese diplomatic relationship the Hungarian Advent Ball was held in Beijing, China at Landmark Hotel on the 4th December 2019. The event was surrounded by a gastro-cultural festival representing the hungarian cuisine, music and national folk heritage of Hungary.
The event was organized by the Hungarian Cultural Institute of Beijing.

Somewhere in a London based apartment…

« Szegedi Slippers Reloaded 2.0 collection 2019 »

Samples designed for the Hungarikum 2019 tender announced with the aim of supporting the Hungarian 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 product developments were proceed in Sallay Handmade Manufacture. The hand-embroidery works were made by Vukov Anik​ó Veronika in Szeged, Hungary.

Living Folk Art 2021 | National Folk Art Exhibition Hungarian Heritage House | Budapest Hungary

TRAFIK Kortárs Művészeti Pont | Dabas Hungary | 2021 October | exhibition

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