She was working in Switzerland for Gucci, but had always dreamed of an experience abroad.

“At first, I asked for a year of leave, but it was denied,” Chierici explained, “Then I tried again, requesting a transfer, but again the answer was no.

“So, I made a drastic decision; I quit my job and left for Australia without a real plan - just the desire to explore and challenge myself.”

“I’ve always been fascinated by Australia,” she shared, “I had this idea of a wild land to explore, but also a place full of opportunity.”

Once she arrived, Chierici started working in retail, beginning in a familiar environment at a Gucci store. Eventually, she started working for Australian designer Leona Edmiston and worked her way up to retail manager.

But globalisation was changing the Australian fashion industry. “When I started, the luxury sector here was very different,” she said.

“Then H&M, Zara and the big chains arrived, and many local designers started closing down or scaling back their stores.”

That led her to work for Max Mara and Gucci again, travelling across Australia to manage stores in different states.

Then, the world changed again. “We had a strategic expansion plan and new stores opening, but the pandemic destroyed everything,” she lamented.

“My company laid off a lot of people and shut down its stores. Only online sales and a flagship store remained, and I found myself without a job.”

But what might have seemed like failure turned out to be an opportunity for rebirth.
Unemployed, Chierici decided to return to her lifelong passion, one she never had the courage to truly pursue: art.

Chierici enrolled in a cinematic makeup school in Sydney, specialising in special effects and theatrical makeup.

“For the first time in my life, I did something not because I had to, but because I wanted to,” she said.

“It was amazing. I learned to create masks, special effects applications, body painting. I even worked a bit in film.”

One day, while helping with decorations at a festival alongside some friends, an organiser noticed her work and offered her a gig creating set designs for his events.

From that moment, her career was taken in a new direction: artistic installations for events and set productions.

Today, Chierici manages a team of creatives and produces installations for events, festivals and high-end venues.

Unlike many companies that simply rent out ready-made sets, her work is bespoke. “I create everything from scratch, personalised for each event.”

One of her most ambitious projects was for Bacardi, who commissioned her to transform a Rockpool venue into a Cuban village.

“The result was an LED tunnel at the entrance, tropical flowers, feathers, vintage toucan lamps and green velvet curtains with gold leaves. An atmosphere perfectly in line with the brand,” she explained.

One of the most innovative aspects of her business is the use of recycled materials.
“Every couple of weeks, I go around to reclaimed materials suppliers,” she said.

“The Sydney Opera House, for example, sometimes gives away costumes and sets it no longer uses. A friend of mine had an old bathtub from an event, and he gave it to me.”

Every item in her home is a potential piece for a future installation. “I’ve got a flamingo in the living room, vintage mirrors, antique furniture. I’ve even emptied out my entire house to create a set,” she shared.

Her goal is to expand her business, get a warehouse and a studio where she can create, and store materials.

Even though she’s thriving in Australia, she still feels nostalgic for Italy. “I miss the cultural richness of Italy,” Chierici admitted.

“Last year, I went to Viareggio with my mother for a seminar with a float-building master, and I took part in makeup competitions.

“It’s important for me to maintain that connection with Europe.”

And it’s exactly in this space between the two cultures that inspires her. On one side, Italy with its artistic and artisanal traditions; on the other, Australia, where Chierici found the freedom to express herself.