We spoke with product designer @sofia__defrancesco about her creative process: how materials guide her work and how inspiration flows from the pages of old books, the frames of architectural photography, and the special energy of her grandparents’ atelier.
@MOCHIS Your work has a strong connection to materials, treating them almost like collaborators in your creative process. What usually comes first for you: the material or the concept?
@SDF Although it can vary slightly from project to project, the material almost always comes first for me. I like to explore how far I can push it — its plasticity, behavior, texture, even temperature, and lifecycle. There are some materials I’m working with now that I know will stay with me for a long time because they’re so versatile and even capable of transformation. I enjoy thinking about reinvention, how we can interpret existing materials in different contexts and for new purposes. It all ultimately becomes a cycle, and knowing how to make the most of potential reinventions is essential. Design has that power.
@MOCHIS What usually sparks your creativity? Are there specific places, experiences, or moments that you find yourself returning to for inspiration?
@SDF I often turn to old books and magazines for inspiration, as I love analyzing their content through today’s lens — feels like a creative exercise. Architectural photography, in particular, has become a significant source of inspiration for me, offering new perspectives on form, space, and structure.
Right now, I’m also working in my grandparents’ atelier, a space where they spent their lives as creatives.
Being in that environment gives me a
profound sense of purpose and comfort,
surrounded by history, memories,
and a body of work I deeply admire.
This space has become a constant source of inspiration for me.
Lately, I’ve been developing new projects there with a sense of maturity and thoughtfulness that I’ve grown to value more and more.
@MOCHIS Every artist faces moments when ideas feel stuck, or the work doesn’t flow as expected. What do you do when you feel creatively stuck? Do you have any methods that help you reconnect with your work?
@SDF I step away from the work to create some distance and tension. I tend to be a bit obsessive when I’m immersed in a creative process, so I’ve learned to force myself to take these breaks, even though the “separation” can be difficult at times.
This new workspace [the atelier] has been key in helping me develop this method, encouraging me to step out of my “bubble”. The distance allows my mind to shift focus. I know that when I return, the flow of the work is renewed, and I’m in the right mindset to get back into rhythm.
@MOCHIS Creating pieces that are both visually striking and purpose-driven can be challenging, especially since aesthetics are often so deeply intertwined with an artist's work. How do you approach that tension between creating something artistic and making it functional?
@SDF Often, it’s more a matter of perspective and perception, and that oscillation between the artistic and the functional is a natural part of my process . It’s also at the core of my training, so it’s deeply ingrained in how I develop my critical thinking when creating new pieces.
During the development process, I think about the combinations of materials, the harmony of forms, the contrast of languages, and how all of this personifies, symbolizes, and represents the idea, concept, and function I have in mind.
By bringing together what I believe to be the right balance of these elements, I move toward a potential final result. This ongoing dialogue between the artistic and the functional is never fully resolved, but it’s this constant back-and-forth that pushes me to keep refining and evolving the work.
@MOCHIS Each piece you create carries a part of your vision, effort, and personal connection. The process of bringing an idea to life is deeply immersive, and finishing a project can feel like the end of an intimate journey. Do you ever find it hard to let go once a piece is finished?
@SDF Yes, it’s something we create, and inevitably, we form a connection with it. However, I believe that by closing one chapter, we also create space for renewal. The cycle begins again. I really appreciate the idea that detachment and release open the door to new opportunities. It’s one of the most remarkable things about creativity.
It’s an ever-renewing, expansive
source that keeps evolving as
long as we allow it.
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