Wednesday 4th kicked off the first Design Apéro, a new networking event in Zürich I conceived for bringing together professionals in the design and architecture industry.

The first chapter of the #designapéro has been an absolutely wonderful evening! In the beautiful setting of House of Gefion, a Nordic design store in the Römerhof area, an international group of professionals has come together not just to network but, more importantly, to connect. Since the event is in a small format, we had the chance to have the right amount of time to hear the stories behind our projects and businesses. Although we all had different professional roles, we’ve found a common ground to exchange views and experiences, learn something new, and start paving the way for new collaborations.

Thanks to special guest Jakob Aaen from FDB Møbler who joined us all the way down from Copenhagen, we discovered a piece of Danish design history and furniture craftsmanship. We’ve heard a story of good values, genuine curiosity, and timeless passion. We got some very special insights into the world of FDB Møbler, sat down on Queen Ingrid favorite chair, and learned about a resilient business striving for creating beautiful and functional items that tell stories. Their unique stories.

«I had the honor of being invited as a special guest speaker during the first-ever #designapéro in Zürich. It was a great pleasure for me to share the amazing story of FDB møbler with a very curious and interesting group of people from different corners of the creative business. We had some great discussions and dialogues, and it’s extremely motivating to meet a new group of people and quickly realize that we all have two major abilities in common: passion and dedication for each of our projects! What a special energy-boost and experience this ended up being! Thank you, Valeria Crescenzi, for organizing this special event – and best of luck with the future editions» – Jakob Aaen – FDB Møbler Head of International Sales

As for the Italian, natural wines that livened up the first Design Apéro. Brought to us by Viticolo, they tell stories of small producers in Italy, passionate people who are still making wine according to tradition.

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Networking is just an opportunity to bring people together. Connecting means feeling genuine love for meeting people and engage on a deeper level. I want us coming home from a Design Apéro with something more valuable than tons of business cards. Be part of the journey! The next Design Apéro will take place in the first week of October. Details will follow. Meanwhile, let’s keep in touch via social media: Instagram + Facebook.

«The Design Apéro is definitely something that had been missing in Zürich and Switzerland in general. It’s the perfect evening to make new contacts, exchange ideas with like-minded people, and learn about small and large biz. It’s all about having fun, interesting talks and a good glass of wine in a relaxed and inspiring atmosphere». – Lea Bollhalder, Stylist

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Special thanks:

I organized the first Design Apéro with the help of special people I met on this beautiful journey that is running our own business:

Julie Marie Kjersem, the owner of House of Gefion, thank you for such a wonderful location;

Lorenzo Belli, the founder of Viticolo, thank you for the wines and the beautiful stories behind them;

Aline Borges from The Florist, thank you for the blooming flower arrangement.

I am really impressed with the Design Apero which is the brainchild of Valeria Crescenzi. Not only has it been extremely interesting to participate and learn about new topics, but it has also been so inspiring to meet other movers & shakers within the sphere of design. Additionally, I am so incredibly impressed with Valeria’s organizational skills and how she manages to bring people together while making it all look so effortless». – Julie Marie Kjersem, Owner House of Gefion

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Do you want to be one of the guests of the next Design Apéro? Read here what to do

The Design Apéro is a (G)local event that takes place once per month in Zürich, a special initiative by invitation only to foster connections and start building meaningful professional relationships. If you work in the area of design and/or architecture and want to take part in one of the next chapters send me an email at valeria@crescenzi.ch with the following info (Subject: Design Apéro):

*A brief introduction of yourself // Why do you want to take part in the Design Apéro // Your website/portfolio/blog // Your LinkedIn profile. In case you’ll be selected, you’ll receive a confirmation email with all the useful details.

Do you want to be one of the next hosts? Or making an in-kind sponsorship?

Since the Apéros are free of charge, I’m looking for hosts and local sponsors who are willing to provide a nice venue, drinks and nibbles & more, contributing to creating a pleasant experience for all the participants. Being a sponsor means building a stronger community around your business while gaining a bit of extra exposure. I’m happy to discuss all the details during a meeting in person.

Send me an email at valeria@crescenzi.ch to plan a first meeting with me at your location (Zürich). Subject: partnership