What led you into design?
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. As a toddler, I would spend hours scribbling on notepads and colorful sheets, experimenting with different techniques and making a mess—crayons, collages, watercolors, oil paints—you name it. My passion for art only grew as I got older. I started sketching characters from my favorite Disney movies (I still love them all!) and dreamed of one day becoming a character designer, creating animated cartoons for kids like me. How cool would that be?
From a young age, I was certain that I wanted to be an artist and make a living from my art. I vividly remember the day I visited the local art high school in Ferrara (Italy). I was absolutely mesmerized—surrounded by sculptures and artwork created by the students. It was incredibly inspiring, and I could immediately imagine myself there.
During those years, my interest in digital arts and graphic design began to take shape. Our school often received open calls from local organizations, inviting us to design logos, brochures, book covers, and various other digital materials. I found joy in working on these projects, and they sparked a love for the intersection of art and design.
Throughout my education, I balanced my time between fine arts, ceramics (thanks to a beloved teacher who gave me a summer job as a ceramist in his workshop), and graphic design. By the time I was deciding on a university, I was already drawn to anything with the word "design" in it. I saw design as a pathway that would open doors to working abroad, and that became a huge motivator for me. I enrolled at the IUAV University of Architecture in Venice, where I studied Industrial Design for three years, followed by a Master's in Interaction Design. It was during this time that I truly saw the two sides of my personality come together: creativity and rationality. The program provided me with a solid foundation that shaped me into the Product Designer I am today, while also opening doors to work in cities like Madrid, London, New York, and San Francisco—before finally settling in Barcelona, where I live now.
While Product Design has shaped me into the professional I am today, allowing me to work with incredible companies like Fjord, Smart Design, Hanzo, WeTransfer, and now Flodesk, I’ve always kept my passion for drawing alive. Over the years, I’ve nurtured my own illustration side hustle, ensuring that creativity remains at the heart of everything I do.
What does a typical day look like?
I have a 5-year-old bundle of joy named Nina, so my mornings start early, filled with the usual emotional rollercoaster and “what to wear” battles. ❤️ After dropping her off at school, I take a moment to refocus with a warm flat white at my favorite specialty coffee spot. As I sip my coffee and unwind with a thriller best-seller on my Kindle, I mentally organize my to-do list, setting work priorities for the day ahead.
Once I’m back in my home studio, I catch up on emails and Slack messages, then dive into my design tasks with the rest of the European team. I’ve been working remotely for the past 10 years, and at Flodesk, our team is spread across the globe. The design team is based in Europe, product is in the US, and our development team is in Vietnam. While working across different time zones can be challenging, we’ve built a flexible, collaborative environment where we respect each other’s work-life boundaries and stay available when needed.
Most of my day is spent designing new features and enhancing our existing product. I regularly connect with users to gather feedback and learn how we can continue making their lives easier. For lunch or a burst of inspiration, living by the sea is truly unbeatable. Whether I’m taking a relaxing walk along the coast or jogging to recharge, the sea gives me the energy I need to power through the afternoon and tackle the rest of my tasks.
What's your workstation setup?
My home studio may be small, but it's cozy, and I love being surrounded by color. I have several illustration prints from friends and local artists that never fail to make me smile whenever I look up from my desk. And I won't lie—sometimes I enjoy working from the couch, with the added bonus of my cat, Zizí, staring at me from across the room. As for my tools of the trade, they are:
- External monitor
- MacBook Pro
- Bose headphones
- Wacom tablet
- Wireless Apple keyboard
- Lots of pens and pencils as well as colorful post-its to take note (I'm kinda old school in that sense)
Where do you go to get inspired?
As I mentioned earlier, the sea is my greatest source of inspiration. It has a unique way of calming me and allowing my mind to unwind, helping me collect fresh ideas. Whenever I'm struggling with a concept or feeling stuck in my creative process, simply gazing at the sea helps untangle my thoughts and restore a peaceful clarity.
When it comes to drawing inspiration for innovative aspects of design, I turn to exceptional digital products and references. From iconic designs of the past to the everyday digital tools that have set the standard in the industry, I believe the cross-pollination of UX patterns across different fields is where some of the most groundbreaking solutions are found. Also, just by browsing sites like Site Inspire and Awwwards I find great inspiration when it comes to pure UI or specific UX patterns.
Finally, I believe people are an infinite well of inspiration. Many of my most popular illustrations, like Flamingo Hair and Space Porrón, are based on real-life moments I’ve observed. By simply watching how people interact with their environment, I often find that a fun composition or surreal concept emerges, born from the behaviors and interactions I witness.
What product have you recently seen that made you think this is great design?
I’ve been a loyal Squarespace user for years, ever since I started my illustration side hustle. Their attention to spacing, the design of their templates, the overall user experience, and the way they thoughtfully treat every visual element never fail to impress me.
Recently, I explored their Blueprint AI feature for benchmarking purposes, and I was delighted by how intuitive and easy it was to use. The entire process feels seamless, and within just a few steps, you can create a beautifully customized website.
Recently, I've been using Airbnb more frequently again, and while it’s no secret that they’re a leader in the design community, I have to say—the mobile experience is truly spot-on. The company’s recent design updates, particularly the refinement of transitions, illustrations, and those ‘wow’ moments throughout the UX and branding, have taken the native app experience to a whole new level.
What pieces of work are you most proud of?
I can’t share too much about what my team and I are working on at Flodesk just yet, but let me tell you—exciting things are coming for email marketers! 😍
Looking back at some of my past projects, I’m particularly proud of leading the design of the custom background feature at WeTransfer. This tool was a game-changer for creatives, providing a simple yet powerful way to showcase and distribute their content with style.
During the project, I had the opportunity to interview numerous small businesses within the creative industry. Many of them were struggling to properly present their work through WeTransfer. While they loved how easy and quick it was to upload and send files, the default transfer background didn’t reflect their brand or make a strong impression on their clients. This was an untapped opportunity to elevate the user experience, so my team and I set out to design a customization tool that would let users personalize their transfer backgrounds—empowering them to present their work in a more professional, visually engaging way, all within WeTransfer.
We launched the first version last September, which allowed users to add custom images and text to their backgrounds. But the future we envisioned went beyond that—incorporating video, audio, animated galleries, cool templates, and much more.
What design challenges do you face at your company?
As I mentioned earlier, at Flodesk, we work fully remotely with the team spread across the globe, primarily in the US, Europe, and Vietnam. While this setup offers flexibility, it can also present challenges, especially when it comes to aligning on urgent project decisions. However, by fostering a healthy and flexible work environment, we ensure that we remain available when needed, while respecting each other's boundaries.
Another key aspect of remote work is maintaining design consistency across internal assets. Without a physical office or shared space, there’s always the risk of creating similar assets that don’t fully align with our design library or brand guidelines. To prevent this, we rely on strong discipline and over-communication to ensure that everything stays on track.
What music do you listen to while designing?
Any advice for ambitious designers?
Always stay curious about new tools, trends, and technologies, but don’t just chase the latest hype waves. Shadow the design leaders and top references around you and try to absorb as much as possible from them while taking the time to deeply understand the principles behind their design choices—whether it’s typography, color theory, UX, or interaction design—and keep honing your skills. The best designers are those who are both adaptable and grounded in their craft.
Leave your ego at the door! Don’t hesitate to seek feedback from peers, mentors, or clients. Constructive criticism is invaluable for growth, and learning how to give and receive it respectfully is equally important. Collaboration is also essential—working with others exposes you to new perspectives and can take your work to the next level. Seek opportunities to collaborate not just with fellow designers, but with developers, product managers, and even professionals from other fields. Cross-disciplinary collaboration often sparks the most innovative ideas.
Anything you want to promote or plug?
First and foremost, a huge shoutout to the Flodesk team for being incredibly energetic, design-focused, and welcoming over the past few months! If you're considering diving into email marketing, be sure to explore everything Flodesk has to offer. Secondly, feel free to peek at my illustration website and shop and to see more of my latest creations, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and special projects follow me on Instagram.
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