Wallpaper, the cult magazine for design, interior decoration, fashion, art, and lifestyle, ranked the Gorenje Ora-Ïto appliance collection among the nominees in the category of the best household appliances.
In the beginning of January this year, the best designer products that left an imprint on the previous year were selected in ten categories for the Wallpaper Design Awards 08. The categories included new catering facilities, cities, new private homes, new public buildings, new hotels, furniture designers, various products, fashion design, household appliances, and the so-called products for a more beautiful life.
According to the Wallpaper magazine, "Gorenje's collection of household appliances designed by the French designer Ora-Ïto, which includes a combined fridge-freezer, an oven and various cooking hobs, a kitchen hood, and decorative panels for microwave oven and dishwasher, excels by state-of-the-art technology and simplicity of use, hiding behind a minimalist appearance which features black glass and brushed aluminum."
Gorenje competed for the title of the best designer product of the previous years in a group of five nominees. Deciding among them was a six-member jury that included a hotel manager André Balazs from New York, designer Patricia Urquiola, Japanese architect Tadao Ando, Hong-Kong film director and screenwriter Wong Kar-wai, Donatella Versace, and the designer duo Langlands & Bell from London. First place in the category of the of household appliances went to contemporarily designed loudspeakers 'Katamari 01' manufactured by Giyanze, while other nominees included a retro TV set 'Alpha TV by Brionvega, Plus Minus Zero heater, and a marble washbasin 'L10' designed by Norbert Wangen for Boffi.