Luxury Design and Craftsmanship Summit: What’s Going On

Keep updated on what’s happening at the Luxury Design and Craftsmanship Summit!

The second edition of the Luxury Design and Craftsmanship Summit opened its doors yesterday at 11AM in Pavilhão Multiusos de Gondomar, Porto, Portugal. We have been covering the event so you don’t miss a beat, and today we’re sharing the second and final day live.

Keep checking for live updates as we go, throughout the day!

Created to bring awareness to the need to keep elevating design standards, and to honor craftsmanship heritage, the Luxury Design & Craftsmanship Summit is an event sponsored by luxury design company COVET Group and COVET Foundation, which ultimate purpose is to perpetuate the high-quality design made in Portugal and share it with the world.

A Look on the First Day

The first day of the second edition of the Luxury Design and Craftsmanship Summit began with a small opening ceremony led by founder and CEO of COVET Group, Amândio Pereira, as he explained what led the group to organize this design-oriented event and what we should expect for this second time around. Following this, the day was 100% focused on the importance of design and craftsmanship in the present, its role in the future and how technology can play a major role in elevating these two arts from now on. Guests such as designer Christian Haas, representatives from the Michelangelo Foundation and Ricardo Espírito Santo Foundation sat down to talk about these important issues in the design world.

The day closed with a panel led by Portuguese journalist Marina de Almeida, where the future of the design world was put on the spotlight and talked about by the CEO of PullCast and their master jeweler, João Barros and Rui Pinto, Conceição Amaral of the Ricardo Espirito Santo Foundation, Joaquim Paulo the leader of the Culture Project and Vitor Querido, an awarded Artisan of the Culture Project.

The Second Day at the LDC Summit

The second day at the Luxury Design & Craftsmanship Summit started with a look into brands, marketing and the identity of craftsmanship with keynote speaker Carlos Coelho, a specialist in brand management. He brought to us a new vision of brands, the power of brands in society and the connection to craftsmanship. Brands are based on marking, defining property, spreading personality and identity, creating unique and distinct experiences, and seducing consumers to choose their brand amongst the competition.

Carlos Coelho didn’t forget to explain to the audience the role of the advances in technology and the digital world that changes the basic human needs and affects brands just the same. Brands are no longer in charge of their brand messages, instead, shifting that role to the consumers that spread their own message, their reality of what they experienced with the brand to the digital world. He ends with a note of encouragement for the world of craftsmanship and design, a call for brands to bring forward a new experience based on value for consumers and society.

The first panel of the day brings us a vision of digital marketing and craftsmanship, and its importance for the brands: “Marketing of Excellence: Winning High-End Consumers Through Finest Craftsmanship“, with Maria José Martins, editorial director of brand image, as the moderator and panel guests Miguel Costa, General Manager Bentley + Lamborghini, Rita Sambado, Purpose(ful) Marketeer and Founder of EUS School of Being, Ricardo Conceição, General Director at L’Atelier des Creáteurs, and Ana Maria Vasconcelos, General Manager at Belcinto and Vice President of APICCAPS.

It all started with Rita Sambado, discussing her mission is to spread awareness to craftsmanship and human value, how the brands can bring this value to society and people. She brings to light a shift in the economy, a new era that focuses on products with value, uniqueness, and originality. Miguel Costa followed close by, showing to the audience the example of Lamborghini, a brand focused on pieces designed by hand with exquisite attention to detail and quality.

Ricardo Conceição presented, shortly after, to the audience, his ideas on handmade pieces, craftsmanship, creativity and the arts of valuable design. He is the general director at an atelier in the beautiful city of Porto that showcases the vintage techniques of tailoring, the added value of the work of incredible master artisans in the pieces sold.

Ana Maria Vasconcelos showed us the case of Belcinto, a company manufacturing products such as bags and belts, always made with soul and with craftsmanship. “Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind,” was one of the phrases presented and discussed by Ana Maria Vasconcelos as she explained the value of high-quality products, sustainability, innovation, and selling excitement.

During this discussion panel, Carlos Coelho shared his ideas with the remaining guests about the role of technology and social media to the brands and society, being able to share value to the world in an easier way. It was also discussed the growing search for originality and quality, of experiences and crafts.

The second and final panel of this last day of the Luxury Design and Craftsmanship Summit is all about “Designing & Crafting: The Touchstone For Distinction” with Fernando Caetano, Open Media Director and Editor of Essential Magazines, as the panel moderator, and panel guests Nini Andrade Silva, Interior Designer, Emmanuel Babled, Designer at Babled Studio, Raquel Costa, Strategy Development Europe at Swarovski, Khaoula Ouerfelli, International Manager at Assouline, and Duarte Eira, Chef at Salpoente.

Nini Andrade Silva was the first presenting her projects and showcasing the best Portuguese design has to offer. With attention to detail, creativity, and undeniable good touch, this designer creates incredible projects that span from residential to commercial and hospitality, showing us inspiration and experience can go a long way. You can read more about her in our article of Top 20 Portuguese interior designers.

Emmanuel Babled followed after, with a presentation about his work, known for its highest quality and his ability to dabble with expertise in craftsmanship, creating artwork that is an amazing junction of experience, creativity and the arts of handmade pieces.

Khaoula Ouerfelli, International Manager at Assouline, brings us a presentation about “Crafting The First Luxury Brand on Culture“, showing the brand Assouline as the example of a luxury brand that built their way into the world of design and into people’s hearts. It started with a passion for curation and it was built into an empire, closely related to design and fashion, and with a particular affection to promoting craftsmanship.

Following next was Raquel Costa, Development Europe at Swarovski, telling the story of crystal art in the culture and the story of Swarovski itself. They create timeless expressions of art in the form of fashion, jewelry, textile, and others. The visionary concept of the brand is now spread across the world with partnerships with worldwide famous fashion designers, automotive brands, and so on. It was also announced a new project by Swarovski, the Manufaktur, a smaller manufacturing unit which according to Swarovski is suited for creative co-creation, rapid prototyping, and representation.

Duarte Eira, chef at Sal Poente, discussed with the audience and guest panels what design means to his business, the restaurant he works at in Ovar, Portugal, one that benefits greatly from the incredible craftsmanship present in the furniture and lighting pieces that help this restaurant gain the popularity it deserves.

The summit ended with a speech from Mónica Seabra-Mendes, Luxury Management Program Coordinator at Católica Lisbon, and Ricardo Magalhães, the Founder of Covet Group, a speech of hope for the future of craftsmanship and luxury design, a special thanks to everyone involved in the process of providing knowledge in this event and sparking an interest and passion in the hearts of all those that attended.

See you next time on the 3rd edition of the Luxury Design & Craftsmanship Summit! We hope you enjoyed this journey with us!

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