About

From Florence  →  Global
Matteo Ciancio
About me

I start from how a brand works, not how it looks. For me an identity is a system: one central idea made visible through type, rhythm and a set of rules that hold together everywhere the brand shows up. A language, not decoration.

Two years ago I thought strong design meant making something look distinctive. I don't think that anymore. The brands that stay with us aren't the ones where every asset is unique, but the ones where every decision comes from the same idea. So I spend less time asking how to make something look different, and more asking what principle should guide the whole thing. For me that's where branding begins.

Working inside an architecture studio sharpened this. Architects don't design objects in isolation; they design the relationships between spaces, constraints and people. I approach identities the same way: every element earns its place by supporting the whole. And a system only holds up if people can use it, not just admire it, so I care as much about how an identity behaves as how it looks.

Away from the screen I follow football and Formula 1, mostly for what sits under the result: the preparation, the teamwork, the right call made under pressure. Probably the same thing that pulls me toward a good system.

Working in Italian, English and Spanish, with basic Swedish and German.
My mission

Leave behind a brand its team can actually run: one idea, clear rules, one voice on every surface.

What I Do

Discover

I work from one central idea outward. Every choice, type, colour, layout, motion, has to earn its place by supporting it. Strategy you can see, not just read.

Brand Design
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Identities that hold together across every touchpoint, from the core mark to the system that keeps it consistent.

  • — Visual Identity
  • — Brand Systems
  • — Guidelines
Brand design — Hess IM
Art Direction
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Visual language and creative oversight across campaigns, photography and content, keeping every output on one direction.

  • — Creative Concept
  • — Visual Storytelling
  • — Campaign Direction
Art direction — Scout International Exhibition
Editorial Design
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Layout systems for print and digital publications, where typography and rhythm carry the narrative from cover to last page.

  • — Layout Systems
  • — Typography
  • — Print & Digital
Editorial design — Guggenheim Catalogue
Web Design
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Interfaces and sites that translate a brand into responsive, motion-aware systems, built and shipped in Framer.

  • — UI Design
  • — Framer Build
  • — Responsive Systems
Web design — Stache Studio
Motion Design
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Motion built from the same system as the rest: logos that assemble by their own construction, loops and reels that move to the brand's rules instead of decorating over them.

  • — Logo Animation
  • — Brand Motion
  • — Video & Reels
Motion design — Stache Studio kinetic identity
3+
Years of experience
3+
Languages spoken
3+
Countries worked in
4+
Design disciplines

Experience

showcasing my design journey
2023 — Present

Archea Associati

Brand Designer Intern

Brand design for The Bunker Magazine, the editorial project of Archea Associati, an international architecture firm of over 200 architects. I design editorial graphics and social media content on a continuous publication cycle, edit video for digital platforms, and keep the magazine's visual identity consistent across every output.

2026 March — May (On-site)

Galleri Heike Arndt

Multidisciplinary Designer Intern

Exhibition and brand design for an international gallery in Berlin. I designed exhibition graphics, print materials and social content across the full exhibition cycle, including the Scout International Exhibition, working in English within a multicultural team and adapting each output to a different curatorial direction.

2025 July — January 2026 (On-site)

Lemons In The Room

Communication Designer

Brand identity and narrative direction for Florence Connect, developed as my Communication Design thesis in partnership with the startup. I built the visual identity, the LinkedIn content system and the founder storytelling strategy, translating business positioning into a coherent editorial voice for both the company and its founders.

2025 July — March 2026 (Remote)

Freelancer

Freelance Designer

Independent brand and digital design for clients including Micromec and Stache Studio, covering visual identity, web design and content production. This is where I learned to manage the full arc of a project alone: brief, strategy, design, delivery and client communication.

2023 — 2025 (Remote)

My Stack

explore my curated top design picks
My skills
Illustrator
Illustrator
Vector Design
Framer
Framer
Web Design
Figma
Figma
Design Tool
Figma Weave
Figma Weave
Generative Media
InDesign
InDesign
Editorial Design
Photoshop
Photoshop
Editing
Premiere Pro
Premiere Pro
Video Editing
After Effects
After Effects
Motion Design
Feedbacks

From The People I've Worked With

2025
Working with Matteo transformed our project. His skill in combining strategic thinking with striking visuals made our brand not only visually compelling but also clear and consistent across all touchpoints.
Giovanni Torcini
Giovanni Torcini
COO at Micromec
2025
Matteo took our idea and brought it to life, turning it into a refined and impactful digital experience. His clean, transparent communication was very appreciated.
Gabriel Gelli
Gabriel Gelli
CEO Hess IM
2026
Matteo has a way of turning ideas into experiences that just make sense. He puts real thought into every detail, focusing not only on how things look but on how people will actually use and enjoy them.
Alessio Fontanelli
Alessio Fontanelli
Co-worker at Stache Studio
2026
Matteo built a clear visual identity aligned with our positioning, translating complex topics into distinctive, strategic content. Highly recommended.
Niccolò Cesareo-Santoro
Niccolò Cesareo-Santoro
Founder & COO at LemonsInTheRoom
2025
A designer with a refined sense of detail who brings clarity and creativity to the work, making collaboration effortless and productive.
Kateryna Honcharenko
Kateryna Honcharenko
Co-worker at Galleri Heike Arndt
2026
A contemporary redesign and optimisation of our website. He sharpened the information architecture, visual hierarchy, usability and the consistency of our digital identity, for a clearer, more modern and more effective experience.
Guido Brilli
CEO at Bardi Ecologia

Frequently Asked Questions

Get to know more
How do you work within a team?
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I work close to the people who own the project. I listen first, map the goal, then bring structure and a clear visual direction the whole team can build on. I keep communication transparent and decisions documented, so nobody is guessing.

What's your role across a project?
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From brief to delivery. Strategy and positioning, identity and system, then the execution across editorial, web and content. I can own the full arc alone or plug into an existing team as the visual lead.

Where does AI sit in your workflow?
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As a tool for exploration and speed, never as a substitute for direction or craft. Concept, taste and the final decisions stay human. AI helps me move faster through options, not skip the thinking.

Do you work on-site or remotely?
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Based in Florence and used to working across cultures and time zones. I'm comfortable fully remote, and open to on-site collaboration and relocation for the right project.

Let's build something that lasts!

Matteo Ciancio
2026 — Designed by Matteo Ciancio Florence, Italy    Back to top ↑