IN STUDIO with Arianna Lelli Mami

IN STUDIO with Arianna Lelli Mami

Designer, artist and co-founder of Milanese design studio Studiopepe, Arianna Lelli Mami has an instinct for creating spaces that feel as good as they look. We met her in Milan to talk about her creative process, her fascination with found objects, and the way she creates spaces that feel layered, lived-in and whole.

On curiosity, collecting and the objects we choose to live with

ARIANNA LELLI MAMI - ARTIST & DESIGNER

Based in Milan, Arianna Lelli Mami is a designer, artist and co-founder of Studiopepe, the influential creative agency she established with her long-time creative partner, Chiara Di Pinto. Across interiors, furniture, objects and her own artistic practice, Arianna has developed a distinctive visual language shaped by a natural curiosity and instinct for bringing unexpected elements into complete harmony.

Delving into her own artistic practice in ceramics offers a more intimate counterpoint to Studiopepe - a chance to work by hand, slow down and embrace imperfection. Naturally curious, Arianna draws on found materials - stones, wood and fragments gathered on her travels - alongside references from art, architecture, and everyday life. These different practices are closely connected, each informing a way of thinking about objects, space and how we live with them.

For Arianna, beauty is less about perfection than the relationships between things. Balance and contrast, rough and refined, old and new - objects and materials that create atmosphere through the way they come together - leaving space for life to happen around them.

We met Arianna at The Intimacy, Studiopepe’s 2026 Manifesto Project, set within its newly established project apartment in Milan. We spoke on the influences that have shaped her creative eye, motherhood, and the daily rituals that keep her inspired.

Photography credit: Jessica Ruscoe

You have a real eye for designing spaces & objects with a strong sense of harmony — a refuge for the senses. Who or what has shaped your taste the most?

"I think the aesthetic sense can be shaped by different influences over time rather than by a single input. Architecture, art, cinema, travel and nature all contribute to the way I see and approach design.

I believe beauty comes from balance, but also from contrast and unexpected combinations."

Architecture, art, cinema, travel and nature all contribute to the way I see and approach design. I believe beauty comes from balance, but also from contrast and unexpected combinations.

- ARIANNA LELLI MAMI - STUDIOPEPE

We’re especially interested in your ceramics and the objects you collect from nature. What draws you to these more instinctive forms of making and collecting?

"Working with clay is a very intimate and instinctive process. It gives me the freedom to slow down and engage directly with material and embracing imperfections.

Collecting found objects is not about possession but about preserving the narratives and the emotions they evoke. Living with them creates an ongoing dialogue that inevitably nourishes my creative process."

You move between interiors, furniture, ceramics and art. Is there a common thread through the different ways you work?

"Absolutely. To me, it is impossible to separate the different disciplines I work in; they continuously inform one another.

Whether I'm designing an interior, a piece of furniture or a ceramic object, I'm always exploring the relationship between materials, space and people.

The common thread is probably creating experiences that feel both tactile and emotional, where atmosphere becomes as important as function."

- ARIANNA LELLI MAMI - STUDIOPEPE

You're also a mother - has motherhood changed the way you approach creativity or the way you see the world?

"Motherhood has confronted me with many new and unexpected things. It gave me the chance to shift my paradigm in how I approach things, to listen more, to put myself out there. It’s a huge opportunity and even though it’s part of a journey, it’s not always easy. But that’s exactly what makes it interesting and truly transformative.

Being a designer, to me, means being curious and knowing how to listen, to pick up on signals, like an antenna. In this sense, motherhood has been a further source of inspiration."

"I like to start my mornings slowly, with a cup of tea and a quiet moment before the day begins. Whenever possible, I ride my bicycle through the city. It gives me a chance to observe my surroundings from a different perspective and clear my mind.

I also try to spend time in nature, even if it's just a walk. Working with my hands, whether through ceramics or arranging materials in the studio, is a way of reconnecting with myself. These simple rituals help me stay grounded, observe more carefully and remain open to inspiration."

You can view more of Arianna's work here. To learn more about Studiopepe and The Intimacy, you can visit the website here.

Photography credit: Jessica Ruscoe

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IN STUDIO with Arianna Lelli Mami

Photography credit: Jessica Ruscoe

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