Colors bloom and fold, slow and liquid, curling into themselves, alive with their own weight, their own pulse, into the delicate mushroom powders of Present. In a collaborative project by Fabrizio Vatieri and Veronica Leali, Present Mushrooms are presented with a vibrant sensuality and playfulness in custom glassware by Sophie Lou Jacobsen, Agustina Bottoni, and Traga. In melting ice, upon nashi pears, honey, and pudding, the powders embody the Present philosophy: to slow down, and live in the gentle and wondrous moment.

Athena Kuang: You founded Present in a world that moves too fast, too loudly. What was the moment when you both realized that mushrooms could become a way to reclaim presence?

Giorgia Fuzio and Valerio Ruberto: The first step was actually becoming aware of the environment we’re living in, and of how deeply it was affecting our health, in the broadest sense of the word.

It’s funny to say out loud, but our generation was born right into the internet boom. We witnessed everything arrive: smartphones, social media… and we probably still don’t fully realize how much we’ve overused all of it, without any real “internet literacy.”

Today, there’s plenty of research, books, and articles linking anxiety, stress, depression, insomnia, and other mood-related issues to excessive social media use, for example. It’s what we call the “attention economy.”

Once we became aware of this, the real question emerged: what practices could help us live more peacefully and allow technology and wellbeing to coexist? We started integrating meditation into our routine about 10 years ago. Five years later, we discovered that psilocybin microdosing could be an incredible support, and that’s what really opened our interest in the mushroom world. How many other mushrooms were out there, mushrooms that, taken consistently, could support daily wellbeing? We found our answer in Traditional Chinese Medicine and functional mushrooms.

At that point, the connection between these two worlds became obvious: just like mindfulness teaches us to be present, mushrooms, in a completely natural and almost mysterious way, help the body manage physical and mental stress, improve energy and sleep cycles, and enhance focus and memory. This, for us, is being present. And living in that state is the only way to feel fulfilled – especially in a world that is fast and loud.

AK: There’s a scientific rigor behind your powders—genetically verified, pure, with controlled cultivation—yet the result feels almost spiritual. What guides you when you move between the lab and the ritual?

GF, VR: Nothing could describe the Mushroom Kingdom better: it’s a constant dance between mystery and science, ritual and routine.

A mushroom is still such a mysterious “being” – neither plant nor animal – and it shares more DNA sequences with humans than with plants. Why it produces molecules that fit perfectly into human brain receptors is still unclear. Some even hypothesize a phase of co-evolution (and speaking of this, we recommend reading McKenna’s theories – they’re really fascinating!).

A mushroom can kill, cure (think of penicillin, which is a mold), nourish us, or take us into altered states of consciousness. It’s truly fantastic.
That’s why Present’s philosophy has always been to preserve this mystery: to avoid dulling the primordial soul of the material we work with, while pairing it with solid scientific rigor. This allows us to guarantee quality and efficacy, but also to build credibility that reassures even the most skeptical.

Western medicine and science have only recently begun to seriously study these mushrooms, especially compared to Traditional Chinese Medicine and Eastern medicine in general, but today we have plenty of papers and studies confirming their benefits – for example, their ability to stimulate Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), a protein directly involved in neurogenesis.

AK: The project Sipping Mushrooms transforms your powders into something performative: a swirl in a glass, a directed gesture, a new rhythm. What did you want to reveal about your product, or about yourselves, by placing it in this context?

GF, VR: Part of Present’s mission is to democratize access to functional mushrooms.
We believe that better, more fulfilled individuals create better societies — and that using functional mushrooms daily can help people feel and live better. That means finding creative ways to educate people, but also making these products more accessible, instead of confining them to a pharmacy shelf between cough syrups and aspirin.

So when photographer Fabrizio Vatieri and set designer Veronica Leali presented this project, we immediately saw its potential. Their way of showing mushrooms in a context so different from the typical wellness clichés aligned perfectly with the openness we want to promote as a brand.

The colors, textures, effervescence, and the transformation of matter: they match the vibrant, ever-changing world of mushrooms, a kingdom constantly adapting, evolving, and connecting.

AK: Did working with cocktails, textures, and custom glassware open new doors in how you see the possibilities of your powders?

GF, VR: One of the big lessons the Fungal Kingdom teaches is that every living being is meant to change. Present has embraced this idea fully, experimenting with new ways of presenting our product is part of our path.

Developing new mushroom mocktails, nutrient-rich superfood blends, or taking inspiration from the incredible craftsmanship of the glassware to design new packaging… these are all possibilities this project opened for us.

Our powders are (almost entirely) soluble, and they’re meant to be paired with a beverage to get the best benefits. So any inspiration that helps us and our community discover new ways to use them is always welcome.

AK: Functional mushrooms carry a long memory: ancient remedies now resurfacing in a modern, restless culture. What is the dialogue you share with that history while shaping something that speaks to people living in the present?

GF, VR: The restlessness of modern culture affects us deeply. It is not the productive restlessness of the ’60s that gave rise to countercultures, new art and music movements, collective awakening, civil rights, and pacifism. Today’s restlessness feels paralyzing. We talk about it constantly, almost as if it were an inevitable condition, a lack of trust in the future that only a lucky few can escape. On one hand, society suggests that the solution is “more”: more wealth, more accumulation. On the other hand, we’re surrounded by products that make things worse: think of caffeine, excessive sugars, or the endless sleep-aid market.
If we live in a stressed and anxious society, these aren’t remedies: they simply block the symptoms and actually aggravate the issue.
Meanwhile, nature keeps doing its thing, quietly, gracefully, and if we pay more attention, it would show us alternatives. Adaptogens, often plants or roots, help the body restore balance, and among them, mushrooms are the most powerful.
Present’s goal is to bring these natural rhythms – this way of living – back into modern culture: healthier habits, more human routines, prevention instead of just cure.

AK: Present treats mushrooms not just as tools for wellbeing, but as moments of ritual. How do you imagine people incorporating your powders into their days in a way that

feels conscious, rather than automatic?

GF, VR: If using functional mushrooms every morning became a daily habit, we’d actually be thrilled – it would mean we achieved our goal!

Jokes aside, awareness is extremely important to us, and we work on this through scientific education. We collaborate with the University of Palermo, we’re members of the Italian Society of Medicinal Mushrooms, and we’ll be supporting the National Medicinal Mushroom Congress in Pavia in June 2026.

Present also donates a percentage of sales to the Luca Coscioni Association, supporting their work with the Italian Ministry of Health to promote psychedelic therapies for major depression, addiction, and PTSD.

We genuinely believe the mushroom world is too vast, complex, and extraordinary to be treated superficially.

To understand its benefits and appreciate its value, we encourage our community to cultivate the same curiosity that inspired us to create Present Mushrooms in the first place.

AK: Flavor, texture, movement deeply influence the experience of the palate. When you think about consuming mushrooms, is it simply about function, or is the sensory experience part of the intention too?

GF, VR: It’s true that mushrooms – when we talk about whole fruiting bodies – have unique flavors, aromas, and textures that are amazing to explore in the kitchen.

But at the moment, most of the functional mushrooms in Italy can’t currently be sold as food; only as dietary supplements. So for now, we focus mainly on their functional role in supporting the body.

That said, we love experimenting with different combinations, finding new ways to enjoy our mushroom powders, pairing them with foods or drinks that enhance their effects or absorption, without compromising taste.

We’re working on a “Recipes” section that will soon be online at presentuniverse.com, where we’ll share new ideas regularly: from matcha lattes and kefir with granola to chickpea hummus. The dominant flavor is always the food or drink, not the mushroom, but the powder often adds a surprisingly pleasant texture!

AK: Present feels less like a product and more like a way of living. As you look ahead, what kind of future do you imagine for the philosophy you’ve built and how do you hope it will shape the people who encounter it?

GF, VR: We’re really happy that this message came through, because from day one, we imagined Present as a vehicle for promoting an alternative way of living. There’s so much to learn from the Mushroom Kingdom – it’s a beautiful metaphor for our time. Mycelium is an invisible network connecting all living beings on Earth, enabling life to thrive through the exchange of nutrients and information.

We humans also live increasingly connected to an invisible network – the web – but it’s hard to say it’s bringing out the best in us. We’re more isolated, more distant, more alone. Present wants to inspire people to embrace a way of living more like the mycelial network: valuing human exchange, being curious about the unknown, and welcoming it as a source of richness in our lives. Living in the moment.