Katarina Trpcic is a product designer based in Zagreb, Croatia.
Born in the small town of Ozalj, Croatia in 1998, where she spent her beloved childhood. In 2017, she graduated from the science-mathematics Course in Gymnasium Karlovac and enrolled in the School of Design at the Faculty of Architecture in Zagreb, which gave her the privilege and challenge to transform her story and sensibility into concepts and works.
She is the winner of two Rector's awards from the University of Zagreb. She participates in numerous design festivals such as DA! festival, ZGDW, HALABALA, and Exhibition of Croatian Design 21/22, while as a winner of the Young Balkan Designers contest with the project "The Last Jar of Honey", she exhibits at Salone del Mobile in Milan in 2022. With her master project “Naše”, she participated in Zagreb Design Week 2024 Award exhibition, after which Naše will be exhibited at Barcelona Design Week 2024 Underground BDW, and at the Exhibition of Croatian Design 23/24 in 2025.
She believes that being surrounded by the rich cultural and historical heritage, customs, and techniques of the community, as well as natural beauty, from an early age shaped her to become a creator in the field of art or design. She is fascinated by the meaning of home, the poetics of space and objects, and the heritage and identity of the region where she lives - with a passion for making honest and mindful solutions with each project and with love for natural materials.
In March 2024 she did her first lecture as a part of DA! festival at the Association of Architects of Zagreb, under the title “Naše i moje”/”Ours & mine” in which she highlighted the contrast between the individual approach to student and personal projects and her professional work in the automotive industry, without which, she believes, she would not have come to many conclusions about her approach to work, dedication to details, but also her flexibility as a designer, being able to step completely out of her comfort zone.
Experience in design teams in the automotive & furniture industry.
Katarina started her first working experience as a CMF Design Intern (color-material-finish design) at Rimac Automobili in Sveta Nedelja during her master's degree years. After graduating from college, she became a full-time member of the wider international Bugatti Rimac family as a CMF designer. Her main role was handling the customization process from the start to the final stage of producing Nevera, alongside various projects. This role merges different kinds of activities, from presenting the car's personalization possibilities to tracking all related preparation and production processes while working in teams and collaborating with numerous departments. From her team projects, besides unique bespoke configurations of Rimac Nevera, she would highlight the Bugatti Mistral show car project, Rimac Nevera Time Attack limited edition, Rimac Nevera 15th Anniversary edition, and Nevera R show car project. She was a part of Bugatti Rimac until June 2024. She appreciates her time in the automotive industry, which gave her extraordinary experiences and challenges. After maturing in CMF Design, she is ready for a change in the industry and the simultaneous development of her self-initiated projects.
Before her journey in the design world began, she was captivated by satisfying products, collaborations, and the forward vision of furniture design & factory Prostoria Ltd in Sveti Križ Začretje, Croatia. 8+ years later, from the quickest luxury-tech hypercars, that journey continued with genuine and innovative furniture of Prostoria. Sharing her passion and creative energy, second experience as a Visual Communications Design Specialist at Prostoria gave her another perspective in business and industry, leading the product, event, and fair campaigns.
workshops/skills
1) MADE IN Precious Wood Workshop, turning wheel/twisting shapes and colours, Schneeberg, DE
2) clay modeling in hand techniques inspired by nature, Studio owl in Zagreb, CRO
3) carpet tufting, tuftlab. Amsterdam, NE
4) shaping with leather, product: leather pendant, La Vacchetta Grassa in Modena, IT
5) laminating in mold w/ carbon fiber, product: CMF carbon sample, Rimac Automobili, CRO
6) painting raw ceramic tiles w/cobalt, Porto, POR & Amsterdam, NE
contact
katarinatrpcic98@gmail.com