MAS Design for Luxury & Craftsmanship

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

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

Upcycling Design

with Nicolas Le Moigne, Bethan Laura Wood

For the second year, students from the MAS in Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship were invited to create objects based on the container produced for La Prairie's flagship range. The glass packaging bears the signature cobalt blue that defines the Swiss brand's Luxe Skin Caviar collection, the result of a meeting with Niki de Saint Phalle in the 1980s. Noticing the vivid cobalt blue in the world-famous artist's paintings and sculptures, La Prairie enquired about the significance of this blue in her work. For Niki de Saint Phalle, this resplendent hue, her favourite colour, symbolised femininity, boldness, strength and serenity, describing it as "the colour of joy and luck". With the help of glassmakers based in Switzerland, these glass containers were cut, drilled or sandblasted to give the object a function, while retaining the brand's codes.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

COLLABORATION WITH DEDON 2022 LIGHTING THE FUTUR

with Sabine Marcelis

Dedon by nature An initiative of DEDON Studio, Lighting the Future presents a striking array of nature-inspired light concepts by master stu- dents from the prestigious ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne. This innovative digital exhibition opens in January 2023 exclusively on DEDON channels, including a dedicated microsite enhanced by AR tools. DEDON Studio initiated the ECAL collaboration with a challenge to students in the Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship Masters program: Explore our relation to nature through lighting design, drawing inspiration from DEDON’s groundbreaking fiber. Under the supervision of the acclaimed designer Sabine Marcelis and Nicolas Le Moigne, head of the program, students designed, developed and digitally elaborated their concepts over a nine- month period. The results—beautiful, beguiling, thoughtful and engaging—attest to the creative powers of an emerging genera- tion and the enduring attraction of nature to us all.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Collaboration with L’Epée 1839

with Fiona Krüger

Regatta Very few sports, or indeed very few human activities, merit the term ‘graceful’ as much as does sculling. Long, streamlined craft cutting the water like a stiletto and leaving barely a ripple are among the most elegant forms of human displacement on earth. And that sense of grace conceals both the incredible power of the oarsman and the arrow-like precision of their craft. L’Epée 1839 harnesses and pays homage to the grace of sculling with La Regatta, a sleek vertical clock invoking the shape of the long thin scull, with both the power (8-day power reserve) and precision of the most elegant of watch sports. Our modern lives are often busy and, at times, even chaotic, La Regatta invokes a sense of peace and calm.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

COLLABORATION WITH MEC-ART

with Fiona Krüger

MECHANICAL MARVELS Craftsmanship in Movement: Celebrating Design and the Heritage of Switzerland’s Masters of Mechanical Art

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Collaboration with CSEM

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

Through a unique project, students from ECAL and CSEM’s engineers have effortlessly combined modern arts & crafts and nanotechnology to create a series of innovative jewelry pieces, "Structural Colors".

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Collaboration with Hermès – 2021

with Sabine Marcelis

For this first collaboration with the department Hermès Maison, the students worked on the theme of the mirror, under the direction of designer Sabine Marcelis.

EXHIBITIONS

Mechanical Marvels" exhibition at Homo Faber 2022,
10.04–01.05.2022

On the occasion of  Homo Faber  a public exhibition of the finest European craftsmanship organised by the Michelangelo Foundation and staged at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice (Italy) from 10 April to 1st May 2022, ECAL presents a series of projects by  Master of Advanced Studies in Design for Luxury & Craftsmanship  developed in collaboration with  Association Mec-Art.

EXHIBITIONS

Exhibition Marsotto Lab, Milano 2018 & 2019,
09.04.2019

In partnership with the Italian marble manufacturer Marsotto LAB, ECAL Master of Advanced Studies in Design for Luxury & Craftsmanship students present a series of home accessories devised during a workshop with French designer Pierre Charpin. The Italian marble manufacturer that entrusted the project development to ECAL Master of Advanced Studies in Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship with a clock collection for last year’s Milan Design Week, chose to repeat the collaboration to create home accessories for this year’s edition.

EXHIBITIONS

Exhibition Aesop, Zurich,
01.06.2018

The skincare, haircare and body products specialist Aesop chose ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne to design two accessories for its brand : an electric essential oil burner and a washbag. In doing so, Aesop clearly showed it cared for smart and sustainable design.

EXHIBITIONS

Christofle exhibition,
09.02.2016

Exhibition of silver cutlery created for Christofle in Paris.

EXHIBITIONS

Exposition "Arts & Crafts & Design" with Vacheron Constantin,
14.04.2015

Vacheron Constantin presents the “ Arts & Crafts & Design : Time according to ECAL and Swiss Craftsmen” exhibition, produced in partnership with ECAL/Ecole cantonale d’art de Lausanne (University of Art and Design Lausanne) and the Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte at the Swiss Pavilion at Expo Milan 2015, (the Universal Exhibition to be hosted by Milan) and of which a preview will be launched during the Milan Furniture Fair. This is an innovative approach combining contemporary creation and arts and crafts, and entirely dedicated to knowledge transfer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Diploma jury – 2021

Jury : Nieves Contreras, Creative Director, Lladro, Valencia Alberto Cavalli, Director, Michelangelo Foundation, Geneva Guillaume Delvigne, Designer, Paris Prix De Bethune : Sarah Yao

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Diploma jury – 2020

Jury : Franziska Kessler, Founder of Frankiska Kessler Gallery, Zurich Marco Sammicheli, Design Curator, Triennale, Milan Alfredo Haeberli, Designer, Zürich Prix De Bethune : Charlotte Therre

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Diploma jury – 2019

Jury : Sabine Marcelis, Designer, Rotterdam Tylor Brûlé, Editor in Chief and Founder of Monocle magazine, Zurich David Sadigh, Founder of Digital Luxury Group, Geneva Prix De Bethune : Clara Martin

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Diploma Jury – 2018

Jury : Bethan Laura Wood, Designer, London Fabien Vallerian, International Director of Arts & Culture, Ruinart, Paris Kieron Marchese Executive editorial director, Designboom, Milan

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Diploma jury – 2017

Jury : Fiona Krüger, Designer, Obermorschwihr Nika Zupanc, Product and Interior Designer, Ljubljana Benoît Steenackers, Head of Collections, Hermès, Paris

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Diploma jury – 2016

Jury : Rebecca Larsson Barsotti, Style Manager, Retrosuperfuture, Milan Connie Hüsser, Interior Design Editor, Annabelle, Zurich Mark Barun, Designer, Berlin Prix Vacheron Constatin : Jenna Kaes and Hyunjee Jung

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Diploma jury – 2015

Jury : Chantal Granier, Creative Director, Baccarat, Paris Jacob Peres, Founder Jpo Global, Tel Aviv Michael Anastassiades, Designer, London Prix Vacheron Constatin : Stefano Panterotto and Alexis Tourron

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Diploma jury – 2014

Prix Vacheron Constatin : Hongchao Wang

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Diploma jury – 2013

Each year the students of the Master of Advanced Studies in Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship are asked to develop a personal project which allows them to work in a more personal and experimental manner.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Diploma Jury – 2012

Every year, students from the Master of Advances Studies in Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship are asked to developped a personal project, which allow them to work in a more experimental way.

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Diploma jury – 2011

Every year, students from the Master of Advances Studies in Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship are asked to developped a personal project, which allow them to work in a more experimental way.