Born in Vimercate, Italy in 1980, Serena Confalonieri studied interior design at the Politecnico di Milano, graduating with a Master’s Degree in 2006. After school, she worked in a number of architecture and design practices in Milan, Barcelona, and Berlin, and collaborated with the interior design department at the Politecnico di Milano as an assistant professor. She established her own studio in Milan in 2011, dedicated to product, textile, and graphic design; art direction; and interiors.
Since launching her Milan studio, Confalonieri has traveled extensively to accomplish her work. In 2014, for example, she was awarded a grant by Banca del Monte di Lombardia to study and work in the textile industry for six months in New York. In 2015, she participated in a design workshop in Chiapas, Mexico, promoted by Mexico Design Week. In 2016, she held a month-long residency at the Vista Alegre porcelain company in Ílhavo, Portugal.
Regardless of medium, Confalonieri’s work is marked by a strong, graphical style, which is enhanced by bold forms, colors, and textures. Standout projects to date include the self-initiated Masai Collection, a series of colorful vases and mirrors inspired by tribal culture; the wave-inspired, steel tabletop Kyma Collection for Sambonet; Architypes, a graphic façade and interior installation for Archiproducts in Milan playing on a bold, geometric pattern; and the fashion-inspired Ula and Baba chairs for My Home Collection (all 2017). Confalonieri’s clients include CC-Tapis, Crate&Barrel USA, Nodus, Swatch, Wall&Deco, Arzberg, Gur, and Azimut Yachts, among others.
The designer has received multiple honors, including a Special Mention at the Young&Design Awards (2014) for her Santissimi and Cattedrale projects and a Special Mention at the German Design Awards (2016) for the Serena Collection for Arzberg. Additionally, she was named a winner of the Donna Premium 2017, promoted by Grazia and Lierac. Her work has also been featured in a variety of publications, including The New York Times, Corriere della Sera, Wallpaper, Interni, L’Officiel, and Elle Décor.
