Zita Attalai is a footwear designer and master shoe model maker whose work explores the shoe as both functional object and cultural artifact. A graduate of the Hungarian College of Applied Arts (now the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design), she bridges industrial design and fine art, combining the technical precision of footwear production with a distinct conceptual approach.
Alongside her role as a consultant at Ben-Ross & Barben Kft., she continues to examine how design can respond thoughtfully and ethically to the evolving challenges of the industry. Through her design practice and research, Zita is committed to preserving and reinterpreting Hungary’s material culture, ensuring that traditional craftsmanship continues to inform contemporary design.
As a recipient of the 2026 Réka Darida Legacy Award, Zita will present a new body of work reimagining the traditional Szeged slipper, a hallmark of Hungarian folk fashion. Building on her long-running “Szeged slippers reloaded” project, developed with Tibor Sallay, she will create ten new pairs inspired by historic wedding footwear, blending handcraft and industrial technique to bring renewed relevance to a five-hundred-year-old tradition.
