For retired Italian Olympic Ice-Skater Valentina Marchei, the Olympic Medals were so much more than a prize; they were a daily motivation. Competing in the 2014 and 2018 Olympics, she confessed she would print the designs as soon as they were released and stick them to her bedroom wall as a reminder of what she was working toward.
That’s the power of a great medal; it’s more than just metal. It’s a symbol of purpose, sacrifice and connection. And according to Raffaella Paniè, Brand, Identity, and Look of the Games Director for Milano Cortina 2026, that emotional resonance is exactly what her team aimed to achieve when they set out to design the medals for the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
Chatting with B&T nearly seven months out from the games and following the reveal of the iconic medals, Paniè took us on a behind-the-scenes look at the curation of the design and the significance they hold not just to the athletes but also to their community and the entire nation of Italy.
A Story Of Two Halves & A Whole Community
The 2026 medals are designed as two interlocking halves, joined by the Olympic rings or Paralympic agitos. It’s a visual metaphor for the journey every athlete takes: one half representing the competitor, the other symbolising the people who helped get them there.
“With our medals, we celebrate the strength of differences: two unique halves joined through the Olympic and Paralympic symbols to create a strong and unified message,” said Paniè. “Victory is never a solitary moment; it’s built through collective strength, support and unity.”
“Having those big rings, those bigger agitos, it’s something that really focuses you,” she said. “And having the possibility to think that behind that medal, it’s not only you. It’s your mum, your dad, your family, your fans, your trainer, your coach. You win the medal, but it’s everyone who really brought you there.”
Minimalist Design, Maximum Meaning
The medals draw on Italy’s avant-garde artistic traditions and are shaped by the country’s emphasis on beauty, not just of the city’s landscape and architecture, but of culture and people.
“We decided to concentrate a lot on people and on our culture,” Paniè explained. “Togetherness is deeply connected to our DNA; these aren’t just the Games of Milano and Cortina, but of all Italy.”
Every detail of the design reinforces this idea. The two different textures on each half of the medal represent two distinct worlds: the athlete and the support team, Milan and Cortina, the city and the mountain, all melded into one.
“The two textures represent that difference between the two worlds,” she said. “But they’re tied together by the Olympic rings and agitos, something that strongly interconnects them.”
Much like the ‘Essential’ Olympic torches designed by Carlo Ratti, the medals reflect purity, simplicity, and innovation, reinforcing the sleek and pure aesthetic that defines other Milano Cortina 2026 design elements.
Crafting The Impossible
The medals were brought to life through a close collaboration with the Italian State Mint (Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato), merging traditional engraving with modern production techniques.
“The Mint combines two fundamental and inseparable elements: the artistic tradition of the School of Medal Art and the industrial reality of cutting-edge production,” said Matteo Taglienti of the Mint. “Each medal is not just a technical achievement, but a truly unique object, rich with history and meaning.”
The spirit of collaboration extended beyond the athletes and the design and into the crafting of the medals themselves. The design team of 33 worked hand in hand, pushing creative and technical limits together. “Working together has really been important,” said Paniè. “Part of the team spent hours sitting with the Mint in Rome, figuring out how to make our design come to life in their process.”
There were hurdles, though. Starting the design phase in advance, Paniè and her team had no clue who would create the final product. The final production method, similar to coin minting, meant the original three-dimensional designs had to be simplified. “Probably the biggest challenge for us was to adapt our design, the concept, to the actual production process,” Paniè admitted.
Ultimately, these medals aren’t just rewards. They’re reminders of effort, of unity and of the people who may never make it to the podium but who are with the athlete every step of the way.
“I hope this will be for them an inspiration. That even decades from now, these medals will remind them of Milano Cortina, and everyone who helped them shine,” Paniè declared.
