Press room Gorenje IFA 2009

The “Simplicity” trend is an inspiration in every field of human creativity. Integrating the idea of "Voluntary Simplicity" into the products in order to respond to the actual needs of the consumers is the central challenge currently tackled by designers and manufacturers. We are now up for a period of clean, pure and simple forms and functional solutions fully tailored to the users, yet remaining faithful to the principles of sustainable development and devoted to preserving the environment.

A combination of glass and precious metals ennobles the appliances with a plain, yet elegant and sophisticated appearance. The ergonomically designed dial, a hallmark of the collection, and the polished aluminium handle endow the entire collection, available in black or white, with a sense of harmonious coherence.

The SIMPLICITY line of appliances delivers a thoughtfully devised array of operation modes and programs, offering simple control with a single logical knob that will relieve you of the incessant dilemmas on which program to use. Simply choose the preset program, and the advanced UseLogic® technology will take care of the rest; hence, you will only pay for what you really use. In addition, these appliances are highly convincing with their economic and environment-friendly operation as their power efficiency ranks them in the highest A and A+ classes.
The careful and deliberate selection of preset programs, resulting from years of experience by European users, will prove convenient both for beginners and experience users who know exactly which features and functions of each appliance they actually need and employ.

Gorenje SIMPLICITY appliances will simplify your life and save your time.

• With a single logical knob
• With deliberate design
• With cost-effective operation
• At reasonable price 
  

Gorenje is thus extending the reputation of its brand by sponsoring successful athletes. It has sponsored the runner-up of the last cross-country skiing world championship, Petra Majdič, for 15 years; in , it sponsors the dream couple of German sports, Michael Greis and Kathrin Hitzer. Michael and Kathrin are not only teammates; they are also partners off the tracks.

Each of the styles features select colours and various combinations of the refrigerator and freezer compartment. These appliances address the customers with a refined taste who dare to introduce their own lifestyle into the kitchen. The new collection was designed at Gorenje to celebrate the anniversary of launching the first Old Timer fridge freezer a decade ago; the refrigerator proved a real sales hit. Topping the list by popularity was the cult single door retro refrigerator with a special low-temperature compartment, while Bordeaux red and beige have been the most charming colours to date. A few years ago, the refrigerator design was freshened up by a new handle; reacting to the huge popularity among the customers, Gorenje now decided to expand the colour palette.                      

»Now, the colour palette is much richer and the colours are more attractive, ranging from the refreshing Lime Green and Juicy Orange, to the dazzling Dark Chocolate and charming Bordeaux Red. The wider range of colours addresses a greater group of potential buyers who have thus far looked in vain for the right colour of their popular fridge model. The collection hallmark remains the rounded retro design while the appearance of the handles has been upgraded. The Funky models will also offer handles in the colour of the housing, while others will feature the timeless chrome version handles" said Mr. Tomi Krašovec of the Gorenje Design Studio team upon the launch of the new collection of Gorenje's cult retro fridges.

The colours are more attractive, ranging from the refreshing Lime Green and Juicy Orange, to the dazzling Dark Chocolate …

Chic, Vintage, and Funky. Pleasing every taste.

Gorenje Retro Chic collection will appeal above all to those that appreciate modern classics, minimalism with select pieces of elegant furniture; the resolute visionaries who contend that "less is more" and seek perfect harmony. Gorenje's retro beauties in charming hues of Bordeaux, Silver, and Black will surely appeal to them. Simple elegance where nothing is redundant.

The sober tones of the Gorenje Retro Vintage collection will intrigue the nostalgic romantics who love natural colours. The collection will arouse the attention of those who indulge in the pleasures classic arts and love new images with a seasoned character. For them, the fridge-freezers are available in prestigious colours of Dark Chocolate, Royal Coffee, and Champagne. Only the best will do.

Gorenje Retro Funky collection was created for the playful eternal optimists and curious travellers who just love to be free; the adrenaline lovers for whom sky is the limit. Retro fridges in modern, lively, and alluringly lusty hues: Lime Green, Raspberry Pink, and Juicy Orange. For all who dream in colours.

New Image of Perfection

The perfect appearance houses state-of-the-art technology, user-friendly solutions, and economic operation. Both the cult single-door refrigerators (models RB 6288)  and the two-door combined fridge freezers with freezing compartment below the refrigerator (models RK 62358) now belong to the economic A+ energy class, while the two-door (Top Mount) models with the freezer above (models RF 62308) are boast the A++ class rating. Apart from excellent thermal insulation, all models also feature improved door sealing, as well as state-of-the-art cooling system components and refrigeration electronics, all of which are designed to minimise energy consumption.

The modern fridge freezers of the Gorenje retro collection can be electronically controlled via LED screen. In addition to the basic functionality, these models also offer the FastFreeze function for intensive freezing and the SuperCool function for cooling fresh food after a major shopping trip. A special signal LED and a sound alarm will warn you if the temperature inside the appliance rises too high.

The versatile interior and innovative convenient solutions enable optimum use of the storage volume in the new generation Gorenje refrigerators, and numerous the new functions preserve and lock in the quality, colour, and aroma of the food. A special fan-propelled air circulation system featured in the refrigerator compartment of the RK 62358 models directs cool air into the Cool’n’Fresh compartment to constantly maintain a temperature of around 0°C, thus providing optimum conditions for storing fresh food which will remain fresh for much longer. Sliver-based antibacterial protection of refrigerator interior walls prevents development of harmful microorganisms, contributing to even longer and safer storage of your food.

With the new generation fridges, you will always be ready for a surprise visit as a special bottle rack stores bottles in such way that they do not take up the space for other food in the refrigerator. The rack optimizes the use of storage space, while its slight inclination enables safe storage even for the bottles that have already been opened – making you an excellent host.

Gorenje Retro fridges in new colours

Meet Gorenje Retro, a new collection of fridge freezers that will thrill you with the elegant, romantic, or daring colour palette. What you choose is superior technology with a brand new image and a charming touch of nostalgia. The rounded convex design is the hallmark of the entire collection of perfectly designed, economical, and environment-friendly state-of-the-art appliances whose new colours will blend perfectly with your expectations of distinctiveness. Different and in tune with your lifestyle. Be elegant, romantic, playful, or daring. Treat yourself to more. Dare to go further. Pick your style and be – Chic, Vintage or Funky.

Gorenje Retro Chic collection will appeal above all to those who appreciate modern classics, minimalism with select pieces of elegant furniture; the resolute visionaries who contend that "less is more" and seek perfect harmony. Gorenje's retro beauties in charming hues of Bordeaux, Silver, and Black will surely appeal to them. Simple elegance where nothing is redundant.

The sober tones of the Gorenje Retro Vintage collection will intrigue the nostalgic romantics who love natural colours. The collection will arouse the attention of those who indulge in the pleasures classic arts and appreciate new images with a seasoned character. For them, the fridge-freezers are available in prestigious colours of Dark Chocolate, Royal Coffee, and Champagne. Only the best will do.

Gorenje Retro Funky collection was created for the playful eternal optimists and curious travellers who just love to be free; the adrenaline lovers for whom sky is the limit. Retro fridges in modern, lively, and alluringly lusty hues: Lime Green, Raspberry Pink, and Juicy Orange. For all who dream in colours.

Gorenje Retro Collection with a lush array of colours invites all who have thus far looked in vain for the right colour of their favourite fridge model. Presenting the retro cool refrigerators – Chic, Vintage and Funky. Which is the one for you? 
 

“Several users can control the application in a modern and interactive manner at the same time: on the one side, we may browse through recipes, on the other side, we can monitor oven temperature or simply choose the music to match the ambiance”, commented Mr. Sašo Vinkovič of the Intelligent Home Development Department at Gorenje Point.
Microsoft Surface works as a home’s new communication hub, allowing the whole family to gather around it and providing something of interest for everyone involved.

Microsoft Surface is the first commercially-available surface computing platform from Microsoft. It provides effortless access to digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects. Today, it’s a 30-inch diagonal display in a table-like form factor that’s easy for individuals or multiple people to interact with in a way that feels familiar, just like in the real world.
Surface computing enables us to move beyond the traditional user interface to a more natural way of manipulating information. Users can interact with information by touch, without using a mouse or a keyboard. Surface also brings multi-touch technology - it recognizes many points of contact simultaneously, not just from one finger like with a typical touch-screen, but up to dozens of items at once. To provide additional functionality, the platform also supports object recognition. Users can place physical objects on the display to trigger different types of digital responses. In the future, this will include the ability to transfer digital content.

Commissioned by Gorenje, an interactive Microsoft Surface application was developed by Semantika, a Slovenian IT solutions company that has started developing Microsoft Surface applications in this year. The company's other activities include software development and their flagship product is Galis, an IT system for cultural institutions. Their services are employed by more than 40 Slovenian museums and galleries, which ranks the company in the top spot in the country.
Multi-touch applications deliver simplicity of control as they respond to finger touch and natural gestures. Their major assets also include inviting appearance and visual presentation of information. The company Semantika believes that the use of this type of appliances will spread quickly; hence, they are looking to become one of the leaders in the field of natural user interfaces and multi-touch technologies.

Following the cooperation with the famous Italian design studio Pininfarina and the keen French designer Ora-Ïto, Gorenje is now betting on the talent and boldness of prolific designer and undisputed king of colour, the man who made pink masculine: New York-based designer star Karim Rashid, creating a brand new collection "Gorenje designed by Karim Rashid."

Teaming up with Gorenje was a perfect opportunity to pursue a desire Karim has had for ages: to introduce design into simple, everyday objects such as household appliances, to marry his imagination to advanced technology, and to create a top-class collection of appliances that will provide a memorable experience for all senses.

Gorenje collection designed by Karim Rashid is a minimal fusion of functionality, technology, interactivity, and purity. The full length handle is both the visual and the interaction focal point of the collection.The vertical LED light stripe allows several colour versions, providing the option to adjust the appearance of the appliance to one’s current mood, or indeed one’s lifestyle. This brand new star collection brings the touch of light in your kitchen.

“I have wanted to design appliances for ages. It was a great exercise in rethinking the banal. Too often we are relegated to tired archetypes. Design is about shaping contemporaneity. Design is critical to our environments, to our daily experiences, our products, our everything,” comments Karim Rashid who has designed products ranging from vacuum cleaners to furniture, children’s toys to luggage, to television, to perfume bottles, to lighting. He also designs spaces – hotels, clubs etc. and – from now on – Gorenje household appliances which, incidentally, he is using himself.

“Over the past years Gorenje has proven to be a company that has a strong interest in contemporary design. I have been following and appreciating their successful collections. When they contacted me to design the new Gorenje collection it took very little discussion to get the project started. I knew the company also because I do a lot of work in Eastern Europe and have an apartment in Belgrade with Gorenje appliances.”

Gorenje is equally thrilled about the collaboration with Karim. They are impressed by his charisma and the daring colours featured in his designs. To evoke the appearance of colourful elegance, they decided to employ LED technology, regarded as an innovative lighting solution of the future. “Hence, Gorenje is the first home appliance manufacturer to offer a solution that allows the users to change the colour of their oven or refrigerator exterior. The vertical LED light stripe allows several colour versions, providing the option to adjust the appearance of the appliance to one’s current mood, or indeed one’s lifestyle", commented Mr. Sandi Uranc, Gorenje marketing director, upon the premiere in Berlin.

The combination of the undisputed talent of the world-famous designer icon Karim Rashid and Gorenje’s high quality execution of all details, and application of durable materials, are the essential elements that make a memorable collection. The collection was premiered at the IFA Fair this year in Berlin; its market launches are expected in this December and early next year. The new innovative collection addresses the more demanding customers, the admirers of excellent design and timeless beauty.

Effectively combining smart technology, excellent design, care for the environment and great value into every one of Gorenje appliances, Gorenje is constantly raising the bar of quality standards and consumer expectations for ’s leading domestic appliance manufacturers. With its innovative, technologically perfected, environmentally friendly and stylish products, Gorenje is aiming to become the creator of the most innovative design-led home appliances in the world.

Karim Rashid is an award-winning industrial designer who has undertaken projects for hundreds of clients all around the world. A luminary in the world of international industrial design, this prolific designer and undisputed king of colour comes from New York, where he applies his talents to numerous fields: furniture, architecture, lighting, tableware, and - from now on household appliances.
Working with clients as prestigious as Issey Miyake, Kenzo, Alessi, Sony, Artemide, Umbra Toyota and Bozart, his career path has been lined with international awards such as the Sleep05 for the renovation of the Semiramis Hotel in Athens. Karim is a perennial winner of the Red Dot award, Chicago Athenaeum Good Design award, I.D. Magazine Annual Design Review, IDSA Industrial
Design Excellence award. He holds honorary doctorates from the Ontario college of Art & Design and Corcoran College of Art & Design. 2007 highlighted Karim’s largest retrospective to date at the Instituto Tomie Ohtake, in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Most recently, Karim curated the exhibition Totally Rad: Karim Rashid does Radiators for Museum of Art and Design in New York City.  Karim is a frequent guest lecturer at universities and conferences globally disseminating the importance of design in everyday life. www.karimrashid.com

IFA 2009 is the industries’ global trend indicator, a market place for innovation and a meeting place of the world’s leading executives. From 4 to 9 September 1,164 exhibitors will be represented on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds at the world’s largest trade fair for consumer electronics and electrical home appliances. 121,000 square metres of display space have been rented out, maintaining the record levels achieved last year. In a year dominated by recession IFA has proved itself to be a trade fair of exceptional standing worldwide and a premium event. Regular participation by leading CE companies and the growing numbers of home appliance manufacturers in attendance reflect IFA’s success and stability. IFA with its unique and successful concept is an ideal venue for the industry and trade to conduct long-term business.

Each of the new collections has its unique way of addressing the customers. The Gorenje designed by Karim Rashid, a collection that is still cloaked with a veil of secrecy and anticipation, will touch the visitors with the magic of light and the charisma of its designer; Gorenje Retro Collection will glow in the rainbow of new colours; and the new Gorenje Simplicity line will impress with its rational perfection and straightforward operation. Nevertheless, all three collections share two traits: they are power efficient and environment-friendly.

"We are well aware that development of new products is of key importance for further development of both the company and the brand, even in the time of crisis", commented Mr. Franjo Bobinac, Gorenje president and CEO, adding: "Companies that maintain a high level of innovation and development activities in the time of crisis will emerge as winners. Gorenje is determined to meet the recovery from crisis as ready as possible, with a refreshed array of products tailored to the customer's needs. This determination has materialized in new products and achievements that we are proudly presenting at this year's IFA fair in Berlin."

Gorenje is thereby reaffirming its vision of a design-minded manufacturer of household appliances, whose innovative, technologically perfected and energy-efficient solutions are setting new trends and pushing the standards upwards.

Last year, the prototype of the Gorenje for iPod refrigerator seemed to be the one Gorenje innovation that the visitors found the most impressive. As a response to the immense interest in this appliance, the interactive refrigerator is already in serial production this year and it is ready to be displayed in its final version. Integration of modern information technology into household appliances takes their performance to a new level, while keeping the operation simple, interactive and fun; and this is the key message Gorenje is communicating with this year's novelties. One of the projects also includes cooperation with Microsoft.

The classy SmarTable by Gorenje is also richer by another version. This time, it is ready to allure in new colours and materials. Especially for the occasion, Gorenje Design Studio created an exclusive edition of this classic piece: it is made of white Kerrock and comes in a playful combination of white and purple. The prestigious SmarTable in trendy purple will see its debut at the fair.

The exhibited appliance will also include the new generation of cooking appliances, launched in most European markets last year. In addition to appealing design, the collection introduces numerous new patent-protected innovative functions that are both user- and environment-friendly. The new generation of appliances was warmly welcomed by the consumers and it has already been crowned with its first award: the BO 8750 AX electronic oven of the new generation won the prestigious international Plus X Award in the categories of design and user-friendliness.

These are only some of the highlights from the verve of the Gorenje exhibition area at the IFA 2009 fair taking place from September 4th to 9th, this year, in Berlin. Gorenje will exhibit in the Hall 1.1 to which you are kindly invited with the following thought: “Whoever thinks in colours recognizes all the shades of light. The choice is yours. Select which side of light you prefer to live in.”  We hope to meet you there.