Your design, our craft
For its 8th edition, the prestigious Elite Design Awards, organised by Maison Elite, celebrates the emblematic "Arts and Crafts" movement. Born as a reaction to the industrialisation of the 19th century, this movement advocated a return to craftsmanship, the use of natural materials, and the creation of objects that are both beautiful and functional. It valued quality, simplicity, and the beauty of handmade objects, as well as the integrity of manual work—values that are cherished by Maison Elite. Explore and reinterpret traditional craftsmanship through the lens of contemporary design and contribute to perpetuating this unique heritage!
REGISTRATION
Registrations are officially closed, thank you. We look forward to seeing you in the next edition!
HOUSE OF ELITE
Presentation
Elite is part of the craft tradition of Master Upholsterer Jules-Henri Caillet and was created in Yens-sur-Morges in Switzerland in 1895. Initially, the Caillet family specialised in upholstery and then went on to gain expertise in mattress manufacturing and build a reputation in the region. With the advent of automated tools, Robert Caillet, the founder's son, sought to integrate progress within his company by marrying craft and mechanisation. In his view, and indeed that of successive generations, progress was key to the manufacture of a good mattress.
Artisan production offers freedom of choice and the opportunity to use high-quality natural materials (Swiss wool, alpaca wall, cashmere, pure tail hair, camel wool, Tussar silk, etc.). Expertise in combining these different materials and rigorous design combine to produce exceptional bedding. “Fine materials for a good night’s sleep”. From the outset, the family business was careful to select only environmentally friendly, sustainable raw materials. Production, which still takes place in Switzerland, relies on a relationship of trust with partners, expertise and attention to details by the company’s employees. This leads to ethical, ecological and social responsibility both on the part of partners and customers as on that of its employees.
The birth of a mattress
The Boxspring, an ancestral know-how
The headboard, the bed's essence
Elite house seeks to forge its own distinctive path and prioritise craftsmanship and well-being. It is alert to customer experience and offers bespoke solutions. It strives its utmost to ensure that its products are both sustainable and environmentally friendly.
From consultation to manufacture, Elite’s employees are constantly on hand to meet their customers’ every demand. A job well done, the pursuit of excellence – these are the values that Elite seeks to convey in designing its products. The company is defined not only by its quality guarantees and commitment to innovation internally, but also by its fine, delicate materials and the talents of its craft workers.
Elite is part of a long tradition of bed making and seeks to advance the design of premium beds. This competition looks to foster new ideas through the combination of design and traditional craftsmanship.
Discover EliteGoals
The 'Arts and Crafts' Theme
Born in the late 19th century in Great Britain, the "Arts and Crafts" movement emerged as a reaction to the growing mechanisation and industrialisation of the time, which threatened to devalue manual labour and the aesthetic qualities of everyday objects.
The "Arts and Crafts" movement advocated a return to craftsmanship, the use of natural materials, and the creation of objects that are both beautiful and functional. It valued the quality, simplicity, and beauty of handmade items, as well as the integrity of manual work. Creations from this movement were often characterised by clean forms and simple lines. Drawing inspiration from these principles, we invite you to create beds that celebrate the fusion of art and craftsmanship.
A few keywords to guide your creation: Craftsmanship, Quality, Authenticity, Harmony, Functionality, Tradition, Elegance, Timelessness.
We are looking for designs that incorporate the values of the Arts and Crafts movement into bed design. Submitted projects should:
- Promote craftsmanship: Highlight manual skills and traditional techniques in the design and production of the products
- Embrace Modernity: Integrate contemporary trends and innovations
- Combine aesthetics and functionality: Design objects that are not only beautiful but also functional and comfortable, providing optimal well-being to users
- Value materials: Use high-quality, natural, and durable materials
- Promote sustainability: Integrate environmentally friendly practices in the choice of materials and manufacturing processes
Why participate?
- Gain Visibility
- Express Your Creativity
- Making your project a reality
- Boosting creativity in the bedding sector
Join us in celebrating the return to authenticity and timeless beauty of the "Arts and Crafts" movement. Be part of this creative journey and contribute to the legacy of exceptional craftsmanship upheld by Maison Elite.
Prizes
Conditions
Who
The Elite Design Awards is open to anyone belonging to one of the following categories
- Graduates from schools of design, architecture, interior design or engineering
- Practitioners without qualifications who can provide evidence of having worked in the areas of design, architecture or interior design
- Students of schools of design, architecture, interior design or engineering
- Any person wishing to innovate in bedding
- Individually or in teams (2 people max.)
What
The following criteria will be used to assess the proposals
- Consistency with the positioning of the company (craftsmanship, luxury, well-being)
- Quality of the presentation and narration (clarity)
- Aesthetic quality of the project
- Functional quality of the project (user experience)
- Technical and functional feasibility
- Creativity and originality in response to the competition theme and specifications
Technical characteristics and constraints
- Graduates from schools of design, architecture, interior design or engineering
- Practitioners without qualifications who can provide evidence of having worked in the areas of design, architecture or interior design
- Students of schools of design, architecture, interior design or engineering
- Any person wishing to innovate in bedding
- Individually or in teams (2 people max.)
Disqualification occurs in the following cases
- If the evaluation criteria, technical characteristics and constraints are not met
- If more than one project is sent by team or individually
- If the project contains more than 3 pages or less than 3 pages
- If the team contains more than 2 people
- If there are multiple registrations
Calendar
Registration Phase
- September 1, 2024
Start of competition - November 1, 2024
Registration deadline
Submission Phase
- December 16, 2024
Project submission deadline - (Midnight Geneva time UTC+2)
Selection Phase
- January 2025
Selection of the projects by the jury - February 2025
Announcement of the 3 winners* - 7 - 13 April 2025
Presentation of the projects and awards ceremony at the Elite Gallery Milan during the Milan Design Week
Jury
Once all projects are submitted, the jury will meet in January to select the winners. Be creative !
Bertille Laguet is a designer graduated from ECAL, and she is also a blacksmith. You can find her at 'La Forge' in Chexbres a village in the vineyard along the lake Geneva in Switzerland.
After her studies at ECAL and Design Academy Eindhoven, Laure Gremion gained professional experience by working in various companies before launching her own studio in early 2017. Stimulated by ambitious projects, she spices up her creations by collaborating with various specialized companies. Following her attempts to bring a new angle that will make you smile and dream while being functional.
After a law degree in Zürich and her studies at École Camondo in Paris, Iria Degen worked for the French interior architect, Andrée Putman. In 2000 she founded her own interior design studio. Today she runs her office in Zurich and has realized numerous international projects. She is a member of the Association of Swiss Interior Architects and she is the Swiss delegate of the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers.
Graduated from ECAL in 2012, Raphaël Lutz is an industrial and product designer. An hyperactive entrepreneur at heart, he heads Studio Raphaël Lutz and its innovation spin-off HyperAktiv.li as well as the association Designers Table. Innovative and always focused on the needs of the end user, he creates, among other things, custom-made furniture and accessories for companies and individuals. He favours a short circuit and responsible manufacturing processes to minimise the ecological impact.
Art has been part of her life since birth, with a mother who was an artist and a father who was an architect. Her architectural studies at the Athenaeum School of Architecture allow her to contribute to the creation of living and working spaces that correspond to everyone's expectations. In love with beautiful objects, captivated by colours and materials, passionate about interior architecture and design, she joined the team of Behr Créateur d'Intérieurs in Lutry in 2018 and became the head of the design office.
Swiss designer and architect graduated from University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Fribourg and ECAL, Fabien Roy worked as an architect for over ten years before setting up his own studio dedicated to furniture and product design as well as interior architecture. In 2022, he founded RISOU, a project dedicated to the development of wooden furniture made and sourced locally.
François Pugliese has an enterprising mindset and always wants to innovate in the bedding sector in oder to offer exceptional products within a focus on well-being and craftsmanship.
Winners
1st prize
"Ande" — Weronika Poręba
Weronika Poręba is a product designer from Poland who originally studied industrial design at Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology. In 2019, she was awarded a Fine Arts Masters in furniture design from Poznań University of Arts. One year later, she set up her own business focusing on product design and graphic design. In addition to furniture, she is also interested in packaging design; her main source of inspiration is nature. In her design work, she attaches a great deal of importance to simple solutions, minimalist styles and the emotions experienced by users when interacting with the product.
2nd prize
"May" — Clothilde Verdim
Trained in design at a School of Art and Design and later at university, Clothilde Verdim devotes a significant part of her career to a design agency, of which she is a co-founder. The multidisciplinary studio, based in Paris, works on projects ranging from interior architecture to product design, with a specialization in the hospitality sector, both nationally and internationally. At the same time, the designer cultivates a more personal creative universe, inspired by nature and the poetic imagination linked to certain everyday objects and artifacts. She places as much importance on the cultural significance of forms and materials as on their aesthetic and technical properties. This is why the objects she designs often carry a narrative dimension, a symbolic meaning that goes beyond their functional purpose.
3rd prize
"A room within a room" — Rachel Forster & Ella Doran
Rachel Forster graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1997 and founded Forster Inc in Shoreditch the following year. Named 100% Design’s Interior Designer of the Year, her work has been featured in The Guardian, The Times and The Saturday Times Magazine; she also lectures in design. Forster brings her deep personal commitment to sustainability and longevity to every project she works on, reusing and reimagining existing resources within spaces that are often being overlooked or undervalued. Her work focuses on longevity, programmed dismantling and care, with colour playing a central role in her vision ofcreating inspirational, long-lasting objects.
Ella Doran is a designer acclaimed for her innovative approach to designing products and textiles, furniture and decors. Well-known for her keen eye, her lively use of colour and hercommitment to sustainability, Ella adds dynamic energy to each project, harmoniously combining aesthetics and environmental responsibility. As an active designer and tutor at the Royal College of Art, she upholds the principles of the circular economy and ‘mindful manufacturing’, reminding us that designers are the custodians of the materials used in the design process.
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