Materialism: Fiber
Fibers have a long history in lighting. From ornate shades to minimal and intentional paper lights, nothing diffuses light quite like fiber. Their overall look can be formal and refined, casual and organic, or a mix of everything. We always appreciate how expressive designers can be with these materials, from Maurer to Uchida to Fortuny. Here are some of our favorite materials and pieces.
Textiles have a long and storied history in lighting design—from the staunchly traditional to modernism to the inventive and playful. Textiles not only diffuse light in a magical way, but can also allow designers to create wonderfully shaped pieces that can become the focus of any room. The painted silks of Fortuny, the playful Italian minimalism of Gianfranco Frattini’s pieces for Gubi, and Hans-Agne Jakobsson’s Fringe works are especially exciting to us.
Paper
It is impossible to imagine contemporary lighting without thinking of the soft, tactile nature of paper. From the traditional feel of Japanese work of Shigeru Ochida to modern and expressive works by Ingo Maurer, paper assures a warm glow that augments any space.
Traditionally Non-Traditional
An exploration of fiber as material, form, and light. From the translucent weave of a contemporary fixture to the cocoon resin forms of the 1960s, fiber and filament have continually redefined the language of illumination. Across fashion, fine art, and furniture, designers have tested the limits of these materials, transforming them into sculptural expressions of texture and atmosphere.
We highlight this evolution through Toyo Ito’s Mayuhana, whose woven fiber layers diffuse light into a soft, meditative glow, and the iconic Taraxacum, Viscontea, and Gatto lamps by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos—masterworks of cocoon resin that capture the optimism and experimentation of postwar Italian design. Completing this dialogue is a rare vintage piece, the Teli Pendant, an early Castiglioni design in Raylon fabric and metal that reflects the brothers’ ongoing pursuit of material innovation.
Together, these works trace a lineage of experimentation—from early studies in fiber and resin to contemporary interpretations—each revealing how material, light, and form converge to shape timeless design.
This article originally appeared in our newsletter. View the original version here, or sign up to receive future mailers directly in your inbox: