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DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Yang Yao Chun – Lumireact

by Yang Yao Chun

This series of lamps explores how tangible interactions can make everyday actions, such as turning on the lights, more meaningful and playful. When the user gently rotates the lampshade, the light gradually illuminates, subtly transforming the space's atmosphere. By introducing an engaging, physical gesture to activate the lamp, the act of lighting becomes less mechanical and more ceremonial. The bedside lamp invites a quiet interaction before sleep. As the user slowly rotates the spherical lampshade, the light gradually emerges, creating a calming ritual that helps the user unwind. The wall lamp, meanwhile, responds to presence, a simple interaction activates a warm glow, turning a daily transition into a mindful encounter.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Yoojin Chung – Sillage

by Yoojin Chung

Sillage is an olfactory kinetic installation that explores scent as a post-digital, embodied experience. A suspended veil of organza moves through a series of ephemeral gestures, catching traces of fragrance and releasing them into its environment. In a world dominated by visual and digital saturation, Sillage highlights smell as a uniquely physical sense — immersive, time-based, and eluding digital capture. The project combines spatial design, choreographed movement, and scent dispersion with material experimentation. It investigates how fragrance, motion, and form can activate perception and presence, offering a sensory encounter that expands how we engage with space beyond the visual and virtual abstraction.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Xinyi Jiang – Still in Motion

by Xinyi Jiang

The project originates from an exploration of flexible plywood and veneer. I experimented with natural methods such as interweaving and compression to control the material, aiming to preserve the aesthetic form brought by its inherent tension. The contrast between rigid, static solid wood and the fluid, dynamic curves of bent wood establishes a quiet dialogue between stillness and motion. These opposing states are not in conflict but exist in delicate equilibrium — a visual and tactile expression of tension held in pause.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Lena Heinrich – Taxonomy of a straw bundle

by Lena Heinrich

The start of this project was the idea to create objects out of a ‘straw bundle’. Exploring possible material options, the work entailed an in depth review of different straw fibres, their value chains and setting within global environmental and social dynamics. The main piece of this work is a research book based on literature reviews, field trips, and expert interviews. It uncovers truths about traditional practices, highlights shortcomings in current material use, and proposes new ways of exploring straw as a viable material. The practical part of this project focused on experimentation with rye straw and testing techniques within the limits of working with a ‘straw bundle’, leading to the development of prototypes demonstrating the material’s potential in contemporary design.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Laura Clauscen – Here, There & In Between

by Laura Clauscen

Centred around the act of changing from inside shoes to outside shoes and vise-verser, Here, There & In Between is a scenography of footwear and imagery, exploring how we perceive and experience space through sensory rituals, movement and material artifacts. Two pairs of shoes, situated in an intentional ‘liminal-zone’, function as both metaphor and prop. Marked with a new pattern language on the soles and inner lining, they serve to heighten our awareness of the transition between one world and another; private to public, interior to exterior; both physical and psychological. The scenography includes a research publication, containing diary entries and plans for additional furniture items. The publication itself becomes a dynamic object or 'furnishing' within the scene.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Jérémie Arpa – Aurea

by Jérémie Arpa

Developed from a research on vegetal morphogenesis, Aurea is a mechanically dimmable table lamp that unites geometric precision with organic forms. Made entirely from 3D printed bioplastic (PLA), Aurea offers 360° lighting variation through its modular shade. Manually turning the rotating crown activates an epicyclic gear system, whose satellite wheels are individually mounted on the six lampshade reflectors. This system allows both illumination intensity and perceived light temperature adjustment, by modifying the orientation and distance of the reflectors in relation to the central LED bulb.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Coline Schenck – Les formes de l’inconscient

by Coline Schenck

Glazed earthenware pieces, intended for tableware and daily use, are developed through a process combining mental well-being and sensory design. Studies in neuroscience and neuroaesthetics are analyzed to identify shapes, colors, and textures that promote calm. This data is first translated visually into pastel compositions, then transformed into volumes adapted to the function of each object. The graphic composition seeks to visually stimulate while minimizing cognitive load, while the volume invites attentive tactile exploration. In a daily environment marked by sensory overload, these objects aim to reintroduce calm by turning the ordinary into a soothing refuge.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Emilie Heger – Typology of the Cut

by Emilie Heger

The aim of this research project is to bring together the earliest tools from the Palaeolithic era with contemporary gemstone cutting. While flint tools were essential to the survival of early humans, the techniques and gestures involved in stone-cutting have evolved into a particularly refined art, a symbol of wealth and power. Today, the only purpose of working precious stones, perfected by modern tools and technologies, is to maginify the reflection of light in order to produce aesthetic artefacts that are freed from their function. Typology of the Cut is a curatorial project that explores the duality between function and expression in relation to stone-cutting.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Aina Wang – Once Gold

by Aina Wang

In the 19th century, Prussian citizens gave up their gold to support the war, receiving cast-iron jewellery engraved ‘Gold gab ich für Eisen’ - ‘I gave gold for iron’. Berlin iron, an alloy of iron and carbon, covered in a layer of patinated black lacquer, was born of a moment when personal sacrifice became collective identity. This project revives that gesture by concealing the gold at the heart of the iron, like a buried memory. Inspired by military insignia and Gothic geometry, the piece evokes reverence and loss. Designed for movement, it transforms into ten forms, from brooch to pendant to belt, linking the ritual of the past with the wear and tear of the present.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Sebastian Renga – Materia Futura

by Sebastian Renga

Materia Futura reflects on the relationship between ancient forms and new technologies. The chair draws from primitive structures shaped by time, need, and clarity. This project was developed with Econit, a cellulose-based composite used in theater sets for its strength, lightness, and texture. This material enabled to reinterpret an archaic shape through digital modeling and manual refinement. The geometry feels instinctive but is carefully designed. This is not about nostalgia, but about how traditional forms can evolve through contemporary tools, and how material choices embody meaning in a time of overproduction.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Arnaud Tantet – : To a Glacier

by Arnaud Tantet

Global warming is transforming the landscapes around us. The melting of the ice is intensifying, affecting the thousand-year-old glaciers of Europe. The aim of this project, : To a Glacier, is to use design to bear witness to the Mont Blanc glacier. This work is based around holistic field research, in the form of objects, photos, brochures and sounds directly inspired by these disappearing giants. Developed in collaboration with glass artisans at the CIAV (Centre International d'Art Verrier, in Meisenthal), the results of this project have included a number of experiments in glass, using moulds made from different materials.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025 ECAL x Ceramaret

At the invitation of Watches and Wonders Geneva, ECAL will present a brand-new project in partnership with Ceramaret, a leading Swiss company in the manufacture and high-precision machining of technical ceramics. To mark the occasion, a selection of five jewellery and bracelet designs will be on display at the LAB, a venue dedicated to innovation and design. Thanks to this first collaboration with the Neuchâtel-based manufacturer, students in MAS Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship got to discover a state-of-the-art machine park. Renowned for developing and producing components for the luxury watchmaking industry, Ceramaret’s teams contributed their expertise to this ambitious research. Combining innovation with creativity, the project brings together the know-how of specialised engineers in materials science and the boundless inventiveness of an up-and-coming generation of designers. Following the presentation of the students’ 15 concepts, five designs were selected and prototyped in technical ceramics, using additive technologies – a 3D printing process that provides the possibility to create intricate, previously unimaginable shapes. This collection, including bracelets inspired by fine watchmaking and innovative jewellery designs, draws its inspiration as much from the beauty of organic forms as from the complexity of systems derived from engineering.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Inbal Yarkoney – Lot's Wife

by Inbal Yarkoney

In the Bible, Lot's family fled Sodom without looking back, but Lot's wife disobeyed and turned into a pillar of salt. Historic Sodom was located near the Dead Sea, a mineral salt lake in the heart of the Judean Desert. In Israel, salt is a waste byproduct of mineral mining in the Dead Sea. Desalination all over the world has the same issue. These processes are harmful to marine life. Despite this, salt is a beautiful, purifying material that can be completely recycled. We can transform industrial surpluses into various products. Lot's Wife explores different ways of processing salt: boiling, pressing, and crystallization. Pressing was the most promising method. Modular salt blocks were created to form the lamp as an abstraction emphasizing Lot’s wife’s movement as she is turning back.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

John Stagaman – Retrobruta

by John Stagaman

Retrobruta is a series of speakers inspired by architecture, simple geometry and radical design. The foundation of simple, geometric shapes which overlap results in a distinctive home object while being easy to manufacture, repair or dispose of. Some speakers utilize a recycled polystyrene sheet material created by Polygood, which provides interesting color & texture. The material is comprised of plastic formerly used in electronics - now given a new life in these objects in the same category. The designs serve as an example of how these advancements in sustainable, recycled plastics can be used in everyday products. Taking the form of miniature architectures - the speakers blend into the home environment and can stand alone as a design object on a shelf or countertop.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Blanche Mijonnet – Passages

by Blanche Mijonnet

Over the ages, the Silk Roads have woven many different imaginary worlds. Since the 13th century, they have been a major source of economic and artistic activity in Switzerland. Forgotten in popular history, the production of Swiss silk made Zurich’s reputation, considered the second largest silk producer in the world during the 19th century. Inspired by this powerful story, Passages shed’s new light on the history of Swiss silk by playing with the versatile properties of this natural fabric. Drawing on the image of the walkers who transported the fabrics along the way, a collection of nomadic objects emerges, all from a one-metre by one-metre square and a single ring: a bag, a scarf and a lantern. A line spreads, ready to write new stories.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Kou Tanikami – GeoFlex

by Kou Tanikami

The design of 3D printed glasses is ideal for creating lightweight frames that fit individual faces perfectly. Utilizing advanced 3D printing technology, each frame can be customized to the exact measurements of the wearer, ensuring a unique fit. By selecting titanium, known for its exceptional durability and lightness, the frames are incredibly strong yet comfortable for extended wear. A standout feature of the design is the fine cuts on the corners of the frame and nose pads. These fine cuts maintain the flexibility of the titanium and enhance comfort and fit. This design makes the frames both functional and aesthetically pleasing, combining cutting-edge technology with sophisticated style.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Nuttiya Ratchtrachenchai – Peels

by Nuttiya Ratchtrachenchai

Fruit is a universal delight, cherished by everyone. The different ways people peel and cut fruit create unique patterns that reflect individual styles. Drawing inspiration from these techniques, the basket collection embodies the intricate and distinctive patterns found in fruit peels. Crafted from high-quality leather, the baskets feature a range of colors that mimic the vibrant hues of fruit rinds. As the leather ages, its texture naturally evolves, adapting and transforming with each use to suit the owner's lifestyle. The baskets embody the elegance of simplicity, turning an everyday activity into a source of refined inspiration.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Murillo Weitz – Bird's Nest

by Murillo Weitz

The Bird’s Nest collection focuses on handloom weaving, using recycled, colorful threads from Swiss companies, reflecting the local emphasis on sustainability and recycling. The name symbolizes the intricate, resilient nature of a bird’s nest. By reusing materials, I create textiles and design pieces that are both beautiful and durable. This project highlights the importance of the craftsman's role and handcraft work, aligning with the luxury market’s demand for exclusive, high-quality products that tell a story of sustainability and innovation.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Raazia Hasnain – Shiro

by Raazia Hasnain

Shiro is a project delving into a research of the haptic qualities of a seemingly ubiquitous material: paper. An exploratory journey led to the discovery of a unique surface of Japanese origin. Holding transformative characteristics under a heat source, the magical reveal of the translucency of this paper led to the origin of Shiro. A methodical process paved the road to unique discoveries. A two dimensional surface became the canvas for 3dimensional expression, quickly lending itself to become an artisanal medium by means of special heat application tools especially designed to carve unique textures into the surface. Thus began a delicate dialogue between the paper and the person, giving birth to a boundless world of sensory perception.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Sacha Dufour – Conversation artificielle

by Sacha Dufour

Artificial Conversation is a fluid language - an exploration of liquid forms as they interact with the body. This work merges human and technology to propose a new process for creating jewelry. Using photography combined with artificial intelligence, I compose images destined to become jewelry. Experimenting with different techniques, crossing, and superimposing them until an idea is reached. I search for the form that embodies the liquid, sculpting artificial images in the same way I compose photographs. It's a game between a body, a liquid and an intelligence that needs to be guided.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Esther Alcade – Arrel

by Esther Alcade

Every year, 300 million shoes are discarded, with manufacturing producing 313 million tons of CO2 due to petroleum-derived materials. The Arrel project aims to extend the life of sports shoes by repurposing soles after 1000 km of use. Based in Mallorca, known for its basket weaving and shoemaking traditions, Arrel preserves artisanal knowledge and uses natural materials like palm fibers and esparto grass, also Arrel's new soles use biomaterials to reduce environmental impact. The project preserves Mallorca's cultural heritage by creating more durable shoes and reducing the ecological footprint.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Alix Malamaire – Crocodium

by Alix Malamaire

For many years, alligator straps have graced luxury watches, giving them a unique identity. Crocodium is inspired by this iconic material to develop a titanium reproduction using 3D printing. As a tribute, it responds to ethical needs by revealing a new visual of the alligator. The concept is being developed in the design of a watch featuring this pattern: the aim is to place the alligator as a protector of time, by applying the concept to the caseback of a reversible watch, which protects the gimbal and offers the option of wearing it as a watch or as an alligator strap.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Seunghyeon Yoo – T Chair

by Seunghyeon Yoo

T-Chair is a research-based project designed to accommodate diverse postures with compact, ergonomically-driven furniture for indoor spaces. By exploring a new typology suited to contemporary environments, T-Chair offers users a variety of usage scenarios. Its single-axis structure supports a range of movements, from focused to relaxed postures, providing adaptability and comfort in different settings.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Emilie Seguin – The Heritage of Pearls

by Emilie Seguin

What if jewelry was a storyteller? Jewelry has always embodied a narrative. It highlights places, events or important moments of life. This project reveals my heritage, a family tradition of celebrating a lineage of women: Eighteen pearls for your eighteenth birthday. How does the pearl necklace evolve from one generation to another? How can I pay homage to the existing while pushing the idea of the necklace further? Composing with the old allowed me to create something new. The result is this "fossilization" of the jewel that made such an impression on me. The embossed metal reveals an abstraction of the pearl, evoking its history, its possibilities, its evolution...

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024 ECAL x Alloyed

with Nicolas Le Moigne, Alexis Georgacopoulos, Xavier Perrenoud, Basil Dénéréaz

For the Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024 trade show, ECAL/University of Art and DesignLausanne has teamed up with Alloyed, a company that specialises in metal printingtechnologies, to present an original collection of watch straps. Designed by students in theMaster of Advanced Studies in Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship programme, thesewristbands have been developed using 3D modelling software, resulting in unique pieces thatgo beyond the limits of traditional techniques. Five of the 15 concepts designed by the students were selected and 3D printed from a finepowder of TI6AI4V titanium—an alloy composed of titanium, aluminium, and vanadium—whosemelting point of around 1,600° Celsius is obtained using a laser beam. Regularly used in theaerospace, and medical industries, this printing technique, known as Laser Powder BedFusion (L-PBF), can be used to create objects with ultra-high-performance mechanicalproperties. Each project, presented in the form of a prototype or animation, finds its inspiration in thebeauty of nature, through organic structures, as much as in complex systems, closer toengineering. This collaboration brings together technology, craftsmanship, and design—withlinks to the world of fine watchmaking—by combining the expertise of engineers specialising inthe science of materials, the know-how of artisan jewellers and their finishing skills, and thecreativity and innovative spirit of up-and-coming designers.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Céline Witzke – From Fabric to Glass: Capturing the Movement of Textiles in Experimental Glassmaking

by Céline Witzke

This project draws inspiration from the world of fashion, specifically the organic movements, volumes and textures found in textiles, and explores how these elements unintentionally create soft forms. In collaboration with Swiss glass manufacturer Niesenglass, a collection of multipurpose glass objects has been created, showcasing craftsmanship in a new light.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Shan Yu Kuan – BASUANN

by Shan Yu Kuan

BASUANN draws inspiration from the image of traditional Asian rattan/bamboo chairs. Its name echoes the pronunciation of the Taiwanese meaning “tie with cords”. Comprised of seven pieces of spiral ducts, BASUANN is assembled using mortise and tenon joints to connect the sitting part with the legs part. It is further reinforced by cords that securely bind the stool together. BASUANN seamlessly blends contemporary furniture design with the evocative imagery of Asian traditional craftsmanship, showcasing the aesthetic of minimalistic design.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Charitini Gkritzali – Topology of a Body

by Charitini Gkritzali

Deriving inspiration from 20th century orthopaedic braces, Topology of a Body is a series of body jewellery items that closely conform to the human anatomy and resemble the body’s structural elements. Each piece is composed by solid geometrical shapes and organic curves that are created with silver or steel wire. The thickness of the wire is altered in a dynamic rhythm, highlighting the morphology of the body. The metal structure, which is carefully designed to envelop the human figure, ultimately takes on a sculptural form. Just like orthopaedic braces, the pieces of jewellery are designed to allow the body to move, yet seem to keep it in a constant state of immobility. This paradox eventually raises a question: do these objects enable or restrain the body’s movements?

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Marine Col – ROPY

by Marine Col

Ropy is a seriously playful stool that plays with the past. Designed in a single, light stroke, this object draws its charm from the reuse of materials. Old naval ropes from the port of Lausanne, their colours tarnished by time, serve as raw material and become precious material once the object has been made.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Anaïs Sulmoni – IVORIA

by Anaïs Sulmoni

Once prized and valued by craftspeople, bone is now perceived as dirty and worthless. Yet, it is still widely used by cosmetics and food industries. It has appealed to me for many years because of its similarity to ivory and because of its living aspect, even though it represents death. Drawing on the abundance of this organic waste, I set out to recreate the prestige of ivory. I discovered the potential of bone as glue and powder, applied to different supports: solid wood, wood shavings and fabrics. The research book and models highlight bone, which presents new aesthetic and structural possibilities and acts as the first step towards reconciliation with this precious material.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Hyeseung Nam – Clover Series

by Hyeseung Nam

Clover Series is an object that features user-friendly graphic patterns, created by the properties of the materials. Reinterpreting the details of the shaker box, the series creates overlapping graphics based on the number of patterns that are stacked. The objects can be used in various ways in the kitchen or living room, adding a playful vibe to the place. The surfaces of the object are assembled vertically and connected by rivets. The round-cutting detail of the connection covers the parting line of the material while providing an aesthetic finish. Clover Series offers a sensual approach to materials, at the crossroads of design and craftsmanship.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Victor Montour – Brik

by Victor Montour

Deeply rooted in the world of architecture, clay bricks have always been appreciated for their structural qualities. However, this humble building material has many other qualities that are just waiting to be revealed. The Brik vase collection aims to elevate the brutalist language of this archetype through artisanal processes. Working hand-in-hand with ceramists and specialised manufactures, this project acts as a meeting point between these two figures of design – a combination of mechanical precision and artisanal singularity. This collection of vases also questions our reflexes as creators and consumers. What if we designed novelty out of banality? Can we learn to recognise the beauty of normality?

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Heein Im – Balancing Circle

by Heein Im

Balancing Circle is a sculptural object that experiments with the tension and flexibility of textiles. As people walk past, the installation generates unexpected excitement by swaying lightly and interacting with the surrounding space. The object also focuses on material research with elements that are commonly used for fashion accessories such as leather, yarn and fabric. The circle is a shape that is considered to be perfectly balanced. However, by placing it in a critical position, our attention is drawn to the second moment of balance applied to the circle. It is as if we were attempting to establish stability in every situation, forgetting that we are already perfectly balanced beings.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Checkie Ieong – Dynamic Reflections

by Checkie Ieong

In the realm of high jewellery, where opulence and elegance often reign supreme, the quest for innovation and creativity continues to push the boundaries of design. The convergence of technology and artistry has paved the way for an exciting evolution in the world of jewellery, giving rise to interactive and playful pieces that transcend traditional aesthetics. This high jewellery collection draws inspiration from the mesmerising allure of kinetic movement. The collection is a testament to the harmonious marriage of motion and meticulous craftsmanship. Inspired by the captivating dynamism found in kinetic art, each piece in this collection encapsulates the essence of movement, inviting the wearer to engage, interact and partake in the unfolding narrative of the jewellery.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Johannes Seibel – Mono 4T Exhibition

by Johannes Seibel

The spatial design Mono 4T Exhibition was developed for an event of the German design manufactory Mono in collaboration with the German Design Graduates for the 40th anniversary of the Mono teapot. The core elements of the modular system are reused tea glass shipping boxes, which are stabilised by four stainless steel L-profiles fixed together with a packaging strap. A stainless-steel sheet is placed on the support structure providing a high-quality stage for the ten sculptural objects designed by the selected graduates. Text on the sheet’s bent front sides informs about the designer’s name and object title. After the exhibition, the sheets will be recycled into production. Large-format detail photos of the objects, printed on fabric banners, enhance the exhibition’s visual experience.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Cristina Rodríguez Solé – Arrassall

by Cristina Rodríguez Solé

Drought and high temperatures in Catalonia cause many fires during the summer. The authorities are responsible for the forestry work in the country’s woods to prevent them. Pine wood, which makes up most of these forests, is considered of lower value because it is harvested as part of forest management. However, its characteristics are similar to those of other woods in the area. To enhance the value of this material and to give highlight the issue, the project aims to use this wood for the manufacture of limited-edition furniture. As an example, a stool and a bench have been created. Their shape is dictated by the size of the slats obtained from the tree, minimising processes and making the most of the material. Furthermore, to reduce the carbon footprint, all the furniture is made locally.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Naomi Nguyen – Harlequin Lamp

by Naomi Nguyen

Illuminating Elegance Through Glass The Harlequin Lamp set is available in three sizes in clear glass, to adorn various surfaces such as tables, desks and bedside stands. Each size brings its own unique charm and luminosity, providing a harmonious blend of practicality and artistic flair. the Harlequin Lamp set is a testament to the timeless allure of glass as a medium for creative expression that invites one to immerse oneself in a world of light, beauty and carnival spirit.