About Us


How we started
Founded upon decades of expertise in hospitality and contract furniture, The MAD Group International was born from a single vision: to bring Europe’s finest craftsmanship to the U.S. market. After traveling across Europe and rigorously vetting top-tier factories, our founder, Mariana Downes, handpicked the best partners—ensuring unmatched quality, innovative design, and reliable production. Today, we proudly provide a curated portfolio of world-class furniture solutions tailored to the specific needs of hotels, restaurants, offices, and more. We believe in forging strong, lasting relationships with our clients, delivering style, comfort, and durability with every piece. Experience the difference that passion, expertise, and European excellence can make for your next project.
Mariana Alejandra Downes, (MAD), founder
Mariana is a proud Dominican born creative, fluent in English and Spanish, with a passion for interior design and a keen eye for style and functionality.Always fascinated by the power of design to transform spaces and evoke emotions, she was driven to explore and immerse herself in the world of interior design, where she discovered her love for European aesthetics and craftsmanship.
Always the entrepreneur, and seeking to create something for herself, she saw an opportunity in the market that would allow her to share her love for European furniture details and aesthetic.After meticulously vetting a long list of European furniture brands, she personally visited furniture factories in Italy, Spain and Portugal and after a thorough evaluation of their craftsmanship and portfolios, selected manufacturers to represent that embodied the highest standards of quality and design.The MAD Group was created in 2023 and currently represents 11 brands. Each of these brands have an impressive legacy overseas and are being well received in the American market.She is founder and owner, and is the company’s prime connection to designers and the design industry.With a decade of experience in the industry, and known and respected for being extremely knowledgeable, personable and reliable, Mariana is able to help bridge the gap between elegant European designs and the dynamic needs of the hospitality and contract sectors in the USA.Believing that great design is not just about beauty, but also about creating environments that inspire and enhance the experiences of those who inhabit them her goal is to help her clients create spaces that are both functional and visually stunning.
