Introducing Pleasure Makes Us Human The 2026 Lavazza Calendar Photographed by Alex Webb Debuting at Art Basel Miami Beach this December

Acclaimed photographer Alex Webb invites viewers on a photographic journey into "Italianness," on view at the Miami Beach Convention Center as part of Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 as well as an offsite exhibition in Miami's famous Design District

MIAMI, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With its 2026 Calendar, Lavazza continues the journey it began with 'Pleasure Makes Us Human,' a global campaign exploring an intangible yet unmistakable "essence of Italian lifestyle" through the collection of gestures, atmospheres, and sensibilities that define the Italian way of life.

For this edition, Lavazza once again entrusted the creative direction to its long-standing partner – the Armando Testa agency – and selected the vision of photographer Alex Webb, a member of Magnum Photos and one of the most significant contemporary street photographers, renowned for his vibrant use of color and his ability to portray everyday life with poetic depth.

For the first time in its history, Lavazza will unveil the Calendar during Art Basel Miami Beach 2025, introducing the Calendar to the world's premier gathering of the contemporary arts community. 

"We are proud to be an Official Partner of Art Basel Miami Beach and to share our long-standing relationship with art and photography in this context," explains Francesca Lavazza, Board Member of the Lavazza Group. "Contemporary art is a universal language that unites people and allows us to interpret reality, its contradictions, and its beauty. Our dedication to the art world is integral to our identity: this collaboration marks a new, fundamental milestone in Lavazza's ongoing commitment to supporting contemporary creativity."

Alex Webb's Photographic 'Tour'

For the 2026 Calendar, Alex Webb embarked on a visual journey across Italy, discovering authentic and unconventional locations.

His narrative is warm, intense, and sophisticated: it portrays Italian life with a cinematic gaze, weaving together references to painting and photography and conveying the vitality that stems from the pleasure of small things.

"I have always perceived a profound aesthetic tradition in Italy, one that spans centuries and remains vibrant today," states Webb. "In this project, I aimed to capture and convey through my photographs the light, colors, and gestures, ultimately seizing that special energy that makes the Italian way of life so unique."

The twelve photographs that comprise the Calendar oscillate between intimate scenes and collective moments: children playing in a lakeside garden, a delightful city bar offering a pleasant break, an artisan workshop where ancient artistic techniques are passed down, a bocce court where a group of priests enjoy innocent recreation, an Art Nouveau barbershop, lunch at a trattoria, and the procession of Santa Rosalia in Palermo. In each of these settings, coffee emerges as a unifying thread, an element that brings people together and sparks celebratory moments. Webb renders it a discreet yet constant presence, a visual 'punctuation' that sets the rhythm of Italian life.

Pleasure as a Universal Language

Through Webb's fantastically colorful photography, this project endeavors to portray an ideal journey through Italy, engaging in the pleasures of the Italian lifestyle and sensibility removed from cliché. The exploration was conceived of twelve stages that explore different facets of the pleasure of Italian life.  Pleasure thus becomes a shared language: the joy of meeting, of spending time together, of savoring a coffee. It's an invitation to rediscover the beauty of simple gestures, to slow down, and to fully embrace every moment.

"Coffee is a spark, a small moment of universal happiness," adds Francesca Lavazza. "It's a pleasure that can be shared, yet also intimate, capable of uniting people and making them feel part of a shared experience, anywhere in the world."

The photographs encapsulate the essence of the contemporary 'dolce vita': slower rhythms, spontaneity, and conviviality. Every moment can hold a slice of pleasure, to be sought within the fabric of daily life, revealing its richness. The joy of meeting, of being together, the pleasure of conversation and good food, the instant the coffee ritual unfolds; these are small moments of happiness accessible to all, part of that now boundless heritage that is the Italian way of life.

Lavazza at Art Basel Miami Beach: Coffee as Cultural Catalyst

Lavazza brings its signature blend of coffee, culture, and artistry to Miami through a constellation of experiences that animate the spirit of Art Basel. At the Lavazza Lounge, guests are invited into an immersive environment that celebrates the world premiere of the 2026 Calendar. The journey continues in the Miami Design District with the Luxury Living Calendar Experience, where contemporary street-style aesthetics reinterpret the Calendar's imagery through fresh, interactive vignettes. The brand is also activating at the Walt Grace Vintage Café, Guitar and Car showroom in Wynwood, translating its "dolce vita" messaging into an accessible, street-level moment featuring product service, branded takeaways, and consumer gamification. And finally, the Lavazza Dolcevita Discotheque transforms the morning ritual into an unexpected "café rave," blending specialty coffee creations, curated bites, and an Italian-inflected soundtrack that channels the spontaneity and pleasure at the heart of the Lavazza ethos.

"Art Basel is a moment when the global creative community comes together to exchange ideas, discover new perspectives, and celebrate the power of artistic expression," shared Daniele Foti, Vice President of Marketing for Lavazza North America. "For Lavazza, being part of this cultural conversation is essential—we show up where creativity lives. Our presence throughout Miami this week reflects our belief that coffee is more than a beverage; it's a bridge between people, disciplines, and communities. By engaging with the art world in such a dynamic context, we continue to affirm our role as a brand deeply connected to culture, creativity, and the shared experiences that bring people together."

A Steadfast Commitment to Contemporary Art

The presentation of the 2026 Calendar at Art Basel Miami Beach solidifies the bond between Lavazza and the contemporary art world, serving as the culmination of a long history of engagement in visual arts. With over thirty years of editions, the Lavazza Calendar has become a benchmark photographic project, created in collaboration with the world's greatest photographic talents, who have consistently interpreted Lavazza's values through a personal and innovative vision.

Over the years, Lavazza has fostered an ongoing dialogue with internationally renowned cultural institutions – including the Triennale di Milano, MUDEC, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, and the Civic Museums of Venice, all the way to the Guggenheim Museum in New York – establishing itself as an ambassador not only for Italian coffee but also for creativity and beauty worldwide. With the 2026 Calendar, Lavazza reaffirms this commitment, offering a contemporary perspective on Italy: a country where pleasure, culture, and conviviality continue to intertwine, generating a universal language capable of inspiring people across all latitudes.

Lavazza in the United States

Lavazza continues to accelerate its growth and deepen its cultural footprint in the United States, building on more than 130 years of Italian coffee excellence. Guided by a mission to deliver the best coffee experience every moment of the day, the brand is expanding its presence across premium hospitality, entertainment, culture, and workplace channels.

2025 marks a pivotal year, highlighted by the expansion of Lavazza's partnership with American Airlines into premium cabins, the debut of the new Flavia Aroma, a multi-beverage single-serve innovation for the office market, and the continued strengthening of flagship partnerships including the US Open, America's Got Talent, NYU Tisch & The Martin Scorsese Center, and North America's 50 Best Restaurants.

From the country's leading hotels and restaurants to boardrooms, airports, and campus hubs, Lavazza is creating meaningful moments of pleasure, creativity, and connection. With a long-term vision and sustained investment planned for 2026 and beyond, Lavazza is shaping the future of coffee in the U.S., blending Italian heritage, craftsmanship, and innovation to inspire the everyday.

About Lavazza Group 

Lavazza, founded in Turin in 1895, has been owned by the Lavazza family for four generations. Today the Group is one of the leading players on the global coffee scene, with turnover of over € 3.3 billion and a portfolio of top brands that lead their respective markets, such as Lavazza, Carte Noire, Merrild and Kicking Horse. 

It is active in all business sectors and has operations in 140 markets, with 9 manufacturing plants in 5 countries. The Group's global presence is the result of 130 years of growth and the more than 30 billion cups of Lavazza coffee produced every year are a testament to a remarkable success story, with the goal of continuing to offer the best coffee possible, in all forms, by focusing on every aspect of the supply chain, from the selection of the raw material to the product in the cup. 

Lavazza Group has revolutionized coffee culture by investing continuously in research and development: from the intuition that marked the company's earliest success - the coffee blend - to the development of innovative packaging solutions; from the first espresso sipped in Space to the dozens of industrial patents. The ability to be ahead of the times is also reflected in the attention of economic, social and environmental issues - which have always been a benchmark to guide corporate strategies. 

"Awakening a better world every morning" is the corporate purpose of Lavazza Group, with the aim of creating value for shareholders, collaborators, consumers and the communities in which it operates, combining competitiveness with social and environmental responsibility. 

About Art Basel

Founded in 1970 by gallerists from Basel, Art Basel today stages the world's premier art shows for Modern and contemporary art, sited in Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong, Paris, and Qatar. Defined by its host city and region, each show is unique, which is reflected in its participating galleries, artworks presented, and the content of parallel programming produced in collaboration with local institutions for each edition. Art Basel's engagement has expanded through new digital platforms including Zero 10 and the Art Basel App, and initiatives such as the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report and Survey of Global Collecting, Art Basel Awards, and Art Basel Shop. For further information, please visit artbasel.com.

SOURCE Lavazza