Anna Słowińska - Owczarek Speaks at Conference at the Ministry of Development and Technology

On 22–23 October 2026, Warsaw hosted the International Conference “The Power of Design: Strategy. Identity. Protection”, organised by the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland. One of the speakers was Anna Słowińska-Owczarek, Product Manager at Deante and designer of the Silia overhead shower. This is a great honour for us. It also confirms that Polish design, including design created for the bathroom, now has a strong voice in the conversation about the future of design.

The conference took place in the Hall Under the Dome at the Ministry of Development and Technology, which co-organised the event. The international partners were the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and the Polish Press Agency was the media patron. Experts, business practitioners, designers and representatives of national and international institutions, including the European Commission, came to Warsaw. Together they examined the role of design in today’s economy.

The programme covered four main areas:

• New legal and technological challenges. Speakers discussed how industrial design protection is changing in Europe and what digitalisation means for it. New types of designs have appeared, such as graphical user interfaces, holograms and VR/AR solutions. The legal aspects of designing with artificial intelligence were also covered.
• Strategy and sustainable development. Design drives sustainable growth and prosperity. It is also a foundation of the competitiveness of Polish and European manufacturing companies.
• Polish success industries and tradition. Speakers looked at the phenomenon of Polish design, from craftsmanship and tradition, such as Koniaków lace and ceramics, to the global successes of the furniture, fashion, glass and rail vehicle industries.
• Education, support and enforcement of rights. Topics included public support for design and education in intellectual property. Speakers also discussed how infringements are prosecuted effectively in cooperation with the Police and the National Revenue Administration.

A practitioner’s voice from the manufacturing industry

Anna Słowińska-Owczarek spoke about the role of design in contemporary industrial design. She brought the perspective of someone who guides a product every day from the first sketch to its market launch. Her Silia overhead shower shows clearly that industrial design is more than aesthetics. It means a well-considered form, ergonomics and production technology. It also means protecting the design, which lets a company build a competitive advantage.

Design wisely and protect what we create

The main message of the conference is captured well by Aneta Stuleblak, Deputy President of the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland:

“My personal message to creators and designers: design wisely, with passion, and protect your work. And for us, the institutions: let’s not be passive. Let’s support creators and develop good practices and tools that will support their work. The most important step ahead of us is a national strategy for the development of industrial design.”

At Deante, we fully agree. For years we have invested in our own design and built design expertise within the company. We believe that a strong brand starts with an original, well-protected design.

Thank you

We thank the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland for the invitation and for organising an event that does so much to strengthen the position of Polish design. Congratulations to Anna on her presentation. We are proud that our team is helping to shape the conversation about the future of Polish design.