July 2, 2025 will be a day Stefano Rivera will hardly forget. During the prestigious D&AD Awards ceremony, held in London, the young student from Istituto Marangoni Milano Design received a coveted Wood Pencil, one of the most important recognitions in the world of design and creativity.

A Prize for Vision and Creative Freshness

Stefano, now in his third year of the Visual Design course, saw his project selected from over 6,000 entries submitted by schools from all over the world. The Wood Pencil honors creative work that stands out for its originality, impact, and executional quality. For a student this is an extraordinary achievement.

Specifically, Stefano served as art director for the project “Be a Circle”, developed in response to the brief launched by the British watch brand Christopher Ward as part of the D&AD New Blood competition. The project stood out for its use of a contemporary, engaging, and circular visual language — perfectly aligned with the core concept it was built upon.

“I didn’t expect to get this far. This award is a huge motivation to keep going down this path — experimenting, making mistakes, growing,” Stefano said after the ceremony.

The award confirms the strength of Rivera’s visual concept, which captured the attention of an international jury made up of professionals from leading agencies, creative studios, and global brands. His work stood out for its conceptual depth and for the ability to communicate with clarity, freshness, and personality.

The Role of Istituto Marangoni Milano Design

Our school has long been a benchmark in design education, and once again proves to be a launchpad for emerging talent. Stefano is clear proof that students are encouraged — right from the first year — to engage in projects with an international outlook.

“We are incredibly proud of Stefano! This achievement also reflects an environment that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and experimentation. London… see you next year!”, said Paola Rolli, Program Leader of the Visual Design  course, together with tutors Andrea Bomentre and Elena di Seclí, he supported Stefano during the project development.

Looking Ahead

For Stefano Rivera, this award marks only the beginning. The visibility provided by D&AD — a global organization that has been championing creative excellence for over 60 years — opens the door to collaborations, internships, and new opportunities in the world of design.

In a constantly evolving creative landscape, where ideas are as important as execution, young talents like Stefano represent a bright future for Italian visual design.