With her pioneering work Memento, Sophie Ludwig, a student on the Master's degree course in Creative Direction, is one of the seven finalists in this year's RIMOWA Design Prize. The renowned competition recognizes outstanding design achievements in the field of mobility and offers selected young talents a stage to present their ideas to an international audience of experts.

Curating the digital legacy

Memento is a memory object dedicated to the digital legacy of loved ones by securely storing and displaying curated memories. It consists of a physical device and an accompanying app. Users select which personal data – photos, videos or music – they want to share. The curated content is later transferred to the device and sent to selected estate contacts. The design is carefully considered, with a softly glowing display and a minimalist marble base that blends seamlessly into living spaces.

"With Memento, I wanted to create a new, conscious and secure way of dealing with digital legacies," explains Sophie Ludwig. Memento not only offers protection for the selected data, but also clarity for the bereaved about what should be shared with posterity. With her nomination, Sophie is initiating a long overdue discussion about the digital legacy: "What happens to our data when we are no longer around is a question that is too rarely asked. My project aims to open up a cross-generational dialog about this."

Memento combines elegance with technology to create a thoughtful and collaborative approach to digital remembrance. Over the course of several months, the Master's student developed the concept, designed the app interface and created the physical device – with renderings, prototypes and an accompanying video. The biggest challenge was to find a restrained and neutral form that didn't look technical and that different people could identify with, reports Sophie. During the two-month mentoring phase, she received support from Ute Meta Bauer, art curator and professor at the School of Art, Design and Media in Singapore.

Winners receive a total of 55,000 euros in prize money

The announcement of this year's winning projects will take place on May 13 in Berlin at the Gropius Bau. The jury will award a main prize of 20,000 euros and a special prize of 10,000 euros. The remaining five finalists will each receive 5,000 euros.

As a premium manufacturer of travel and mobility solutions, RIMOWA is presenting its Design Award 2025 for the third time. It encourages young designers to critically reflect on the comprehensive impact of mobility while upholding RIMOWA's core values of resilience, transformation and timeless design.