founders

Nicky Balestrieri &
Luigi Tadini 

Nicky Balestrieri and Luigi Tadini have been creative partners for most of their careers. Having met during their seven-year tenure at Paper Magazine, their creative affinity was evident from the very start. 

Nicky hails from a background in event design and nightlife where he learned the foundation of his skill set. As founding Creative Director at Extra Extra, he transformed the then back-of-house consulting business into an award-winning experiential company working for a multitude of brands ranging from Target and American Express to HP and Burberry.  For his ground-breaking work transitioning the world of event marketing into experiential, he was both featured and recognized in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. 

Luigi began his career as a style consultant for GQ Magazine prior to joining the editorial team at Paper Magazine to lead their fashion department. There, he produced many of the independent glossy’s iconic covers and fashion editorials including Pharrell Williams, Duran Duran and Mariah Carey. Over the years, Luigi has contributed to a slew of notable US and International publications such as Town & Country and Harper’s Bazaar Brazil. As a brand consultant, Tadini has worked with a wide variety of sportswear and luxury brands from Moncler to Lanvin.

With over twenty combined years in the industry, Luigi and Nicky have amassed an impressive multidisciplinary client roster that includes Balenciaga, Bacardi, Campari, the CFDA, Girlboss, HBO, H&M, Indeed, Louis Vuitton, Marriott International, Rémy Cointreau, Popsugar, Refinery 29 and Snap. Agency accolades include three Clio Awards, eleven Biz Bash Awards, a Cannes Lions shortlist and being amongst the Top Event Designers and Industry Innovators in BizBash for the tenth year in a row.