Portuguese designer, Sandra Inês Mesquita da Conceição has been named the winner of this year’s global final of the Bombay Sapphire Designer Glass Competition, one of the top design contests in the world for up-and-coming designers.
Sandra, who is studying design at ESAD - Escola Superior de Artes e Design in Matosinhos, Porto, collected the US$15,000 prize from Bombay Sapphire Foundation member, Karim Rashid, at an awards event held as part of Milan Design Week.
Guests including international designers, media and the 21 global finalists gathered for the final judging of the glasses which are displayed within the Bombay Sapphire exhibition at Superstudio Piu in Milan.
The judging panel included high profile international designers: Tom Dixon, Jaime Hayon and Marcel Wanders. Marcel described the winning glass as: “Truly innovative. It’s so different, playful and is like a very cool piece of jewellery. I love it!”
Called Goobly, the design is in two parts - a glass bowl for the cocktail and a total of 23 durable and shiny interconnected rings suspended from a main ring supporting the glass. The metal elements allow for interaction, challenging the person drinking a cocktail to play with the glass and explore its shape without spilling the contents.
Two runner-up designers, Ronen Bauer from Canada and Stephan Gouraud from France, won US$5,000 and US$2,500 respectively.
In the last year, thousands of up-and-coming designers from around the world have designed martini cocktail glasses inspired by Bombay Sapphire and the 21 finalists in Milan represent: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the UK and USA.
For more information on the competition go to www.designerglasscompetition.com.
A ‘Step into the Blue’ themed night is happening on Saturday, 23rd June 2007 at 2-22 Lounge Bar in Valletta. Everyone who wants to ‘Step into the Blue’ world of Bombay Sapphire, taste the most delicious cocktails and chill out in a relaxing atmosphere with stunning harbour views has the opportunity to do so from midnight onwards.
DJ Owen Jay will set the right mood and one of the most renowned bartenders on the islands will create stunning cocktails while entertaining customers with his famous flairing performances.
To find out more about Bombay Sapphire go to www.bombaysapphire.com.
Bombay Sapphire is imported, marketed and distributed in Malta by Wands Limited, a subsidiary company of The Farsons Group of Companies.
INSPIRING DESIGN
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE has enjoyed an ongoing relationship with design for nearly 20 years. Marcel Wanders, Karim Rashid and Eva Zeisel are among the designers who have created Bombay Sapphire inspired martini cocktail glasses showcased in the premium spirit’s advertising campaign.
This collection of Bombay Sapphire inspired work now extends into product design and includes lighting by Tord Boontje, a chair by Patricia Urquiola and a credenza by Jun Aoki. Bombay Sapphire inspired installations include Voyage, a 4.5m Swarovski chandelier by Yves Béhar and the Bombay Sapphire Stretch, a 45-metre sofa by Tom Dixon.
WHY IS BOMBAY SAPPHIRE SO SPECIAL?
Unlike most gins, which boil their botanicals directly in the spirit to achieve their taste, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is distilled alone and the 10 uniquely combined botanicals from around the world are infused to achieve a much greater subtlety of taste. Based on a secret recipe from 1761, Bombay Sapphire gin is produced by passing the spirit vapour through the botanicals, which are held separately from the spirit in a perforated copper basket. This process known as Vapour Infusion allows the gentle absorption of each of the aromatic flavours, resulting in a wonderfully balanced, crisp yet delicate finish; creating a versatility unmatched by other gins that can be savoured on its own in a classic martini cocktail, or in mixed cocktails.