CGD

Master & Master have become a mark of quality and success on the Czech scene. The company owned by Ondřej Zita and Luděk Šteigl has been on the market for over a decade – this in itself would make them stand out, but, even more importantly, both owners are able to consistently develop new products and collaborate with up-and-coming designers as well as household names. They have also been looking to expand their operations abroad. 

After winning the Producer of the Year award at last year’s Czech Grand Design Awards, they were prime candidates for a nomination this year. This was due to the high quality of their individual products as well as the bold and visionary approach they bring to the often sleepy world of Czech furniture design. We can mention this year’s collaborations with the duo of Terezie Lexová and Štěpán Smetana, as well as with Klára Šumová. They have also expanded their portfolio for small items such as the wall-mounted hook whose accessibility and aesthetic qualities showcase Master & Master’s inspiring approach to design – their goal is not to produce inaccessible and expensive solitaire pieces but rather to offer affordable products for the general public. 

This year, Ondřej Zita and Luděk Šteigl notably collaborated with the Mjölk architekti studio by developing the simple, practical and sturdy table Mjölk had designed a few years ago into a serial product. This particular piece also references their beginnings when they used Michal Malášek’s idea and started producing metal legs for a table that soon became their iconic product. Their collaboration with Mjölk proves that an open mind is the foundation of Master & Master. No door remains closed to them, no idea is too far-fetched. They try to consciously meld courage with rationality while never forgetting to be creative. These three ingredients are fundamental for making high-quality design anywhere in the world. Master & Master know this, and this approach lies at the core of their success.

Veronika Pařízková