When the participants of the 107th Tour de France reach the famous Avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris on 20 September, the winners of the individual classifications will also be announced. This year, for the tenth consecutive year, the ŠKODA Design was responsible for creating the winners’ trophies crafted by the Czech company LASVIT.
The elegant silhouette of the trophies, which are produced by the Czech company Lasvit, has since become a hallmark of the Tour de France. Every year, we are inspired by new impressions for the surface design. This year, the 60-centimetre four-kilogram masterpieces of Czech glass art pay tribute to a traditional glass-grinding technique called ‘Spitzstein’. Mastering this technique requires years of dedication. The trophies for this year’s winners of the Tour de France have been produced by a 75-year-old glass cutter, who has perfected the technique over the course of his decades-long career. Production of each trophy took three days.
In 2019 the Ice Hockey World Championship took place in Slovakia, my hometown Bratislava and Košice. I was honoured to be asked to design the trophy for the Most valuable player of tournament. The trophy is symbolically a big glass crystal stone that takes the inspiration from the crystallisation of the ice coming from the hockey field. Precisely shaped and cut by the best glasscutters from Czech. Mark Stone was named tournament most valuable player after his string of clutch goals helped Canada to the World Championship final in Bratislava. I am happy to be the part of this story an seeing him live lifting up my trophy.
The trophies for the winners of the Tour de France provide a fascinating interplay between soft curves and precise lines, which widen towards the top. They are thereby reminiscent of a bird’s wings mid-flight. The 60-centimetre-tall and four-kilogramme masterpieces of Czech glass art are manufactured by the Czech company Lasvit and the trophies’ elegant silhouettes are now considered to be a trademark of the Tour de France. Each year we draw on inspiration from new influences when creating the surface of the awards. This year the trophy pays homage to the geometric designs and angular shapes of Czech cubism.
This are the first visuals of the new organ for St. Vitus Cathedral. In this minimalistic interpretation of the prospect pipes I let myself inspire from Panská skála in Crystal valley near Kamenický Šenov. We are just on the beginning of this great story, but meeting so many supportive people on the way, I believe that it will be succesful.
“We didn’t want to make a pseudo-historic instrument. We wanted to create an impression that the composition is floating in the air. We regard it as a jewel to crown the cathedral, as a necklace hanging below the rose window.” I had a great talk not only about the long expected project, but as well about design, architecture and art. Everything started more than 15 years ago when we visited the Květná Glassworks for the first time. Since then we keep returning not only there, but as well to many other Czech glassworks like Preciosa or Lasvit. Now we can master the experiences in the project of the century, the new organ for St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague.
Spending time in the glassworks makes me just forget all the challenges that the exact world of car design brings and just create. Here in Ajeto glassworks by Lasvit.
2017 Tour de France trophies will once again be created in the glass workshops at Lasvit and bear the signature look of the ŠKODA design department. The form of the trophy itself remains unchanged in comparison to previous years, but features creative ideas drawn from the concept of Mladá Boleslav’s first electric vehicle, VISON E, which was introduced mid-April at the Shangai Auto Show. Its dynamic lines have been reflected in this year’s trophies which embodies the modern form of Czech Crystal.
I am very happy to be part of this story and had a chance to spend time in Škoda Museum and learn about the history of bike production by Laurin & Klement. I’m pleased Czech crystal has become an integral part of the famous Tour de France. Designing trophies for each subsequent year is always a new challenge for us. This year we took our inspiration from the very spirit of Tour de France, the moment when racers compete in the peloton wheel-to-wheel. The rotating décor of the trophy is a direct reflection of the spinning wheels of the best-of-the-best. This is the sixth year we have designed the trophies that serve as an emblem of what Tour de France stands for: cycling, hard work and the taste of victory.