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2008 2026
Charlie Collet – CODE FORMEL

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Charlie Collet – CODE FORMEL

by Charlie Collet

CODE FORMEL explores the formal language of accessories and its translation into the realm of domestic objects. The project investigates the relationship between structure and ornament, restraint and expression, functionality and emotional presence. Through a collection of objects, the research examines how a detail, a tension, or an assembly system can become a carrier of character and identity. Positioned at the intersection of design, material culture, and contemporary luxury, CODE FORMEL explores how pieces designed for space can embody the same emotional, tactile, and personal qualities traditionally associated with accessories.

Seoho Ahn – Cascade

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Seoho Ahn – Cascade

by Seoho Ahn

Jewellery is often seen as an ornamental object, yet it contains structural principles. A chain forms a continuous system of interconnected links that responds to gravity and distributes forces throughout its structure. Cascade explores how this logic can be translated from the body to space. When scaled up, the chain evolves from a decorative element into a load-bearing framework. Connections between links become structural joints, while the continuous flow of the chain becomes a path for transferring and balancing forces. Rather than borrowing the aesthetics of jewellery, Cascade translates its structural principles into a furniture system, transforming a decorative chain into an architectural structure.

Yin Sheng – Montre à Tact – A Tactile Reading of Time

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Yin Sheng – Montre à Tact – A Tactile Reading of Time

by Yin Sheng

Inspired by the historical montre à tact and pocket watch culture in Europe, Montre à Tact – A Tactile Reading of Time explores a more intimate way of reading time through touch rather than sight. Historically, checking the time in social settings could be considered impolite — an impression that remains in contemporary social life, encouraging a discreet tactile reading of time. The watch consists of a closed upper dial and a tactile middle ring set with a diamond. The upper dial protects the movement and creates a restrained visual language. The tactile ring can be rotated by hand until a subtle resistance indicates the approximate hour. The diamond acts as both a precious material and a tactile anchor, creating a quiet and personal relation to time.

Maxime Billoud – Lampe trois + 1

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Maxime Billoud – Lampe trois + 1

by Maxime Billoud

Lampe trois + 1 is rooted in material research and innovation. At the intersection of craftsmanship and design, this ceramic and porcelain lamp reflects both the artisan's gesture and the designer's approach. It is composed of three identical legs connected by a central technical component, while molded porcelain panels are integrated into the structure. The smoked clay elements, inspired by the Japanese raku technique, contrast with the delicacy and translucency of porcelain. Designed as a flat-pack lamp that can be easily assembled, Lampe trois + 1 embodies a process of material exploration while resulting in a functional and tangible object.

Júlia Claveria Baro – ONE SIXTY C — Melting Ribbons: working with discarded polypropylene

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Júlia Claveria Baro – ONE SIXTY C — Melting Ribbons: working with discarded polypropylene

by Júlia Claveria Baro

ONE SIXTY C, a fictional brand of home objects, explores how heated polypropylene ribbons can shift from soft textile to structural surface through a repeatable melting process. Rooted in a Catalan reference — the traditional espadrille — the project translates this logic into monomaterial home objects for the foot: house sandals and doormats. By fusing layers of ribbon into self supporting bases, ONE SIXTY C proposes a form of contemporary craftsmanship, where industrial leftovers are carefully reworked into precise, hand led objects for domestic use. All from a single humble ribbon.

Nayun Kwon – Crème Chantilly

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Nayun Kwon – Crème Chantilly

by Nayun Kwon

Crème Chantilly originates from a 1,300-year-old Japanese wax-working tradition. Composed of beeswax and pine resin, the material responds to the warmth of the hand: it is stretched, folded, and twisted rather than being carved. Its organic striations emerge through movement, leaving behind traces of gesture and time. Extending this material logic, this project develops an extrusion-based process that shapes the wax through compression, like piping cream. The resulting forms are translated into metal through lost-wax casting. What remains is not simply a form, but a record of movement. By preserving the fluid, viscous qualities of wax within a rigid material, Crème Chantilly challenges conventional notions of metal and proposes an alternative approach to jewelry making.

Alex Ortega – Shrine

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Alex Ortega – Shrine

by Alex Ortega

Shrine is a response to the dematerialization of contemporary audio equipment. As listening devices have increasingly become anonymous boxes, sound has become disconnected from the furniture, craftsmanship, and rituals that once shaped the domestic listening experience. Shrine is a wall-mounted cabinet designed to elevate listening into a deliberate act. The speaker is wrapped in vintage-treated fabric and minimally finished birch plywood, bringing warmth and tactility to an object category often defined by abstraction and utility. By treating audio equipment as a piece of furniture rather than a device, Shrine restores a sense of ritual, permanence, and presence to the act of listening.

Vanessa Shababzadeh – With & Within

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Vanessa Shababzadeh – With & Within

by Vanessa Shababzadeh

A constellation of dots gives rise to a continuous line that unfolds into interconnected forms and objects. Marking the entry point of the home, With & Within creates a correspondence between inside and outside through rhythm, continuity, and a dialogue both with and within the form.

Anna Andersson – LYSA

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Anna Andersson – LYSA

by Anna Andersson

LYSA is a portable lamp designed for outdoor rituals and small everyday adventures. Inspired by the emotional connection we have to bags and objects made to be carried, the project explores how light can become something intimate and mobile. The lamp is intended for picnics, gardens, balconies, and walks in nearby nature, bringing a sense of warmth and domesticity outdoors. It features dimmable light, USB-C charging, and a protected charging port. The materials — cork, dark brown suede, and linen fabric — were chosen for their tactile and atmospheric qualities. LYSA explores fabric translucency, color tones, light diffusion, and stabilization techniques to create an object that feels soft, warm, and made to accompany quiet moments outdoors.

Martin Brouckaert – Brunch Service

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Martin Brouckaert – Brunch Service

by Martin Brouckaert

Brunch Service is a modular collection of objects that transforms Sunday brunch into an architectural landscape. It consists of containers, utensils, and cutlery that, when stacked, create abstract graphic silhouettes. Based on tubular forms, the objective of this project is to break away from industrial standards through a twist that forms sculptural compositions. This system was designed to elevate the ritual of brunch, acting as a reinterpretation of modern silverware that serves as a celebration.

Alice Brovarone – Soft Hidden Gesture

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Alice Brovarone – Soft Hidden Gesture

by Alice Brovarone

Soft Hidden Gesture is a stackable ceramic object composed of five elements. Assembled, they form a sculptural form inspired by the silhouette of a Japanese temple. Its true nature only emerges when it is taken apart: the object becomes a tea set. The contrast between exterior and interior colors reinforces this transition — the inside reveals a different color, visible only once the object is opened. Each element is designed digitally to ensure precise joints and formal continuity. The transition to ceramics introduces a fundamental tension, the material lives, shrinks, reacts. A further challenge is to develop a visual identity able to reflect the inner meaning of the project. The piece is intended in porcelain, a material whose delicacy suits the quiet character of the object.

Huisu Cho – BAN Lounge Collection

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Huisu Cho – BAN Lounge Collection

by Huisu Cho

BAN Lounge Collection is a sculptural furniture experiment inspired by the East Asian concept of "BAN / 盤," meaning vessel. Originally developed through a collaborative furniture project, the collection expands a model of recessed geometries into lounge chairs, completing a furniture series for hospitality and waiting. Through repeated carved forms, the table accommodates tea trays and objects, while the lounge chair supports moments of rest and pause. Inspired by the restrained reflections of East Asian lacquer culture, the matte black finish softly reveals light and shadow. The table's central slit organizes books and magazines, supporting conversation and waiting within lounge spaces.

Joelle Cifelli – Per Fumum

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Joelle Cifelli – Per Fumum

by Joelle Cifelli

Per Fumum is a project rooted in historical, anthropological and typological research into the objects through which scent is contained and diffused. By observing recurring forms and uses, it explores the relationship between fragrance, domestic space and ritual. This research gives rise to an editorial project, Taxonomy of Scented Forms, and to the design of an oil lamp that brings both light and fragrance. Ceramic pods hold the liquid perfume, diffused by the heat of the flame, reinterpreting historical archetypes in a contemporary language. Made of glass and ceramic, Per Fumum echoes the materials of antiquity, re-establishing a material continuity with the past while proposing a renewed sensory experience: to inhabit the object of light and scent.

Chiara Corno – Acolyte

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Chiara Corno – Acolyte

by Chiara Corno

Acolyte is a collection of pouches designed to be added to various bags with handles. It is the ideal accessory for providing extra storage space to a bag that needs it. Ingenious and intuitive, this collection has been designed to be as simple as possible to use: simply slide the pouch over the bag, through the handles, and it will stay perfectly in place. These leather accessories are enhanced by stitching details reminiscent of the codes of leather goods. With their slightly rounded shapes, these pouches feature a sleek, functional and graphic design. The three models in the range have been designed to suit preferences and needs of the users: it is even possible to customise the colours of the materials.

Chun Deng – Gaze

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Chun Deng – Gaze

by Chun Deng

Gaze explores the optical relationship between water, glass and graphic patterns. Composed of a carafe and a glass, the set is covered with precise, restrained parallel linear motifs. When water is poured into the vessels, the refraction of the liquid disturbs the apparent order of the graphics: the lines shift, overlap and intersect, creating a dynamic effect. The object is activated only through use: filling, pouring and drinking transform a static motif into a changing visual experience. Between scientific experiment and decorative table art, Gaze treats water not as a neutral content but as an optical medium, transforming an everyday gesture into a delicate moment of perception.

Jaekyoung Kim – Lines of Support

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Jaekyoung Kim – Lines of Support

by Jaekyoung Kim

Lines of Support is inspired by the ropes, nets, and container structures found in ports and coastal environments. Ropes and nets are used to connect, support, and secure objects, while containers are designed to hold, protect, and transport goods. This project explores how functional systems of connection can be transformed into a sculptural language. Using rope and stitching as main tools, it investigates how lines and connection points on flat surfaces can develop into forms and volumes in three dimensions. Stitching is not used as a decorative element, but as a structural method that joins ropes together and supports the form. Through repetition, stitching becomes a construction technique and a visual language, and the methods of connection themselves evolve into a structural textile.

Julianna Probst – Light Standard

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Julianna Probst – Light Standard

by Julianna Probst

Light Standard continues the designer's ongoing exploration of craft within utilitarian systems. The design's key elements — poeticism, solitude, protection — were born from extensive study of the often-overlooked street lamp. The design process was one of observation and collection as much as creation. Thin cables nestled within a carbon fiber tube allows gravity to bend the pole in a familiar yet unexpected way. A torsion spring transforms the post lamp into a reading lamp with a playful and delicate gesture. Light Standard balances precision and craftsmanship with spontaneity.

Emilie Heger – Typology of the Cut

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.

Coline Schenck – Les formes de l’inconscient

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.

Arnaud Tantet – : To a Glacier

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.

Aina Wang – Once Gold

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.

Tommy Jiang – Syntax Supellex

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Tommy Jiang – Syntax Supellex

by Tommy Jiang

Syntax Supellex explores how meaning can emerge through combination, drawing inspiration from the structure and logic of the Chinese language. It consists of three abstract furniture objects, each with open-ended functionality. Individually, they remain ambiguous and abstract; when combined, their function becomes specific—reflecting how Chinese characters refine meaning through compounding. Influenced by my cultural background and the structural principles of Hanzi, the project is realised in wood, metal, and soft upholstery—each representing a milestone in the evolution of Chinese script. Together, the pieces create a balance of solidity, softness, and elegance. The result is a collection of flexible, expressive forms that communicate through form, rooted in linguistic thought.

Sebastian Renga – Materia Futura

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.

Erwann Harrison – Lugh E"C

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Erwann Harrison – Lugh E"C

by Erwann Harrison

Passionate about horology, I designed a watch case and bracelet featuring moving lugs that allow the timepiece to wrap comfortably around any sized wrist. Made from titanium, the design aims to fit a rugged, playful and elegant aesthetic and remind the wearer that every second counts. This continues with the hands and dial, especially through the outer. After exploring what it would take to bring the watch to market, I also created a brand and promotional strategy selling a lifestyle as well as the watch. This includes a specific mission of high quality, comfort, and making every second count, for a specific target audience of people that are in control of their lives, all compiled into a magazine-style publication.

Yoojin Chung – Sillage

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.

Laura Clauscen – Here, There & In Between

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.

Jérémie Arpa – Aurea

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.

Yang Yao Chun – Lumireact

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.

Bom Noh – Plastic Love

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Bom Noh – Plastic Love

by Bom Noh

Plastic Love reinterprets the sculptural gestures of the Murano chandelier—a historical icon of luxury—to question how we define craftsmanship and value in contemporary context. Combining digital tools with the trace of the hand, the work emphasises the irregularities and physical presence that resist automation. Plastic, long associated with mass production and ecological harm, is reframed not as a cheap substitute but as a site of embodied labour and material critique. Through repetition, imperfection, and time, it gains a new kind of beauty. By deliberately choosing a material often dismissed, the project unsettles inherited hierarchies and challenges our assumptions about refinement—demonstrating how design can function not as a solution, but as a question.

Patrick Storey – Design For Rest

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Patrick Storey – Design For Rest

by Patrick Storey

Design For Rest is a speculative research project exploring how design can prompt and ritualise rest in an age of constant digital engagement. Through design, writing and experimentation, it questions how we might reframe rest not as recovery, but as an intentional act. It proposes three outputs: Glasses for the Night, red-lens eyewear crafted from 0.5mm stainless steel; Interval, a poetic device using chromatography to signal rest intervals; and Phase, a prompting switch that disconnects Wi-Fi, reshaping night-time routines. Together, they form a system of tools to help reclaim attention, presence, and sleep.

Xinyi Liu – Still in Motion

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Xinyi Liu – Still in Motion

by Xinyi Liu

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.

Lena Heinrich – Taxonomy of a straw bundle

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.

Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025 ECAL x Ceramaret

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.

Helena Choi – Flat to surface

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Helena Choi – Flat to surface

by Helena Choi

The Flat to Surface collection features a lamp, stool, and tray crafted from a single pattern using origami techniques. These items are designed to form their own structures through folding, requiring only simple stitches or knots to maintain their shapes. Depending on the product, various types of leather are used, chosen for their transparency and flexibility.

Blanche Mijonnet – Passages

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.

Seunghyeon Yoo – T Chair

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.

Inbal Yarkoney – Lot's Wife

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.

Murillo Weitz – Bird's Nest

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.

Kou Tanikami – GeoFlex

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.

Kao Onishi – PNEUMA

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Kao Onishi – PNEUMA

by Kao Onishi

PNEUMA is a material research project that explores the possibilities of Nitinol to design movement into static objects. The term 'Pneuma' originates from ancient Greek and means 'breath' or 'air in motion', symbolizing the breath of life that animates living beings. Nitinol is a shape memory alloy that can remember two shapes and transform back and forth by heating and cooling. This project uses light and heat from candles to trigger the movement, highlighting the material’s potential without the use of electricity. PNEUMA is a collection of candle lamps that transforms the typical candle experience into something more dynamic, playful, and poetic. Starting from an unassuming cylindrical form, the vessels explore three movements to emit light: unraveling, blossoming, and expanding.

John Stagaman – Retrobruta

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.

Raazia Hasnain – Shiro

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.

Alix Malamaire – Crocodium

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.

Sacha Dufour – Conversation artificielle

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.

Esther Alcade – Arrel

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.

Min Jun Choi – Inlight

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Min Jun Choi – Inlight

by Min Jun Choi

Often seen as waste, intestines are an underseen material that holds the potential of a delicate light diffuser. Pig intestines are initially gelatinous and flexible but once layered and dried, they achieve a leather-like hardness and texture. The material can be freely shaped depending on where it's dried. Utilizing these properties, I wrapped pig intestines around a structure and let them dry. After removing the mold, I connected the hardened pig intestines to create modular lighting designs. This modular design offers the advantage of extending in length by increasing the number of modules, adapting to the size of the space in which it is used.

Emilie Seguin – The Heritage of Pearls

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...

Nuttiya Ratchtrachenchai – Peels

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.

Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024 ECAL x Alloyed

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.

COLLABORATION AVEC DEDON – 2023

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

COLLABORATION AVEC DEDON – 2023

with Alexis Tourron (Panter&Tourron), Stefano Panterotto (Panter&Tourron)

DEDON by Nature: Object 3 DEDON Studio partnered with ECAL for the second year to showcase "DEDON by Nature: Object 3." This exhibition features three collections of living accessories created by students from the Master of Advanced Studies in Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship. Under designers Panter&Tourron's guidance, students kick-started the project with a visit to DEDON's Philippine manufacturer, immersing themselves in DEDON's unique Fiber and weaving processes. The creations that were conceived, designed, and crafted over an eight-month period, demonstrate imaginative prowess that reflects both the talent of the students and the enduring fascination that nature holds for us all.

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