Celebration of Icons of Italian Design at the launch of the Peroni Design Awards

~Peroni Nastro Azzurro collaborates with iconic Italian design brand Alessi to discover emerging Irish designers~

Peroni Nastro Azzurro, the premium Italian beer brand, officially launched the Peroni Design Awards at the opening of the exhibition Icons of Italian Design in The Gallery of Photography, Meeting House Square, Dublin 2. 

The Icons of Italian Design exhibition will explore the icons of Italian style and design from the 1960s to the present day, bringing together the most exciting brands in Italian contemporary design and illustrating how these designs helped to shape the future of design throughout the world.  

At the exhibition, Peroni Nastro Azzurro launched the Peroni Design Awards to discover talented and aspiring designers in Ireland, alongside the announcement of the latest collaboration with iconic Italian design brand, Alessi.  As part of the collaboration, Peroni Nastro Azzurro is calling on design professionals, students, and design-enthusiasts over the age of 25 to enter the Peroni Design Awards. 

The national design competition is seeking to push the boundaries of excellence and design by challenging designers to create an original item to enhance the enjoyment of Peroni Nastro Azzurro during a special occasion, in a bar, restaurant or at home, and which celebrates the iconic Peroni Nastro Azzurro blue ribbon. The competition will be fronted and judged by Matteo Alessi, International Sales & Development Director Europe for Alessi, in conjunction with key members of the Institute of Designers in Ireland and Design Week with the winner receiving a €2,000 cash prize.

The Official Launch of the Peroni Design Awards at the opening of the exhibition Icons of Italian Design in The Gallery of Photography Ireland

Renowned for unique style, natural flair and creativity, the Italians have produced some of the world’s most widely admired designers and enduring designs. Peroni Nastro Azzurro embodies craftsmanship, passion and attention to detail, inherent qualities that contribute to the success and beauty of Italian design. The Peroni Design Awards is calling on emerging Irish designers to embrace these qualities and methods in designing a bespoke piece, inspired by the Peroni Blue Ribbon.

Commenting on the collaboration, Matteo Alessi said: “We are really excited to collaborate with Peroni Nastro Azzurro and be a part of the judging process of the Peroni Design Awards.  At Alessi, we look for the best expression of creativity with our designers and we always keep the design element alive in all our products. I am looking forward to seeing that same artistic expression from the Irish designers who take part in this inspiring competition”.  

Speaking on the partnership with the Peroni Design Awards, Andrew Bradley, President of the Institute of Designers in Ireland said: “We are delighted to support the Peroni Design Awards. It is important to commend and celebrate Irish design at every opportunity and demonstrate the wealth of design talent in the country. We are excited about this project and look forward to seeing the finalist exhibition as part of Design Week in November.”

The ten finalists had their designs exhibited as part of Design Week in front of Ireland’s design influencers in November 2013.

The Official Launch of the Peroni Design Awards at the opening of the exhibition Icons of Italian Design in The Gallery of Photography Ireland

Peroni Nastro Azzurro has been brewed in Italy to an original recipe since its creation in 1963.  Peroni Nastro Azzurro is brewed with the same Italian passion that goes into the country's iconic exports to create a clear pale lager made from the finest spring-planted barley and Italian maize combined with malts and hops to create the highest standard of premium beer. Peroni Nastro Azzurro is committed to celebrating and bringing Italian Style to audiences around the world. Over the past few years Peroni Nastro Azzurro has collaborated with Italian icons such as Giorgio Locatelli in the food arena, iconic Italian design brand Alessi and internationally influential fashion designer Antonio Berardi. Most recently the brand collaborated with Italian film maker of Hollywood fame Gabriele Muccino, who directed for Peroni the short Senza Tempo, dedicated to celebrating the uniqueness of Italian film.

The Alessi company was founded by Giovanni Alessi in 1921 at Crusinallo, a village on Lake Orta in the foothills of the Alps near Novara. Today, Alessi, which still operates out of its factory in Crusinallo, employs around 500 people and its core business is in the production of 18/10 stainless steel objects through cold pressing at its Headquarters.

Exports account for two thirds of the company’s turnover, with distribution across more than sixty five different countries worldwide.

Today, one of Alessi’s special features is its ability to reconcile typically industrial needs (in terms of operations and products) with a tendency (at intellectual and spiritual level) to consider itself more as a 'research laboratory in the field of the applied arts'. This is what inspires Alessi's tireless research and experimentation which, over the last few years, has led it to use new technologies and work with new materials including: wood, porcelain and ceramics, glass and crystal, plastics and electronics. 

The company presently offers the entire product range under the following three brands:

·       The brand “OFFICINA ALESSI” features products that are more refined, exclusive, experimental and innovative, with small production runs and limited editions.

·       The brand “ALESSI” expresses the finest in largescale industrial production in the houseware sector; both in terms of the quality of manufacturing and design

·       The brand “A di ALESSI” presents what we call “democratic” design; the best in design at an affordable price

Exhibition dates

8th - 18th May 2013

Gallery information

Opening hours

Open 6 days:

Tuesday - Saturday, 11am - 5pm

Open Mondays by appointment for ongoing education, artists archiving and training.

Closed Sundays

Closed for bank holidays and public holidays

Admission is free 

Find us

Gallery of Photography Ireland

Meeting House Square,

Temple Bar,

Dublin D02 X406, Ireland