Interviews med Laura Ferrario

I have been working as a Visual Designer for over 30 years.

I have worked for large industrial clients like Johnson Controls but I preferred to choose smaller clients because I could be more creative and refined like in the wine sector or boutique hotel.

My creativity reached an important peak when I was 10 years old and won a contest for the Duomo in Milan where I reproduced an actual glass window.

That was when my motto became: When I grow up, I’ll be a graphic designer.

this year I celebrate 30 years: ThirtYears of projects, ThirtYears of passion for what I love doing.

The most important thing is to first put down a precise briefing to share with the client, defining the target it refers to and the values it wants to convey.

Then I start researching what is done in the industry, once this is done I put down 3 concepts to be developed from which I pull out three projects to show to the customer: better to show a few things but of which you are extremely sure.

When you get the idea of the concept to express before falling asleep and you can't wait to put it down graphically and then find the right symbol that encloses everything you had in your head: which must be simple, incisive but especially unique.

Designing to me has always been a process focused on my clients, on listening and understanding their needs. But that’s not all: I have evolved over time, always following the trends of my industry, and addressing worlds that go beyond traditional graphic design such as the Digital and New Media. I listened to and followed the spirit of the times, offering my experience combined with the new opportunities yielded by the web to propose a complete and all-round form of communication. In my view, doing Visual Design means tailoring every single project, making it unique. In fact, I would say that the phrase that most represents me is: For all those companies who want to race at the pace of the world, but also catch the glance of those who observe them.

I face the biggest challenges with creativity, attracting the attention of those who are bombarded with visual inputs every day!I start with the sign, like primitive peoples or children, I express myself by means of it to then create an image, as a primary need of communication.

Communication tools are infinite although my favourite one is still paper, with its thousand nuances that are enhanced through our senses: touch, thanks to embossing, thicknesses or materials; sight, with the various printing techniques; hearing, with the turning of the pages; and smell, that unmistakable scent of ink. My secret is to never stop. In a world that keeps moving faster and faster, what’s important is understanding from what point of view things are observed, with the right rhythm. Working in different sectors every day means having only one specialisation: quality.

Right now I'm working on a big rebranding project for an Italian foundation which is a big bet because I never, ever thought they would choose me. I have always worked for small clients and always having direct contact with the client instead of here I am inside a gear with many actors. It is very interesting but also very tiring. At this moment I don't have time to think about it but I think I'll go back to my type of job that reflects my way of being more.

There is not only creativity. If you want to be a good Visual Designer you must also be a technician: understand printing, know about cards.

Don't stop if someone tells you that you can't be a graphic designer if i did i wouldn't be here now.

Never stop, keep learning, studying, traveling and hanging out with young people.

I'm creative and I don’t have a routine skills. The best thing for me is not to have a routine trying to change every day.

It is important to evolve and follow trends but everyone has to keep their own style to be different

Infact the phrase that most represents me is: For all those companies who want to race at the pace of the world, but also catch the glance of those who observe them.

A visual design project must be composed of a few elements that represent what you want to express in a simple, direct and clear way.

When I have achieved the right balance between the shapes and colors that represent it.

I believe it is the Mosnel wine label that won a Platinum.

To make this label I drew inspiration from Franciacorta, a splendid region south of Lake Iseo, in the province of Brescia, which extends up to the morainic hills. The concept of the label comes from the graphic reworking of the historical image represented by the morphology of the lake: as Lake Iseo bathes the shores of Franciacorta, so the sparkling wine bathes the walls of the glass, enclosing all the energy of a bottle of Riserva just uncorked.

I believe I have combined the values of the territory with the communication of the Company's brand and the uniqueness of the product.

I don't have a favorite designer, I look back with respect but I look to the present to be ready for the future Once a brand was just a sign while now values and marketig have been added to transform it into a brand. We will see what will happen in the future.

I live in Milan in Italy but I have always traveled a lot and London and Ny York are my inspiring cities for graphics. I am very sporty and I love nature where I free my mind to be more creative.

I almost always work alone because I have seen that I have brought out the best in myself in projects done by myself. I think I am scared to see the project at 360 degrees and find people to collaborate with on that project using freelance when I need it so that I can choose the right one for the job I am doing.

I am really following the Association Rene e Bambino nel Mondo Onlus, Kidney and Child in the world. I designed the Brand and the website and I try to help them in communication in general and obviously pro Bono.

When you see that you are in the top world rankings it is beautiful. It's nice to see the quality of the other projects you are competing with. It was very nice to attend the first award ceremony on Lake Como because I came with a client of mine who unfortunately is no longer there. It was a beautiful day that I always remember with pleasure. Then

The idea of renewal comes from the renovation of a historic sports equipment rental shop in Dolonne, located at the foot of the ski lifts. From this starting point, it was time to evolve the brand concept as well, aiming to include everything from Rental to Shopping to Food. This led to the creation of a new, more contemporary mood, while still reflecting the traditional values, all under one big umbrella represented by the unique 4810 brand. Innovation and tradition together.

The goal was to emphasize the popularity of 'Quarantottodieci' in Courmayeur as an umbrella under which to find ideas, objects, materials, something fluid in its meaning, capable of also encompassing the numerical form. For the graphic part of the brand, the idea was born to use very contemporary and solid numbers, as a seal of guarantee and modernity. The numbers were divided because the concept of 'QUARANTOTTODIECI' should come across strong and clear.

Thus, creativity led me to the idea of using very modern and concrete numbers that communicate security and modernity. Solid numbers that can become containers of images themselves, conveying the concept of each division.

The project is constantly evolving. I created a new logo, 'We are Mont Blanc Family', for an event that is becoming the 'umbrella' for the entire project. Moreover, the client is embarking on a new venture by renting houses, which will be named 'We Are Chalet', providing a complete service to their clients.

It took me a month to create this very elaborate concept and then a year to develop and bring it to life."

I designed this concept because it is the development of a briefing made with the client.

It is a project that was commissioned to me by a client.

It is a very advanced project for a ski resort: it offers the possibility of bringing together many things under a single brand to create a unique but highly diversified family experience, ranging from food to shopping to ski rentals.

4810 is the historical name of the client and is a historic family from Courmayeur, so it's important to highlight who they are. 'We are' is the idea and the simplest, most immediate concept that came to mind to launch this new brand.

Le Coffret is a bed and breakfast of charm and design in the heart of Valle d'Aosta.

After four years of passionate and knowledgeable restoration, this house from 1779 comes back to life, preserving the atmosphere, which is in perfect harmony with the most sophisticated contemporary comfort.

The project was conceived in absolute respect of the authentic style: so the stone walls, wooden beams and antique furniture are offered to the admiring eyes of the guests and lovers of beauty.

Stone, wood, mountains, ancient and modern is what forms the logo designed for Le Coffret.

A circle symbolizing the sky over the triangle which represents the mountain, where the B&B is located, from the idea of the ascent of man into the sky

An Onciale font revised in a modern version (Generatio Uncial) to remember the Celtic origins of the Aostava Valley rightly balances and supports a strong and important symbol to finally obtain a mark that is easy to identify and easily catches the eye.

My aim was to combine the feeling of the mountain with the modernity and tradition of the B&B and convey a feeling of belonging to the territory.

I hope to work with other establishments like Le Coffret in the future. In Italy there are many B&Bs of this kind which could use a restyling.

The “Client” started from a very precise concept of his, but during the designing process we decided together that the solution I had proposed was closer to what the B&B represented.

People who love beautiful things.

The use of small details make my design unique: glass and worked metal make up the sign, rubber bands to bind together the various elements of the invitation or the welcome card which will be displayed in every room.

I would like to use my creativity and professionalism also in non-Italian projects and this seemed to be the most immediate way to makes myself known outside my own country.

This concept arises from the graphic re-elaboration of the historical image representing the shape of the lake and expresses all the power with which a freshly uncorked Reserve bottle is poured into a crystal glass.

Just as the Iseo Lake splashes on the banks of Franciacorta, so the sparkling wine wets the sides of a glass.

The little bubbles mix in the jet of the sparkling wine and create an expectation, an emotion that awakens a desire to open the bottle.

Usually labels are only graphical and my aim was to find a concept that would combine the territory and the product.

This project was born in the context of a competition: every year the wine farm “il mosnel” selects six Italian graphic designers who have to propose a design, and mine was chosen as the winning design for 2012.

It has already won two more prizes and therefore I hope that all this promotion will allow my office to become known also abroad.

The “Client” gave me a briefing, but the concept that was later developed was my idea.

Sophisticated people and connoisseurs who are attracted by particular and innovative objects.

Usually labels for sparkling wine follow classic standards, and my idea, apart from proposing a very precise concept, was that of finding an innovative solution also in graphical terms: an elegant and lively label which is balanced in its graphics, colors and in the combination with a modern and important font like Anorak, round and rigorous, which blends in perfectly, yet remains distinct, from the original and modern elements of the label.

I chose a support in transparent polypropylene and hot foil gold printing to convey new sensations and enhance the simplicity and elegance of the product.

The powerful pouring out of the sparkling wine is underlined on the box, where the graphics wraps around the packaging: simple and impactful, composed by two “Slive et Tiroir” elements which make up a precious case.

A casket holding all the expectations of the Reserve: sealed with a particular gift tag showing the QdE mark to assert the prestige of the product.

I would like to use my creativity and professionalism also in non-Italian projects and this seemed to be the most immediate way to makes myself known outside my own country.

In fifth grade I won a competition for the Duomo in Milan: we were asked to reproduce some part of the Duomo and I chose to reproduce one of the windows in glass. My project won the competition and that’s when I knew my future destiny.

My studio specializes in visual communication consultancy for companies and in this we assist the customer at 360: logo design, corporate identity, catalogs, brochures, layouts, packaging and web design.

I’ve been working as a Graphic Designer for over 20 years, aiming to face every single project by asking: who is the message to be communicated aimed at and how can I reach the end user in the simplest and most immediate way.

In fact, the phrase that represents me is: "For all companies who want to keep up with the pace of the world, but attract the gaze of those watching". To achieve this in a society full of visual inputs, it is necessary to strike immediately to be recognized with a few well-directed messages.

Creativity is being able to attract attention through the visual message and make people stop, even just for a moment. It’s being remembered!

Design is simplicity: being able to express everything with just a few elements.

Anything where I can express my creativity freely without too many limitations.

I enjoy following a company 360 degrees, from the design of the logo to its use on social media, creating the entire corporate identity.

The logo for my uncle’s company of Helipads.

Communication tools are endless, although my favorite remains paper, with its thousand nuances enhanced through the senses: touch, thanks to embossing, thicknesses, or materials; sight, with different printing technologies; hearing, the turning of the pages; and smell, the scent of ink.

When I am alone in my office.

Research what competitors are doing and then look for something different and always new. My specialty is finding new and unexpected symbols.

When I find the right thing for the client, something I know can work, I still get excited like a child and work on it until I find the right balance between colors and shapes.

Sad because it's over.

Simplicity, which is often a synonym of genius.

Whether it has a good mix of creativity, functionality and simplicity.

It is essential to design with the awareness that the world has changed and that it is necessary to preserve it, considering the impact of our actions on the future of the planet and generations to come.

The pace is becoming faster and faster... customers tend to no longer prioritize quality and functionality, focusing only on the price.

From everything that was made in the past.

Art, design and traveling

Internet, museums, books

In a world where everyone is racing to go faster it’s important to understand how things are being observed and the importance of providing a clear communication and a strong

visual impact. This is the winning approach I have adopted over the years for the most diverse clients, who have enabled me to maintain an open mind and that creative freshness needed to guarantee solutions that are never obvious or predictable.

Because working every day in different fields means having one single specialization: that of quality.

I live in Milan, in Italy, the capital of Fashion and design.

I consider my country an infinite source of cultural wealth and I think that our style and elegance is recognized all over the world. Unfortunately, however, many Italian companies do not consider investments in visual communication essential.

I have always worked with the end customer and I prefer medium sized companies where the contact with the management is direct. I think I have a certain sensitivity to quickly understand what the client wants and/or what would be good for him.

Evaluating the designs of the designer, talking to him/her and not leaving the final choice to a mere tender, a design cannot be evaluated only based on its costs

Combining creatività with technical aspects to provide a functional but impactful product.

All of them in their own way have always taught me something that allowed me to grow!

Wine farms, jewelers, paper factories, packaging manufacturers, B&Bs, natural hair products, shoe store chains, spatial engineering, etc.

I am not specialized in one particular field. I like to explore different and new fields because they give me new stimuli.

laura@ferrariodesign.it

Tel +39.02.8322303

The choice to use the shape of Lake Iseo as inspiration for the design of the Il Mosnel QdE 2012 Sparkling Wine label and packaging stems from the deep connection between the Franciacorta region and its history. The region, located south of Lake Iseo, is characterized by gentle moraine hills and a landscape that, like the wine, represents the harmony between nature and tradition.The graphic concept comes to life through the reinterpretation of the historical image that represents the lake's morphology, with the aim of evoking the powerful way a bottle of Riserva, just uncorked, pours into a crystal glass. The curves of the lake were interpreted as a visual flow, symbolizing not only the movement of the wine but also the natural beauty of the region. The design seeks to convey the emotion felt when opening a bottle, anticipating the moment when the sparkling wine, like the lake that touches its shores, reaches the glass and begins to release its bubbles.The bubbles themselves were represented as an element that, blending with the pour of the wine, creates an expectation—a visual emotion that invites the consumer to experience the uniqueness of Il Mosnel.In this way, the shape of Lake Iseo is not just a geographical element, but a powerful symbol that connects the territory to the quality and elegance of the product, blending the winemaking tradition of Franciacorta with a modern, sophisticated vision of design.

The choice of transparent polypropylene for the label and packaging of Il Mosnel QdE 2012 Sparkling Wine was bold, yet inspired by the desire to convey a very specific concept. The label is completely transparent, and the only visible element is a glass being filled with Franciacorta. The idea I wanted to communicate is that, just as the region is 'bathed' by the lake, the wine glass is 'bathed' by the Franciacorta. This creates a visual and sensory connection between the territory, the wine, and the moment of tasting

When designing this label, the goal was not so much to maintain the brand's traditional positioning, but rather to create something original. I aimed to develop a design that was innovative while still preserving the elegance typical of the company. The use of gold foil printing to convey the concept previously expressed allowed me to represent the softness of the lake's water transforming into the sparkling wine. Although the label is not a classic design, I believe that its originality and the refinement of materials used, such as the gold foil, help maintain the brand's elegant and distinctive character while offering a fresh approach.

I worked a lot on making the lake flow and transforming it into sparkling wine, rounding it out until everything was very harmonious and conveyed the idea of the sparkling wine flowing from the bottle into the glass. The power of the sparkling wine pouring out is further emphasized in the box, where the magnification surrounds it: simple and impactful, composed of two elements, 'sleeve and drawer,' forming a precious case.A treasure chest that holds all the expectations of the Riserva: sealed with a special seal that encloses the QDE brand, all aimed at maximizing the prestige of the product.

I worked on a single concept: to connect the land, the place, with the product. Including too many concepts on the label would end up making it ineffective. Moreover, Il Mosnel is already well-known and doesn't need to prove the quality of the product, as it is already established."

The continuous visual flow between the label and the box was designed to create a harmonious and cohesive experience, like a story unfolding without interruptions. The wrapping graphic symbolizes the connection between the Franciacorta region and the wine, expressing movement and elegance. This dynamic and fluid design emphasizes the product's prestige, naturally connecting the packaging to the content.

To stand out in the luxury wine market, I sought a balance between innovation and refinement, focusing on details that convey the product’s quality in an elegant way while avoiding excess. The use of premium materials, such as hot foil printing, and a minimalist design give the packaging an exclusive feel without being overwhelming. The graphic element on the label, which becomes dominant on the box, creates visual continuity that blends modernity and tradition, while maintaining the brand's elegance and prestige.

The visual representation of bubbles mixing with flowing wine was designed to evoke a sense of anticipation and excitement, mirroring the moment when a bottle of sparkling wine is opened and begins to pour. This dynamic visual element engages the consumer's imagination, drawing them into the experience even before the wine is tasted. It creates a connection between the visual and sensory aspects of the product, allowing consumers to almost 'feel' the effervescence and freshness of the wine. By illustrating the fusion of bubbles and wine, the design taps into emotions of joy, celebration, and anticipation, reinforcing the emotional connection to the moment of enjoyment.

Winning the Platinum A' Design Award significantly boosted the visibility and recognition of Il Mosnel QdE 2012 Sparkling Wine in the market. It validated the design's originality and aesthetic quality, strengthening the brand’s image as a symbol of elegance and innovation. For future projects, this experience has motivated me to push further in creating designs that balance creativity with functionality, and to focus even more on the emotional impact packaging can have on consumers.

Il Mosnel is a classic and traditional brand, but every two years it launches something unique, and this approach could continue to push the luxury wine industry towards new creative frontiers. I believe the packaging has the potential to inspire future trends, showing how contemporary design, while bold, can coexist with tradition without compromising the brand's prestige. In the future, I think there will be more emphasis on exclusive products and original launches, but always with a strong connection to the quality and identity of the brand.