LONDON – illycaffè, the global coffee brand renowned for its sustainable quality and its unique connection to the world of contemporary art, continues its collaboration with Frieze London as the official global coffee partner. This year, illycaffè has chosen to highlight the importance of human rights through the language of contemporary art, showcasing the stories of four artists.
Each artist has used the illy cup as a canvas to reflect on pressing cultural, environmental, and social issues, sharing their experiences as women from diverse geographical and social backgrounds.
These artists are Simone Fattal from Syria, Shirin Neshat from Iran, Monica Bonvicini from Italy, and Binta Diaw, a Milanese artist of Senegalese origin. Together, they have created the latest illy Art Collection, which is being presented at Frieze London.
The illy Art Collection’s creative motif also adorns the illycaffè lounge at Frieze London, a space where the beauty of art and the excellence of illy’s unique coffee blend – of which it selects only 1% of the best Arabica beans – come together.
This lounge offers an experience that combines ethics, taste, science, and creativity. Exhibitors and visitors can enjoy the unique illy blend in the illy lounge and throughout the fair’s bars.
“We are delighted to partner with Frieze London, the prestigious international contemporary art fair, to promote an important message of inclusion. At illycaffè, we believe art is a privileged medium that blends coffee culture with aesthetic and social values, serving as a powerful tool to raise awareness and inspire change. This year, our collection of cups tells the stories of artists who, with their unique styles, invite us to reflect on the condition of women worldwide,” commented Cristina Scocchia, CEO of illycaffè.
The illy Art Collection by the four artists will be available in sets of 2 and 4 cups for both espresso and cappuccino starting October 2024. These will be sold on the illy e-shop, in select international museums, illy Caffè and illy Shop locations, large-scale retail distribution channels, and various e- commerce platforms.
About illycaffè
illycaffè is an Italian family-owned company, founded in Trieste in 1933 which has always set itself the mission of offering the best coffee to the world. It produces a unique 100% Arabica blend composed of 9 different ingredients.
The company selects only 1% of the best Arabica beans. Every day more than 8 million cups of illy coffee are served in over 140 countries around the globe, in the cafés, restaurants and hotels, in single-brand cafés and shops, at home and in the office, in which the company is present through subsidiaries and distributors.
Since its foundation, illycaffè has oriented its strategies towards a sustainable business model, commitment that it strengthened in 2019 by adopting the status of Benefit Company and in 2021 becoming the first Italian coffee company to obtain the international B Corp certification.
Everything that is “made in illy” is about beauty and art, the founding principles of the brand, starting from its logo, designed by artist James Rosenquist, up to illy Art Collection cups, decorated by over 130 international artists, or coffee machines designed by internationally renowned designers.
With the aim of spreading the culture of quality to growers, baristas and coffee lovers, the company has developed its Università del Caffè which today holds courses in 23 countries around the world. In 2023, the company had a turnover of €595,1 million. The illy single-brand network has 159 points of sale in 30 countries.
