Last week I had the pleasure of attending a Design Madison event featuring Matteo Bologna of Mucca Design. I actually had the opportunity to see Matteo speak several years ago when he was a visiting artist for NOWhere at UWSP, but didn’t go. I almost always seem to find a reason to skip speaker events, but when I do make myself attend, I leave inspired and refreshed. Note to self: Force self to get self’s butt off the computer chair and out into the world!

Mucca is a very professional, diverse, award-winning design studio, and yet Matteo is surprisingly approachable and authentic. The studio’s work is beautiful and inspiring, but Matteo’s thoughts on design are what really stuck with me. For instance—when’s the last time you heard a designer say “I don’t beleive in logos?” Instead he believes in creating an environment of sorts—take design a step further than slapping a logo here and there by employing secondary and tertiary design elements on all surfaces to design an experience.

I did get a little jealous when Matteo spoke about his relationships with his clients. Of course they’re never perfect, but it was pretty amazing to hear about the value his clients place on design, that they understand design is good for business, not just something they have to do because it’s just what you do. He also got to be one of ten featured designers to create an anniversary cover of Italian GQ—another thing to be jealous of: all-typographic covers!