Presentation

Switzerland is a privileged country in terms of know-how in the field of luxury and craftsmanship. Building on this tradition, this Master of Advanced Studies is for the holders of a Bachelor or Master’s degree wishing to further their knowledge in industrial design and investigate sectors of excellence as diverse as fine watchmaking, tableware or specific techniques using noble materials.

Through collaborations with prestigious brands (some with century-old heritage) and workshops provided by designers of the international scene, students experiment all production stages: from designing an object to its completion, via 3D rendering models or photography. They also have the benefit of brand identity analyses and conferences delivered by experts in the field, as well as tours of luxury goods manufacturers. Many projects are singled out by partner companies to be produced, exhibited and published in the international press.

After one year at ECAL, the students are able to submit a varied portfolio to the highest professional standards. Highly sought after by international agencies and world-leading companies, they also often have the opportunity of simultaneously establishing their own business. Graduates are frequently offered internship opportunities right at the end of their curriculum – often leading to steady employment.

Since the beginning of 2018, students from this program have been benefiting from a partnership with IMD Lausanne Business School, a world leader in its field; this partnership is allowing them to learn about what is at stake when launching a brand and starting a business.

Language

English

Qualification issued

Master of Advanced Studies HES-SO in Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship

Yearly fees (materials included)

Fees detail

Length

2 semesters

Credits

60 ECTS

Useful links

Admissions Contact

Equipments & infrastructures

Open Space MAS Luxe Prototype Workshop CAO/FAO Materials Library

Learning Objectives

Collaboration avec La Prairie – Visite à Gstaad
Workshop avec Matteo Gonet
Cours à l'IMD Business School, Lausanne
Collaboration avec La Prairie et Sabine Marcelis

1/5

  • Develop professional knowledge through collaborative projects in partnership with brands from the world of luxury.
  • Travel in Switzerland and abroad to visit factories and meet professionals specialised in the different luxury sectors.
  • Develop a personal project to define future professional prospects.
  • Work on projects supervised by practitioners from all over the world with the aim of carrying out collective or personal projects.
  • Work closely with brand managers until the launch of the selected projects (production, international exhibitions, publications, etc.).
  • Create a link with certain brands beyond graduation and build a reinforced professional network.
  • Benefit from specific practical courses: Introduction to Fine Watchmaking (in partnership with the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie), Introduction to Art Mechanics (in partnership with FEMA), Sewing courses, Studio Photography courses, Graphic Design courses (InDesign), 3D courses (Rhino, Solidworks and Keyshot), 3D Animation courses (Cinema 4D), as well as other practical courses relating to the needs of the projects.
  • Improve your skills through theory courses: Foundation of Business (in partnership with the IMD Business School), Intellectual Property courses, as well as other practical courses relating to the needs of projects

Projects

This section contains a selection of emblematic or recent projects related to the disciplines taught in the Master's degree.
See all projects

Collaborations

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.

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.

Hermès WINDOW DISPLAY IN GENEVA

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Hermès WINDOW DISPLAY IN GENEVA

by Nathanaël Baby, Luca Nichetto, Nicolas Le Moigne, Xavier Perrenoud

The Hermès Printing Company Inspired by the aesthetics of rotary printing presses, this project allows passers-by to immerse themselves in a graphic and artistic universe. Through the ten windows of the store, “L’Imprimerie Hermès” is a reinterpretation of the main stages of printing: everything starts with rolls of paper, which are then deployed in large strips, until they become posters. The paper, in all its forms, is printed along its length by repeating the story of a letter published in six different languages (French, English, Italian, German, Chinese and Japanese) by the magazine Le Monde d'Hermès. A layout specially created for this project incorporates large areas of color in order to frame and highlight the accessories from the different Hermès universes. They thus seem to come to life and become part of the story.

Hermès Window display in Zürich

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Hermès Window display in Zürich

by Charitini Gkritzali, Xavier Perrenoud, Nicolas Le Moigne, Luca Nichetto

The Astonishing Moment of Life Inspired by the Surrealist movement and the desire to find magic and wonder in the familiar and everyday life, this project features shapes and emblematic Hermès accessories that interact to form two subtly choreographed installations. These two window displays, imagined by Greek designer Charitini Gkritzali, a student in the Master of Advanced Studies in Design for Luxury and Craftsmanship at ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne, are an interpretation of Hermès' 2023 annual theme, “Astonishment”, offering a moment that oscillates between reality and dreams.

Upcycling Design

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.

COLLABORATION WITH LA PRAIRIE – 2021

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

COLLABORATION WITH LA PRAIRIE – 2021

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

The packaging of tomorrow La Prairie pursues its partnership with ECAL students to conceptualise the packaging of the tomorrow. Through this partnership with the renowned Swiss University in Art and Design, La Prairie nurtures creativity and promotes emerging talents shaping the future of smart design.

COLLABORATION WITH DEDON 2022 LIGHTING THE FUTUR

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.

Collaboration with L’Epée 1839

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.

COLLABORATION WITH MEC-ART

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

Collaboration with CSEM

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".

Collaboration with Hermès – 2021

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.

Expositions

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

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.

Exhibition Marsotto Lab, Milano 2018 & 2019,09.04.2019

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.

Exhibition at National Design Centre, Singapore,23.03.2019

EXHIBITIONS

Exhibition at National Design Centre, Singapore,
23.03.2019

On the initiative of the Embassy of Switzerland in Singapore, supported by the Design Singapore Council, the National Design Centre (NDC) hosts an exhibition of a selection of objects created by international students graduated from the Master of Advanced Studies in Design for Luxury & Craftsmanship at ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne.

Exhibition Aesop, Zurich,01.06.2018

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.

Exhibition at The Mass, Tokyo,24.03.2018

EXHIBITIONS

Exhibition at The Mass, Tokyo,
24.03.2018

At The Mass gallery’s invitation, ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne is presenting a selection of Master of Advanced Studies in Design for Luxury & Craftsmanship student projects.

Exhibition wall clocks Vacheron Constantin,15.02.2016

EXHIBITIONS

Exhibition wall clocks Vacheron Constantin,
15.02.2016

Wall clocks developed in 2013 and presented at the main entrance of the Vacheron Constantin manufacture.

Christofle exhibition,09.02.2016

EXHIBITIONS

Christofle exhibition,
09.02.2016

Exhibition of silver cutlery created for Christofle in Paris.

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

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.

diploma projects

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

diploma jury

Diploma jury – 2022

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Diploma jury – 2022

Jury : Céline Vogt, Head of Education, Michelangelo Foundation, Geneva Chiara Anelli, Communication Director, Hermès Switzerland, Geneva Philippe Malouin, Designer, London Prix De Bethune : Camille Dutoit

Diploma jury – 2021

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

Diploma jury – 2020

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

Diploma jury – 2019

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

Diploma Jury – 2018

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

Diploma jury – 2017

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

Diploma jury – 2016

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

Diploma jury – 2015

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

Diploma jury – 2014

DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP

Diploma jury – 2014

Prix Vacheron Constatin : Hongchao Wang

Diploma jury – 2013

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.

Diploma Jury – 2012

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.

Diploma jury – 2011

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.

Program

This section lists the detailed modules and courses for each semester of the programme.

Semester 1 2

Luxury and complexity
14 ECTS

Theoretical reflection on the diversity of the cultural and historical foundations of luxury and its recent democratization; experiences, materials, methods

Luxury and contemporary culture
8 ECTS

Development of the concept of luxury in the contemporary context and its continual reinterpretation linked to new technologies

Luxury and know-how
8 ECTS

Role of know-how in the creation of a luxury object; specific skills and techniques

Luxe and entrepreneurship
2 ECTS

Basic knowledge of the entrepreneurship world and business in general

Luxe and Haute Horlogerie
6 ECTS

General knowledge of the Haute Horlogerie world and its specific techniques, materials and technologies the field uses

Luxury and concept (portfolio)
6 ECTS

Exploration of new expressions of luxury; interaction between the design of objects and the design of concepts, services and environments

MAS project, practical and theoretical
16 ECTS
Find all the programme documents below

Alumni

Ini Archibong
Jungyou Choi
Kaja Solgaard Dahl
Kai Hsuan Liu
Fiona Krüger
Stefano Panterotto & Alexis Tourron
Hongchao Wang
Career Opportunities

Industrial and product designer, Furniture designer, Watch designer, Textile (soft goods) designer, Packaging designer, Colors and materials designer, Event designer, Exhibition designer, Signage designer, Product developer, Creative director, Teacher…

Other alumni

(BA Design Industriel, MA Design de Produit et MAS in Design for Luxury & Craftsmanship) Ini Archibong, Dimitri Bähler, BIG-GAME, Camille Blin, Daniele Bortotto, Antoine Boudin, Thilo Alex Brunner, Michel Charlot, D’Esposito & Gaillard, Marie Douel (Hors Pistes), Christophe Guberan, FROM, Tomás Král, Bertille Laguet, Nicolas Le Moigne, LeviSarha, Carolien Niebling, Léa Pereyre, Julie Richoz, Adrien Rovero, Brynjar Sigurðarson, Christian Spiess, SUPERLIFE, Hongchao Wang, Giorgia Zanellato...

Staff

Head

Nicolas Le Moigne

Coordination

Assistants
Blanche Mijonnet

Academic partners
IMD Business School, Lausanne
Cyril Bouquet, professor
Stéphane Girod, professor
Peter Vogel, professor

Professeur·e·x·s

Tomas Kral
Nicolas Le Moigne
Xavier Perrenoud

Chargé·e·x·s de cours

Ini Archibong
Pierre Charpin
Jaime Hayon
Fiona Krüger
Sabine Marcelis
Luca Nichetto
Panter&Tourron
Studio Formafantasma
Bethan Laura Wood

Partenariats privilégiés

Aesop
Audemars Piguet
Baccarat
Christofle
De Bethune
DEDON
EHL Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne
Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie
Fondation Etrillard
Fondation Michelangelo
Hennessy
Hermès
La Prairie
L’Epée 1839
Louis Vuitton
Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Marsotto
Mauviel
Mazda
Mec­-Art for mechanical art
Petit h
Rémy Martin
Retrosuperfuture
Ruinart
Salanitro
Vacheron Constantin
Watches and Wonders Geneva