Amunì (Eugenio Schiano and Dominic Montante)

Designers Dominic Montante and Eugenio Schiano of Amunì on the influence of their roots on their work.

How would you describe your profession and your practice?

Amunì is a nomadic design studio consisting of designers Dominic Montante and Eugenio Schiano. We design everything from furniture to electronics to even car floor mats. The studio has been everywhere from France to Uruguay to South Korea. We’re proud to say we have no fixed location because it allows us to absorb local surroundings and bring those fresh ideas into what we do. Reflecting Dominic’s Italian roots, amunì is Sicilian for “let’s go”—with the dual meaning of let’s go to our next destination, a nod to the studio’s nomadic nature, and let’s go get this project started.

Has your work changed over the course of your career?

We’ve always been heavily focused on client work; it pays the bills but doesn’t necessarily give you unlimited creative freedom. More recently we’re trying to pivot towards making our own projects that inspire us. Participating in events like DesignTO allows us to focus on developing our own voice.

What was your “eureka!” moment that made you realize that art/design was the route you wanted to take?

Dom has been drawing and making art since he could first hold a pen. In high school, he attended a seminar about industrial design from a visiting university, and from that point on he knew what he was destined to become. Design came to Eugenio at a moment of uncertainty regarding his career. He had decided to leave engineering, as he couldn’t picture himself enjoying work in that field. Things changed when a close friend told him about industrial design and gave him a book with case studies. Completely captivated by the entire process, Eugenio knew that he wanted to become a designer.

Is your work inspired by anything in particular? What turns you on creatively?

Our work is largely inspired by travel, culture, history, and our own roots.

Dom was born in the US to Italian and Lao parents, has lived in Canada, Argentina, and Colombia, and traveled the world extensively. Eugenio is Argentinian with strong Italian heritage and has travelled across Latin America. Dom and Eugenio take pride in their shared Italian heritage, seeking to carry on the spirit of both their centuries-long family traditions of hand craftsmanship in the work they produce.

We both love history, and as an example, we are currently working on reviving a modern take of one of the world’s first mass-produced products during the time of the Roman Empire. We won’t reveal too many details, but that is a project to come.

‘Turntable’ by Amunì
Which designers or artists inspire you and why?

We don’t look up to famous designers, but rather sideways to our contemporaries and friends working alongside us. To name just a small few, these people include Hector Silva, Rotimi Solola, Tristan Cannan, and Andrew Ferrier.

What is the name of the DesignTO Project you’re exhibiting in and what is the name of the piece you are sharing?

We will be displaying our lamp, ‘Corium’, at the ‘Surface Impressions‘ prototype exhibition. This year’s prompt was to make a product using recycled leather. The lamp draws its formal inspiration from city street lights with the main arm extending upward at an angle, with the leather draped over that piece to create a gentle shade.

‘Corium’ by Amunì
What can attendees expect to experience when seeing your work?

We’re simple designers! We hope that attendees see our project, smile, and say “nice lamp.” We hope that the form feels familiar and the leather and light create a sense of warmth in space.

How long have you been involved with DesignTO? Do you have any memories from the past 15 years of DesignTO Festivals you want to share?

We exhibited in the 2022 prototype exhibition ‘Purpose & Play’, where we debuted ‘Turntable’, a record player in the format of a freestanding piece of furniture. It won the DesignTO Award for Best Product/Object Design Award, which was a massive honour for us.

As DesignTO gets ready to celebrate its 15th birthday, why do you think it’s important to the creative community, here as well as abroad?

As two designers who are indeed abroad, we can say from an outside perspective DesignTO not only puts Toronto, but Canada as a whole on the map when it comes to creative destinations. The creative community today is a global one, and building these types of international connections, whilst celebrating the local community, raises the profile of design in Toronto as a whole.

Lastly, what random fact about yourself would you like to share with the DesignTO community?

Dom speaks eight languages and is a member of an international polyglot society. Eugenio always carries a harmonica with him and will randomly play it while walking down the street.


Surface Impressions‘ is just one of over 100 free window installations, exhibitions and events at the 2025 DesignTO Festival, January 24 – February 2, 2025. Visit the Festival Schedule to learn about these projects and more.