While strolling along the hilly streets of Barcelona, Hungarian designer Kinga Nyoszoli was inspired by Catalonian locals zipping around the city on tiny plastic skateboards, reminiscent of classic “banana board” styles of the ’70s. Realizing that these mini-boards would be perfect for getting around her native Budapest, Kinga returned to her hometown and shared the idea with Laura Toth and a few other friends – and soon an adventurous new venture was born as a labor of love that is now really starting to get rolling.
The more they thought and talked about it, Kinga, Laura, and their friends grew more excited about the idea – mini-skateboards are often seen only as a children’s toy, but they are perfect accoutrements for grown-up urban living: light and small, mini-boards can fit inside of a backpack or even an oversized purse, allowing the rider to easily bring them along while out and about in the city, hopping off a bus or tram and immediately skating away. As the concept gained momentum, the friends figured out the logistics of launching a brand as artist Gábor Vállaji-Seiler designed an attractively asymmetrical logo, and in autumn of 2013 DEZKA made its debut as Hungary’s first mini-skateboard company.
The first line of these small-scale rides reflected the colorful spirit of Budapest’s street scene – durable plastic decks, sturdy trucks, and high-quality wheels were all offered in interchangeable hues ranging from blue to yellow to pink to purple. However, the most popular of DEZKA’s diamond-textured decks proved to be transparent; while some models of the first colored collection are still available, the clear version sold out within a short time after the company’s premiere.
While it can be a little difficult for riders of bigger boards to get used to the compact DEZKA decks, with a little practice most people are soon accustomed to the smaller surface, and the mini-board structure is quite well suited to young beginners. Another way that DEZKA strives to make their unique products accessible is by offering them for low prices; currently boards from the original collection are available for only 17,000 forints (about 55 euros).
After one year of successfully establishing themselves, the creative friends behind DEZKA are now expanding the brand considerably. To begin with, a new line of mini-boards is under construction with decks made of Hungarian wood, crafted with a new surface evocative of asphalt’s texture; the new board collection will be available later this autumn. Additionally, an entire line of T-shirts, bags, and other accessories are now being produced under the purview of Hungarian designers Csenge Vass and Orsi Poppre, also scheduled to debut within the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, the DEZKA team continues to create a genuine community of skating citizens – as much as possible, they like to meet every person who purchases a board to get their feedback and share the fun of riding together. With this in mind, on September 20 DEZKA is hosting their first Saturday-afternoon “Common Roll” event, a public gathering of DEZKA mini-board owners where skaters of all other board styles are also welcome. After congregating at Jászai Mari Square on the Pest side of Margaret Bridge at 5pm, anyone can meet the DEZKA crew and try out a mini-board before joining a grand procession of skaters wheeling through the city streets.
For more information about DEZKA and to order their customized mini-boards, check out www.facebook.com/dezka.boards or www.dezka.bigcartel.com, and see this Facebook page for details about Saturday’s event.
