illy Launches Cups with Trieste Art for Barcolana 2026

illycaffè has unveiled a new collection of cups signed by artist Serse Roma, featuring graphite drawings inspired by the Trieste sea. The launch, named within the illy Art Collection, celebrates the 58th edition of Barcolana, the regatta that transforms the Gulf of Trieste into the world's largest sailing stage in October.

New illy Art Collection

The collection brings together cups featuring Serse Roma's graphite artwork, the artist's signature technique, depicting the sea that borders Trieste. The design is derived from the official poster of the 58th Barcolana, presented publicly in July, which had already resonated with event organizers and the public.

Serse Roma is not new to partnerships with the brand: in 2005, he had already collaborated with illy in creating a cup designed for iced coffee, one of the products that helped consolidate the company's accessories line among collectors. The new collection resumes this relationship almost two decades later, now with a direct focus on Trieste's maritime and cultural identity.

Collection Details

The cups signed by Serse Roma will be available in illy's own stores, on the brand's online shop, and at points of sale set up specially during Barcolana programming in Trieste. Information about the suggested retail price should be confirmed directly with the brand.

The direction of illycaffè highlighted the historical connection between the brand and the city where it was founded, reinforcing the symbolic bond between the company and Trieste and recognizing the city's role in shaping the company's identity since its origins. illycaffè is one of the most traditional brands in the Italian coffee sector and maintains its historic headquarters in the region.

About Barcolana 2026

The Barcolana 2026 takes place between October 2-11 in Trieste, with the main regatta scheduled for the event's final day. Considered by organizers themselves as the world's largest sailing regatta in terms of number of participating vessels, the competition attracts visitors from various countries and drives the local economy throughout the week of programming.

illycaffè has participated in Barcolana's cultural programming for over 20 years, alongside various names from contemporary art who have already signed earlier editions of collections and installations linked to the event. The partnership between the coffee brand and the regatta has become, over the years, one of the highlights of the cultural agenda that accompanies the sporting competition.

Why It Matters to Italian Descendants

Trieste and the entire Friuli-Venezia Giulia region have strong historical ties to Italian emigration flows that, throughout the 20th century, took thousands of families to Brazil. The city, which once belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire before being incorporated into Italy, carries a unique cultural identity, marked by a blend of Italian, Slavic, and Central European influences.

illycaffè, in turn, is one of the brands most associated with Italian coffee tradition abroad, with consolidated presence and recognition among descendants of Italians in Brazil. Initiatives like the new collection signed by Serse Roma help keep alive, outside Italy as well, the connection between product, territory, and cultural identity — themes that usually interest directly the Brazilian public that follows News from Italy and maintains affective ties with family roots in the country.

Those planning to travel to Italy to attend events like Barcolana can find practical tips in the Life in Italy section, while descendants interested in formalizing their ties with their family's country of origin can seek more information in the Italian Citizenship area of the portal.

The cup collection arrives at illy stores amid the countdown to Barcolana 2026, reinforcing Trieste's role as a simultaneous stage of maritime tradition, art, and coffee culture — elements that continue to spark interest both in Italy and among descendants of Italians scattered around the world.

Source: Italianismo