A story of Swiss inventiveness

last updated 29 September 2022

When Karl Elsener first opened a cutlery workshop in 1884, his compact knife quickly became one of the most iconic and enduring pieces of design in the world. The same spirited commitment to innovation lives on at Victorinox's factory in Ibach, where generations of families have worked for the past 130 years.

In this perfectly pitched little film, as charming as the valley the Swiss Army Knife manufacturer calls home, factory worker Yvonne takes us on a personal tour of its super-efficient complex. Director Cat Botibol's clever pacing and graphics, combined with the factory's colourful characters and their tales of invention, make this a lively portrait of Victorinox.

Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.