Designer and creative director Ieva Kalēja heads the selection jury for the National Design Award of Latvia 2026 in the product design category. Ieva has extensive experience in product design, and her brand Mammalampa has gained international recognition. Currently, one of Ieva’s missions is to foster the development of the design industry in Latvia and promote our design abroad. In the Nice Touch section, Ieva talks about an element that unites her everyday life, her greatest passion, and her travel experiences.
«A significant part of my life is connected with water. My greatest passion is scuba diving, which allows me to experience incredible silence, peace, and rejuvenation — just you and your breath, everything slowed down. It is my spiritual practice.
Also, when travelling to a new place, the first thing I look for in a city is opportunities to dive into the water. I definitely prefer visiting a spa to a fancy restaurant — the experience is more impressive and sometimes even cheaper. Many European cities have fantastic historic pools, through which you can also learn about the history of the city itself. Elsewhere, innovative design solutions have been created for enjoying water.
As it happens, my passion for water has brought me closer to the Latvian bath brand PAA, where I work as creative director. I believe that time spent in the bath can be the best part of the day, allowing us to enjoy a much-needed break from the daily rush — after all, tranquillity is the new luxury.»
Ieva Kalēja strives to create iconic design objects. Her brand Mammalampa has gained wide international recognition. In 2020, the influential New York design magazine Elle Decor ranked Ieva among the world’s ten most talented female designers. In addition to product design, Ieva helps develop design brands and promote Latvian design — she is one of the founders of the Design Export Alliance and the head of the Design Latvia brand. Ieva is currently also the creative director of the PAA bath manufacturer.
Ieva leads the selection jury of the National Design Award of Latvia 2026 in the product design category. The nominees of the autumn session of the competition have recently been announced, and submissions for the winter session are open until March 20.
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