THE CONTEST

Explore the CoffeeLuxury

The spirit of innovation clearly ranks among the premium qualities of the Nespresso brand. To celebrate creativity in the area of coffee makers and accessories, in 2005 the firm launched the first Nespresso Design Contest, a competition open to upper-level students from top design schools throughout Europe. Entrants are particularly motivated by the possibility of having their projects exhibited at the prestigious Salone Internationale del Mobile in Milan where they may be seen by design professionals. But that's not all: The three winners along with the special mention entrant share a total of €26,000 in prize money. The discerning Design Contest jury is called upon to critique the projects according to innovation, potential, quality, feasibility and adherence to the contest theme. The first Nespresso Design Contest was an unqualified success – with 25,000 visitors at the website dedicated to the event, 360 projects submitted by design students, and 24 entries selected to be exhibited at the Milan Design Fair, which was attended by 75,000 visitors over a period of ten days.For the second edition of the contest, Nespresso invited students from the most prestigious design schools in Europe and beyond to create projects surrounding the theme of COFFEELUXURY – two key concepts of the brand. The Design Contest reaffirms the philosophy and innovative spirit that has driven Nespresso right from the start. The theme entails an element of pleasure, sharing, taking time to enjoy life, far more than a mere cup of coffee… and now it was up to the students to find a subtle definition of luxury. The idea was not to create coffee pots encrusted with diamonds or wrap the capsules in gold leaf – but to envision luxury as a state of mind, an attitude, a quest for excellence that focuses on the beauty of simplicity and functionality, which are essential aspects of Nespresso. Imagine a project without budgetary constraints or compromises, with access to only the finest materials and cutting-edge technologies, all to create a new product…Absolutely ideal conditions for a student attending a design school