We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Stefano Ollino ("SO").
A creative director and designer whose journey began with a suitcase full of ambition and a vision to bring Italian design to the world. From the very start, his path was shaped not only by a desire to export excellence, but by a deeper dream: to absorb the spirit of every land he touched. Through each destination, he gathered influences, textures, and ideas, crafting a distinctive design language that is both global and deeply personal, a refined blend of cultures united by creativity.
Stefano Ollino Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Stefano Ollino.
Stefano Ollino Design - Capsule Modular Sofa
Designer Interview of Stefano Ollino:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
SO : 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.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
SO : 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.
DI: What is "design" for you?
SO : 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.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
SO : 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.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
SO : 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.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
SO : The sunrise faucet, a digital faucet I’ve design during my first experience in China for Solex.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
SO : Honestly I don’t have one.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
SO : In the late evening / night, when the word stop to be noisy.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
SO : The storytelling. A product without a story is just an object.