Fendi Awards Gustav Craft First Design Prize at Milan Design Week

Swedish designer's 'Via' collection inspired by Rome's iconic 'sampietrino' paving stones wins inaugural Fendi Design Prize.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 1:53pm

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An abstract composition of jagged, interlocking geometric shapes in deep burgundy, warm ochre, and cool slate grey, conceptually representing the iconic 'sampietrino' paving stones that inspired the winning Fendi Design Prize collection.The Fendi Design Prize spotlights emerging talent reinterpreting the brand's heritage through a sustainability-focused lens.Today in Miami

Fendi has launched a new annual Fendi Design Prize to support emerging design talent, with the inaugural 2026 award going to Swedish designer Gustav Craft for his 'Via' collection inspired by the iconic 'sampietrino' paving stones of Rome. The winning project was selected from over 70 submissions by a jury of design luminaries and will be produced and presented at Design Miami later this year.

Why it matters

The Fendi Design Prize marks the luxury brand's latest effort to nurture up-and-coming creatives and celebrate design and craftsmanship. By spotlighting emerging talent and providing a platform to showcase their work, Fendi aims to foster the next generation of design innovators.

The details

For the inaugural Fendi Design Prize, the brand invited leading global design schools to submit projects that incorporated upcycled Fendi materials and reinterpreted the brand's signature elements. The winning 'Via' collection by Gustav Craft centers on the 'sampietrino,' the small basalt block that has paved the streets of Rome for over 2,000 years. Craft translated this urban element into a furniture collection featuring a woven leather seat, geometric steel frame, aerial rug, and mirror with a rough-cut sampietrino block.

  • The Fendi Design Prize was launched in 2026 as part of Milan Design Week.
  • The inaugural 2026 prize was awarded to Gustav Craft's 'Via' collection.
  • The winning project will be produced and presented at the December 2026 edition of Design Miami.

The players

Fendi

A luxury Italian fashion and leather goods brand.

Gustav Craft

A Swedish designer who won the inaugural Fendi Design Prize in 2026 for his 'Via' collection.

Giulio Cappellini

The designer who curated the Fendi Design Prize and led the jury selection process.

Ramon Ros

The chairman and CEO of Fendi.

Cristina Celestino

An Italian architect and designer who served on the Fendi Design Prize jury.

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What they’re saying

“We are honored to introduce the Fendi Design Prize. Fendi has historically nurtured talents, and through this initiative we wish to keep on building on this inspiring path.”

— Ramon Ros, Chairman and CEO, Fendi

“The vision of the new generations from around the world interpreting our maison's codes is something very stimulating for us while we look forward to discovering the next standout designer of the future.”

— Ramon Ros, Chairman and CEO, Fendi

What’s next

The winning 'Via' collection by Gustav Craft will be produced and presented at the December 2026 edition of Design Miami, with the possibility of further developing a collection in collaboration with Fendi Casa in 2027.

The takeaway

By launching the Fendi Design Prize, the luxury brand is actively investing in the next generation of design talent and providing a platform to showcase innovative, sustainability-focused work that reinterprets the brand's iconic codes and heritage.