Etienne Delessert, born in Lausanne in 1941 and based in Lakeville, Connecticut, made his name as a graphic designer and illustrator in Paris and New York with advertising campaigns and posters, and later gained wide renown for his illustrations, animated films, and paintings. He has illustrated more than 80 books, all of which have become worldwide successes.

Eleonore Peduzzi Riva, born in Basel in 1936, worked as a designer and design consultant for major brands such as Cassina, Artemide, and De Sede. The DS-600 modular sofa of 1972, created in collaboration with Ueli Berger, Heinz Ulrich, and Klaus Vogt, is an expression of her goal to enable people to design their personal habitat.

Chantal Prod’Hom, also born in Lausanne in 1957, founded the Asher Edelman Foundation in the 1990s, where she staged visionary exhibitions featuring little-known artists, and travelled the world in search of design talent for Benetton’s famous Fabrica. Between 2000 and 2022, she directed her native city’s Musée cantonal de design et d’arts appliqués contemporains (mudac). Through her tireless commitment, she shapes and fosters public perception of design.

Switzerland’s Federal Office of Culture has awarded the 2023 Swiss Grand Award for Design to Etienne Delessert, Eleonore Peduzzi Riva, and Chantal Prod’Hom. This book introduces each of them through a concise text and an interview, as well as a brief biography, illustrated with images from their archives.

Text in English, French, German, and Italian.