Logo Fashion.at

17 April 2025

Red Dot Award 2025 for Sedda: Weatherproof Design in Classic Upholstery Tradition for Outdoor Furniture

Sedda wins the Red Dot Award 2025 with Outdoor Lounge Gibraltar. Photo: © sedda.

Red Dot: A Global Seal of Design Quality

The Red Dot Award, established in 1955, is among the most prestigious design competitions worldwide. With categories ranging from product and communication design to design concepts, it serves as a benchmark for innovation and aesthetic excellence across industries such as consumer electronics, furniture, mobility, and lifestyle products. Each year, an international jury of experts evaluates thousands of submissions. The 2025 edition is currently in the process of revealing its winning entries in the Product Design category.

Among the First Names: Sedda from Upper Austria

One of the first publicly announced winners of the Red Dot Award 2025 is the Upper Austria-based upholstered furniture manufacturer Sedda, which receives the award for its first outdoor system, the modular lounge collection Gibraltar. The company, rooted in a tradition of high-quality interior upholstery, steps into the outdoor segment with a concept that blends structural durability, textile innovation, and minimalist elegance.

The awarded design was created in collaboration with Sven Dogs, a Berlin-born designer currently based in Vienna. As Sven Dogs confirmed in a phone call with Fashion.at today, he was informed of the award just last week. His client list includes internationally recognized names such as Jil Sander and Backhausen. The Red Dot recognition marks a further milestone in his career. Official jury statements on the selection have not yet been published; the competition website is expected to be updated with the first 2025 entries in the coming weeks. The award ceremony will take place on 8 July in Essen, where Red Dot is headquartered.

Textile Know-How Meets Weather Resistance

While the official jury comments are still pending, it is likely that the decision was influenced by the way Gibraltar balances function and aesthetics. The lounge system features modular elements, double-walled stainless-steel frames finished with weather-resistant powder coating, and an open strapping of the backrest that echoes traditional upholstery techniques in a contemporary outdoor context.

The design integrates textile innovation with outdoor resilience: a membrane lining inside the cushions protects against moisture, while exclusive outdoor fabrics imitate the tactile qualities of luxury indoor materials. The strapping, textiles, and frame coatings are tonally coordinated, offering a refined yet durable palette designed for a variety of outdoor living scenarios. According to the designer's website svendogs.com, Dogs appreciated the use of visibly colored straps, which contribute to a lighter overall appearance and were intended to be an integral part of the design.

Outlook

The Red Dot Award 2025 recognition signals not only a strong entry for Sedda into the exclusive outdoor furniture segment but also showcases the relevance of Austrian craftsmanship and design in the international arena. It also marks another milestone for Sven Dogs, whose design approach merges traditional craftsmanship with modern-day functionality.

As the official jury remarks are yet to be published, and further details expected to follow in the lead-up to the award ceremony in July, one thing is already clear: the Gibraltar lounge system stands as a thoughtfully engineered solution that redefines what outdoor living can look and feel like.


Image: Sedda wins the Red Dot Award 2025 with outdoor lounge Gibraltar. Photo: © sedda.