Interview with Stefano Ollino
A creative director and designer whose journey began with a suitcase full of ambition and a vision to bring Italian design to the world.
Designer Interview
1 September 2026
My father is a designer, and I vividly remember how much I loved looking at his projects when I was a kid. There was something magical about the way he presented his ideas, so much creativity and attention to detail. Growing up, I naturally gravitated toward the visual arts. I started by sketching my favorite cartoon characters, then got into street art, and eventually found my way into product design.
I founded my design studio when I was 23, right after a work experience in China. I think I’ve always had the ambition to start something of my own, and building strong relationships while I was in China really gave me the momentum to launch my studio from the very beginning.
For me, design is about telling a story through the products we create. It’s about giving people the chance to have a conversation in front of an object, something that sparks curiosity, emotion, or connection.
I’m drawn to any project where aesthetics take center stage, but furniture design holds a special place for me, it’s where form, emotion, and function meet in the most tangible way.
I have a deep affection for every product I’ve designed, but the Sunrise Faucet definitely stands out. It was the first digital tap I ever created, and the first to win international awards in my career. That makes it particularly special to me.
The sunrise faucet, a digital faucet I’ve design during my first experience in China for Solex.
Honestly I don’t have one.
In the late evening / night, when the word stop to be noisy.
The storytelling. A product without a story is just an object.
I feel free and completely relaxed
I'm proud
It should be timeless and don't follow the trends
First impact and the storytelling behind the product. If there is a good storytelling any shape could be accepted
The future of design will be more focused on the personal branding of the designers since the AI is giving access to anyone
Furniture China in Shanghai 2025, the next one will be Furniture China in Shanghai in 2026
My everyday lifestyle inspire me
Basically i love the soft anc curvy shapes, pop colors and minimal decorations
I'm italian, born in Turin (first italian capital) and living in Urbino a small town in the center of italy and one of the most important city during italian reinassance, so yes the environment affects my design.
It's a deep relationship, we walk together side by side.
Every single experience has his own importance in my growth
Natevo by Flou, Noctis, Carbine, Zito Living, Plain Homeland
Furniture
Trying to increase the catalogue of my products on the market
I'm the chief designer of my own studio but i also have a small team who help me
I have but i keep the secret =)
Instagram would be the best channel