Marta Mondelli

Festina Lente Home

Candle maker

©Marta Mondelli

From actress to candle maker

Marta makes soy-wax candles and scent diffusers
Her products are vegan and cruelty free
She collaborates with artists and fellow artisans

Marta Mondelli was born in Naples. She studied history of art and then trained as a professional actress. After living in Bologna and in Rome she moved to New York, where she spent 17 years acting and working as a journalist. When she became a mother, she gradually started drifting away from the hectic actress in New York life, wanting to dedicate time and space to her two children but also feeling the need to live more in the moment, without the mental backlog that acting and writing inevitably bring with them. Two years ago, she moved to Milan where she opened Festina Lente, a small, charming, and fragrant candle making workshop and shop in the heart of Isola, a neighborhood buzzing with artisans where Marta finds inspiration and collaborations on her doorstep.

Interview

©Marta Mondelli

©Marta Mondelli

What made you choose to become an artisan?: When my career as an actress became frustrating, and writing started feeling a bit too “mental”, I felt the need to do something with my hands. I was pregnant when I started, and candle making felt like a soothing, meditative activity.
What started this craze for scented candles?: In America and in Scandinavia it has been going on for years, in Italy it exploded with the covid lockdown. While excessive fragrance in the house is just unnatural, a delicately scented candle can add new emotional levels to the domestic experience.
How do you customise a scented candle?: It is a very intimate process: I ask my clients what fragrances inspire them, when do they enjoy having lit candles, specific memories from childhood. Smell really taps into our emotions, working with this neglected sense has truly enriched my life.
What is little known about your work?: Candle making may seem like a really standard procedure but I actually experiment a lot. I am always working on new ways to make my products even more sustainable. I experiment with prints, with packaging and collaborate with artists for special collections.

Marta Mondelli is a rising star: she began her career in 2017