Carolina Melis

Filmmaker, illustrator, and designer Carolina Melis was born in Sardinia in 1975. She attended the United World College of the Adriatic, an international school in Duino, Italy, between 1993 and 1995. In 1995, she moved to the UK. Between 1996 and 1999, she studied for a Bachelor’s degree in Theater at Dartington College of Arts in Devon, southwest England, graduating with honors. Melis went on to earn her Master’s degree in animation and illustration from Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design, London in 2004.

The following year, Melis was signed as a director at Nexus Productions in London, and she stayed with the company until 2013. In that role, she worked on multiple music videos, short films, and commercials for clients ranging from Animal Planet and Prada to Barclays, MTV, the BBC, and Volkswagen, among others. Melis has also worked independently as an animator, designer, and creative director on a variety of projects including installations, illustrations, print designs, and film for major brands such as Vogue, Ikea, LeSportsac, Forevermark, and Microsoft. In 2006, she was honored with a Clio Award for her work with Saatchi & Saatchi on a print illustration campaign for Pashley Cycles. In 2008, she won a Eurobest Brand Identity Award for the rebranding of BBC Three.

In 2010, Melis wrote and directed the film Le fiamme di Nule, an animated short about weaving in Sardinia, produced by the Institute of Ethnography (ISRE). The film fuelled her passion for traditional textiles from the island, which ultimately resulted in Melis’s creation of Mio Karo in 2013. This textile brand is entirely dedicated to original craft from Sardinia—composed of pieces designed by Melis and realized in collaboration with local artisans. The first collection was exhibited at the Italian Cultural Institute in London in 2011. Each Mio Karo rug and wall hanging is handmade using wool from local sheep; besides the designed collection, Mio Karo also provides bespoke services for interior designers, architects, and private homes.

Melis lives and works in London.