BEAUTY MUST BE SHARED
You may have heard of her home-gallery, a 1936 rationalist villa attributed to Giò Ponti: this is where Ted Suite, the creative studio founded by Ilaria Ferraro, was born, and which today opens to host communication, design, and art projects.
Ilaria Ferraro is an interior designer, an art enthusiast, and a beauty enthusiast. She's also a content creator with a passion for fashion. Her love of design stems from a deep passion for fashion and fabrics, a common thread that continues to intertwine aesthetics, culture, and vision. Ilaria told us about her love for Fortela, its iconic pieces, and how she met Alessia Giacobino: all thanks to a coffee in Milan.
Ilaria, your Instagram profile says: designer and art director. Art, beauty, and fashion lover. Where does your love for the world of beauty come from?
My passion for beauty was born very early, together with that for clothes.
As a child, I spent hours sketching clothes, carefully studying the details of fabrics, an aptitude that naturally translated into my work as an interior designer. I studied fashion design, drawn to the narrative power of materials and shapes, but it was precisely through fabrics that I discovered design: I wanted to create something that would last over time, beyond seasons and trends.
At the same time, my childhood game was to curiously observe the women in my family as they put on makeup or took care of their skin: small, daily gestures, profoundly feminine, passed down from mother to daughter.
I was fascinated by the ritual of those moments, like the simple spraying of perfume before bed, an intimate gesture full of grace. I believe it was right there, in that dimension of detail and attention, that my love for cosmetics and fragrances was born. Over time, I developed my own personal beauty routine, seeking out niche fragrances, at a time when they weren't as widely discussed as they are today. By the time I was twenty, I was already trying out a wide range of products, using Sisley and choosing Chanel perfumes: a unique way of exploring beauty and transforming it into a personal language. Over the years, this passion expanded and deepened into the world of artistic perfumery, and eventually became "another" profession...
What do you like about Fortela?
The pieces designed by Alessia are meant to be worn every day; they're that casual chic that, for me, is a choice that lasts forever. Because they're perfect from morning to night, for an event, a dinner, a presentation. Besides, I'm always busy with my job, from morning to night, and I love not having to change. I really identify with Fortela's always refined, yet unforced, aesthetic. Change accessories, shoes, lipstick, and off you go. And then I like beautiful, simple fabrics with clean lines. I'm a pared-down person even if I mix color and accessories. I actually really love Prada's style: those cult, timeless pieces. Fortela also has that power, beyond trends. So, to say that Fortela perfectly represents the woman I am today.
Is there a piece in the Fortela collection that you particularly love?
Yes, the Jane denim, Alessia's tribute to Jane Birkin. I love the '70s style, especially this season; denim and a shirt are my daily uniform.
How do you talk about beauty today?
I create content, but it all started almost by chance, spontaneously, from my work in the interior design world. I began to gain increasing visibility on social media after several major international publications featured my projects, as well as thanks to the two events I conceived and curated for Artemest in 2018 and 2019. A defining moment came in 2018, with my first cover in Marie Claire Maison, during Design Week.
The publication was dedicated to my Milanese apartment, just steps from the Arco della Pace. I still remember the phone call from the then editor, Cinzia Felicetti: she told me that my home had been chosen for the cover, over that of a very famous interior decorator who has always been an icon for me. It was a deeply emotional moment and a fundamental boost for my professional career. Since then, many brands have approached me to initiate collaborations not only because of my aesthetic vision, but also because they recognized in me a woman and a professional with an authentic voice and a versatile sensibility.
It was natural for me to begin sharing the beauty I experience every day, inside and outside my work, through content that gives voice to a personal aesthetic that goes far beyond the product.
What does beauty represent for you, in a broad sense?
For me, it's a value that should be shared. It's in a cozy corner of the home, in a gesture dedicated to well-being, like choosing flowers just for yourself, lighting a scented candle, taking the time to apply a face mask. These are small rituals that transform the ordinary into a meditative and precious moment.
This is exactly what I share through my social media channels: everything that means beauty to me, from fabrics to cosmetics, from bags to homewares, including vintage, one of my great passions. Because every object can convey a story, an atmosphere, an emotion.
Your home is also a space you use to host brands and to bring friends and
design and beauty enthusiasts…
Yes, still in the Ted Suite, this space that has been my studio for over 10 years, three years ago I decided to open an events communications agency: in the last year I collaborated with Biologique Recherce and organized the welcome to the Italian market of Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow's brand, for The Beauty Aholic. In short, I turned my other passion into a job. I am a
woman who lives in communication, in everyday beauty, and I love that my
customers are welcomed into my space, into my world.
One of your favorite Ted corners?
Without a doubt, the round room. When I opened Ted in 2015, the De Gournay company decided to partner with me in the restyling project of what was then a bare and neglected house. I personally selected the wallpapers that now adorn every room in my studio. For that room in particular, the "Fishes" wallpaper, featuring fish swimming in constant motion, was perfect for enhancing the circular shape and creating a sense of movement and harmony.
Over time, various brands have asked me to reinterpret wall decorations, but I've always refused. I've fallen in love and I won't betray that fantasy!
Ilaria, what three addresses did you suggest for your summer?
I'm not particularly fond of heat: I much prefer the summer climate of Northern Europe. When I'm not traveling to cooler destinations, I happily stay in Milan. The city empties, becomes quiet, and it's wonderful to reclaim my favorite places.
I always recommend a visit to the Gallerie d'Italia, a perhaps less obvious but truly worthwhile destination: over 8,000 square meters dedicated to architecture and contemporary art, with the precious contribution of the Luigi and Peppino Agrati Collection.
A fascinating Robert Rauschenberg exhibition has recently opened, which is not to be missed. Another place I deeply love is Villa Necchi Campiglio. On summer weekends, it remains a haven of elegance and tranquility. Every time I return, I lose myself in the details, the furnishings, the light. A place that invites contemplation.
For holidays abroad, I choose destinations that offer a true escape, even from the usual city hustle and bustle. Deauville, in Normandy, is one of my favorites: a small town a navy with a discreet and poetic charm, also loved by Mademoiselle Chanel.
And for next summer?
Scotland. I'll keep you updated.
