Mirei Monticelli is a Milan-based Filipina designer. Influenced by the careers of her parents, Mirei Monticelli is a multidisciplinary designer who creates delicate and dreamy lighting pieces – which she chooses to call "luminaries." These lighting pieces are deeply rooted in conscious and sustainable design and showcases an ethereal intersection between craftsmanship and technology. While homebase is currently Milan, she preserves her ties to the Philippines by closely working with a community of weavers in the province of Bicol – allowing each and every piece to be made and produced by hand.

At the heart of her ethos is materiality. Using Filipino materials like Banaca fiber has allowed her to show pieces that are unique and distinct to people and communities outside of the Philippines. Her work is artisan-based craft and largely characterized by an organic fluidity drawing inspiration from nature and human’s primal selves.“Although I try to incorporate the best of technology and innovation to my pieces, the craftsmanship always shines through,”she said. Just like her work, Mirei’s design process is fluid and never the same.  

“There are times that when I try to explore an idea, I would have to stash it away for a very long time because it is not ready to be conceived,”said Mirei. At times, Mirei also finds herself spending years for an idea to take form, slowly adding bits and pieces throughout time. She attributes this slower and more intentional approach to design on her inclination to get to know a material, spend time with it and learn what it can do. But there are also pieces she finds perfect from the get-go.“To keep my mind active, I try to immerse myself in nature, get out in the world, explore new things, experience new places and meet interesting people.”

In 2019, she founded Studiomirei. Studiomirei is deeply rooted in creating conscious and sustainable lighting and objects while working indiscriminately with industrial and traditional processes. where each piece reflects a commitment to quality, sustainability, and the fusion of diverse creative influences. Currently, the studio mainly works with lighting products made of Banaca fiber, cultivated from the Philippines and woven by a community of weavers found in the province of Bicol. On the same year, The Nebula suspension lamp designed by Studiomirei won the Salone Satellite Award at the 10th edition of the Salone Satellite.