The first projects born during this forming period, they placed themselves between art objects and industrial design, unique pieces, which will be soon inserted in the circuit of the contemporary art galleries. He is invited to important exhibitions and presentations of the sector. This process inserts him quickly in the emergent art design brand, calling attention to himself and coming nearer to the emergent Italian design companies.. When Giovanni was very young, he created unique pieces and installations for contemporary art event and was invited, together with other important Italian designers, at the project The Italian design for Unicef, which was exhibited during the inauguration of the Italian museum of design in Milano (in occasion of the triennial fair). In his work, he united his artistic origins with technologies and researches typical of the industrial design.

Immediately following his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera in Milan, Gio Minelli has dedicated himself to design. He began creating his first collections collaborating with highly renowned craftsmen from the Lombardy territory. Since then his work has made an evolution, taking on a poetic form and evoking experiences of travel and soul searching, while always keeping a steady balance of three components: art, design and dialogue. He currently has ongoing collaborations with international galleries while simultaneously designing for major Italian design brands.