Arianna De Luca is design combined with handcrafted ceramics.

Arianna De Luca has been working as interior designer across the UK, South America, and Italy. She studied Design in Rome and in London, where she completed an MA at Central Saint Martins. In 2017, she started to work with ceramics in order to create bespoke pieces to complement her interior projects and was soon inspired to give life to her first ceramic design collection. Her works have been exhibited, among others, at Salone del Mobile Milano and Maison & Objet Paris. Arianna is currently based in Rome, where she runs her ceramic studio and artisanal workshop.

Her collections are inspired by her passion for Mediterranean landscapes and traditions and are characterised by their authenticity and originality. Beyond their apparent simplicity, Arianna's pieces are actually the result of a complex process that mixes personal narratives and emotional approach to create a unique aesthetic characterised by cheerful designs, bold shapes, and vibrant Mediterranean colours.

BIO
Arianna was born in Abruzzo, a region in the South of Italy known for the beauty of its nature, ranging from crystalline beaches to mountains and rural countryside. She grew up in a small village strategically located between the coast and the endless Montepulciano vineyards and, living so immersed in nature, she soon started to nurture her artistic talent as a way to connect and engage with the environment around her. Her journey with ceramics started in 2017, when she started to work with local artisans in Castelli (Abruzzo), a village famous for its artisanal ceramic’s traditions. Initially, Arianna's interest in ceramics was inspired by her desire to produce unique pieces for her interior design projects. However, she was soon captivated by the versatility of the material and the endless possibilities that it offered. She started to experiment with designs and techniques and she finally developed her distinctive aesthetic to render her moods and experiences until her ceramic production took a life of its own.

INSPIRATION
Her main source of inspiration is the Mediterranean landscape, culture and its artistic and artisanal heritage.
She extensively researches into traditions, popular culture and artefacts of this area and uses them as a starting point for her explorations. Her work is deeply rooted in the 80s Italian design language and the Italian ceramic heritage. She focusses on conveying a specific mood, atmosphere and feel through her creations. Each project is the result of a long and accurate visual research, based on all possibly related photographic projects, historical references, details, colours and textures. After having gathered all this material, she plays with it, re-shaping it and re-interpreting it so that a new story can be told.

PROCESS
Each of Arianna's pieces is handcrafted and decorated by the designer in her studio in Rome. Behind each model there is a study of different prototypes and color palettes. Once the final model is approved, Arianna starts working on the casts. The production cycle of each object takes from 2 to 4 weeks as of her items are handmade with clay and are fired twice. Every piece is eventually hand finished and decorated to obtain a truly unique version of each one. This complex, handmade work translates into unique and timeless pieces which will remain for years to come and will not get thrown away once the trend is over.

Arianna's aim is ultimately to never produce objects that will be likely to end up in landfill after a couple of seasons. With this ethical approach to the production process, she aims to contribute to a more conscious and sustainable market.