FINA Budapest2017 – Here are the Championships’ logo

The mascots – two waterlilies – are the work of graphic designer Tibor Tatai.

‘Even basketball players would have been jealous if they saw my jump right after hearing the news about being appointed to design to official World Championships mascots. It is a great honour and responsibility because everyone is interested in this great event in every corner of the world – so, actually, this grand attention is quite new to me. The basic idea of the mascots was the Championships’ logo, the water element – said the young Hungarian artist.

He sought the simplicity and tried to follow the theme of the well-known World Championships logo, while making sure to emphasise water, the largest natural resource of Hungary, together with the flower pattern.

Start of a fairy tale: Lilly and Willy

The designer of the mascots of the 17th FINA World Championships feels like being in another world while working. His daughters were his hardest criticisers during the designing period. Exclusive interview with Tibor Tatai, designer of Lilly and Willy.

He just jotted his first ideas spontaneously, brainstormed around the basic elements of the mascot. The following words were written down: sweet, lovely, kids, fit in hands. He appointed the conception to use the most essential characteristics of the official logo and design elements of the World Championships. This was the basis of all ideas. While using drops, Tibor was trying to interpret the sense of water, emphasizing that the Event is about more than aquatics.