acanforaDesign  

acanforaDesign
ideas build value

We believe ideas are the foundation for creating captivating brand experiences to attract audiences and drive growth.

Just like people, brands have a distinct personality that we define. Our collaborative process begins with a comprehensive market and brand study to understand your company's position and potential. This insight guides the development of a clear brand strategy, positioning your company as unique, relevant, and credible for a brand update or a strategic design project.

Through our cultural fluency, cross-disciplinary expertise, and global vision, we translate your strategy into a memorable creative idea, becoming the heart and soul of your brand experience. This core idea shapes every touchpoint, from physical environments and packaging to digital experiences and brand storytelling.

We give your brand a clear voice to engage with its audience and build loyalty.

Transform ideas into timeless value.

 
offer

Strategy
Naming
Branding
Print
Packaging
Wayfinding
Environments
Digital

Massimo Acanfora
Founder, Creative Director

With a passion for defining value through ideas, Massimo has brought brands to life for over two decades, gathering a wealth of knowledge across fashion, beverage, hospitality, property, retail, technology, transportation and arts industries. His work has won numerous international awards and competitions for some of the world’s largest companies; including the Benetton Group, the Coca-Cola Company and Valentino Fashion Group.

In 2015, he founded the idea-based London studio, acanforaDesign, where he helps international clients empower their brands.

Before this, Massimo was Executive Creative Director and a member of the board of Sir Terence Conran’s collaborative design studio, Conran and Partners. He worked across brand, product, interior and architecture, as well as managing Conran branded collaborations. Major clients included American Express, Panasonic, Shinsegae Group, ECE and Diageo.

Massimo had directed the Milan office of WPP’s leading branding agency Landor for five years, where he effectively repositioned Valentino’s global MCS fashion label and overhauled the iconic Italian motorcycle brand Ducati. Major clients included Procter & Gamble, Barilla and Telecom Italia.

In New York, where he was based for seven years, he was the Art Director at Graphis Publishing and was invited to join the iconic studio Chermayeff & Geismar as lead designer, before returning to Europe.

With a zest for life and a natural linguist, Massimo brings a cultured sensibility to each project, having lived and worked in Milan, New York, Hamburg, Lisbon and now London.

Zaadi Tessier
Partner

Zaadi has spent most of her life surrounded by creatives in the world of art, music and design developing an avid interest in the creation of human and business frameworks to help ideas succeed. She has worked across a wide variety of sectors including design, fashion and commercial space travel. She has managed projects for brands such as Sony, Philippe Starck, Virgin Galactic and The Conran Group.

At acanforaDesign, Zaadi works closely with international clients and the creative teams to deliver idea-based experiences.

Previously, Zaadi was Experience Design Lead at Imagine, Paul Polman’s company and foundation that mobilises business leaders around the UN Sustainable Development Goals, responsible for delivering the experience design of the business transformation journeys.

In 2008, she joined Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic founding team to help build its early start-up phase of operations and worked on several projects including the world’s first commercial spaceport: Spaceport America, New Mexico with Foster & Partners and the Astronaut’s journey at the Spaceport.

Her introduction to Virgin Galactic came whilst working for world renowned designer Philippe Starck, where she learnt about the interpretation of ideas and dreams and transforming them into products and environments.

Zaadi speaks multiple languages to effectively work with international brands and teams. She has lived and worked in Paris, Madrid, Los Angeles and now London to continue to fuel her curiosity and interest for other cultures.