The second Belgrade Design Week will take place from May 7 until May 12, and this year, it's even better! Three days of total change at the conference change² and over 50 exhibitions, premieres and presentations throughout the city of Belgrade within the accompanying program Beograd² represent an event that should not be missed.

In the course of the most exciting world business and educational conference,  the most spectacular line-up of lecturers coming from the world of branding, design, architecture, publishing, and advertising will explain us why and how the world is chainging.

innovation2 - May 10, 2007: dedicated to branding. Successful companies (Swarowski, Alessi, Gaia&Gino), as well as popular destinations (Istria/Croatia, Rioja/Spain), stand out from their competitors by being familiar with the most complex secrets of branding and are willing to share their knowledge with you. Introduction: the leading global magazine for market communications – Creative Review, UK, and cutting egde luxury branding consultants - The Partners from London.

revolution2 - May 11, 2007: dedicated to architecture and design. Powerful women who have shaken traditionally male disciplines such as design and architecture, from Zaha Hadid and Winka Dubbeldam to Matali Crasset, Hella Jongerius and Patricia Urquiola, will reveal what is so revolutionary about the “female creative principle”. Accompanied with the legendary Italian magazine- Domus, and the rising stars of New Europe - the formidable duo Bevk-Perovic from Ljubljana.

evolution2 - May 12, 2007: in short, the greatest hits of this creative conference, intended for the curious minds not content with staying within only one profession. It is difficult to single out the biggest star among the following: the Dutch cult magazine Frame, the Saloni Satellite design guru Marva Griffin, the architect Rem Koolhas - equally good at shopping and politics, one of the youngest and most successful global designers - Ora Ito, branding agency BSUR Consulting and post-production house The Mill, that have changed the rules of the game.

Because where the success of brand2 was the foundation, change2 is the evolution. We recognise Belgrade's importance as a regional focal point for design and creativity, and that because of this it is also the perfect stage from which to share the latest innovations in these two arenas. With international guest speakers from all walks of the design world, nowhere is better geared up to explore their thoughts and ideas and their application to "smaller nations" and "new states". We recognise the inherent economic potential of South Eastern Europe, and the benefits available to be gleaned from the experiences of the rest of the business world. change2 then is a portal, a meeting of minds where the innovators and the visionaries of South Eastern Europe are invited to listen and to learn, to take notes, to imagine and to dream.

We believe that changes that become the drivers of a modern economy are found first in the creative disciplines. BDW is the ideal "shop window" through which to browse these changes as they occur. In the course of that week, just as in the time of the ancient Olympics, one attends, on neutral ground, an intense crash course on modern global tendencies and how to succeed in the increasingly competitive local and global marketplace.

This year, previous guests and present ambassadors of BDW such as Peter Saville, Jan Rijkenberg, Eugenio Perazza, KesselsKramer, Miles Newlyn, Deyan Sudjic, Metadesign, Ben Evans and others have surpassed last year's high standard by bringing together the very finest minds in the fields of design and branding. We succeeded last year; it seems that we are going to be even better this year. Unbelievable!

Salone Satellite represents a jump start for young creative persons and an extraordinary opportunity for leaders in furniture industry to meet the new generation of talented designers whose time is to come.  Hundreds of products, which were presented for the first time at Salone Satellite as prototypes, and are today a part of the catalogues of prestigious companies, demonstrate the idea and concept of the exhibition as a reference point in careers of young and non-affirmed designers. The founder and the custodian of this, in many aspects, unique forum of creativity and innovation is Marva Griffin Wilshire.

Born in Venezuela, Marva Griffin has been living and working for more that three decades in Milan. She has dedicated all her life to design. She has worked as a PR of the renowned furniture manufacturers such as C&B Italy (now, B&B Italy), she has cooperated with several magazines of Conde Nast publishing house and is a member of Architecture and Design Committee of MOMA in New York. Since 1998, she has been a director and custodian of Salone Satellite, which takes place within the furniture exhibition in Milan and represents a unique platform for promotion of young designers. Students and newcomers in the world of design exhibit their experimental works and establish contacts with media and representatives of furniture industry.

On the occasion of its tenth anniversary, Salone Satellite organizes the exhibition “A Dream Come True – Salone Satellite projects: From Inception to Production”, with Beppe Finessi as its custodian.

In her multidisciplinary practice, Matali Crasset explores the limits of personal and public space, turning the rituals of everyday life into new excitements. In her opinion, it is essential to develop new projects and search new directions - this is a philosophy that feeds on and inspires her projects, especially in exhibitions designing.

She was born in France, in 1965. She acquired a diploma of École Nationale de Création Industrielle in 1991, and soon afterwards, she presented her project at the Design triennale in Milan. After having cooperated with Denis Santechiara on architectural and design projects, she worked with Philippe Starck in his agency and afterwards in Thomson Multimedia as a manager of Thim Thom Design Centre, too. In 1998, she founded her own studio, and Matail Crasset productions company in 2002.

Moving without difficulties through the world of design - from industrial and graphic design to stage and interior design - Matali has worked for numerous clients, such as Abac, Artemide, Camif, Centre Georges Pompidou, DeVechi, Dim, Domodinamica, Hermes, Hi, Issey Myaké, Lexon, Orangina, Plaxer, Premiere Classe, Premiere Vision le Salon, Pitti Immagine, Red Cell, San Lorenzo, Seb/Tefal, Tendence, Who’s Next.

The Allesi Company was founded in 1921. in Crusinnalo, Piemont region. After fifty years had passed, the manufacturer of metal household items became one of the most innovative “Italian design factories”.

Being the third generation of Alessi family, Alberto Alessi took over the management of the company in 1970. Exploring the ranges of technology and design, he has radically expended the offer of products, leading Alessi into a new era of cooperation with the most significant world designers and architects such as Jasper Morrison, Richard Sapper, Ron Arad, Michael Graves, Aldo Rossi, and Philippe Starck.

In 2006, the company divided products into three branches: Officina Alessi - a collection of the first-class products with a limited production and unique creative vision, Alessi - a collection including brand products intended for somewhat more massive market and Adi Alessi - a collection with significantly more accessible prices, available to the widest range of consumers.