Designing Equality: International Women's Day 2022

SPOTLIGHT

Celebrating the Power of Women and Women in Power

Lara Bohinc reclines upon one of her own chair designs in a red dress.

Jewellery, furniture, and lighting designer Lara Bohinc, who inspired this article

As the world continues its awkward, stumbling lurch toward social equality for all its people, official observances such as Women's History Month (March) and International Women's Day (March 8) provide us important reminders to celebrate the accomplishments of women with the same fervour as we do their male colleagues.

"I think the problem is not that there aren't enough female designers, but that there aren't enough females in positions of power."
Lara Bohinc

This year, our focus is inspired by a recent interview Lara Bohinc did with Interior Design. In the interview, Bohinc mentions that the key element that creates the disparity in the number of male and female designers able to make a living "is not that there aren't enough female designers, but that there aren't enough females in positions of power." In essence, because most creative directors and other decision makers above the designer level are still men, their tastes are over-represented in the selection and rejection of designs for manufacture.

This International Women's Day, we're honouring women who, in addition to being lighting designers, use their positions of power to elevate less-heard voices, drive an often-recalcitrant world toward equality, justice, and sustainability, and express the beauty of their own visions through design.

Karen Gilbert

Cofounder, Co-Design Director: SkLO

It was Karen Gilbert who saw potential, when she and her husband, architect Paul Pavlak, made the acquaintance of Pavel Hanousek. Primarily a jewellery designer, Gilbert had learned about the history and quality of Czech blown glass early in her education and never forgotten it. Learning of Hanousek's knowledge of, and experience in, the Czech glass industry, Gilbert realized that she and Pavlak had been presented with a rare opportunity.

Naming their new designer lighting brand SkLO, the Czech word for glass, cofounders and design directors Gilbert and Pavlak set out to combine the mystery and beauty of blown glass with the contemporary sensibility—and sustainable focus—of California design.

Every light and decorative object that SkLO offers begins at the tip of Karen Gilbert's pen (or stylus). Whether manifesting an inspired form in glass or exploring the elemental power and potential that molten glass represents, these designs are refined by the couple before the first workflows and prototypes are set down in the Czech Republic, after which the decision is made to either try again or put the design into production as part of SkLO's designer offering.

SkLO's Lasso linear suspension light in a comfortable dining room.

Above: SkLO's Lasso linear suspension light is a gorgeous blend of chaos and order in just the right proportions. Below: Hold 18 wall sconce (left) adds a softness and sense of fluidity to any space, while Dew suspension (right) captures the pliability and power of molten glass in each uniquely-shaped pendant.

A studio image of SkLO's Hold 18 wall sconce.

A close-up of a cluster of Dew suspension lights in both transparent and etched glass.

"I think that this is what makes SkLO special: that our designs are the work of a woman, and they do not share the same masculinity of form I see repeated over and over again in the lighting design sector."
Karen Gilbert

Wrap table light sitting on a wooden sideboard.

Above: Wrap table light (left) and Push table light (right). Below: SkLO also creates a wide range of decorative objects, such as the Mantle Vessel (left) and Bloom (right) collections

The Mantle collection of decorative objects from SkLO

A studio image of the three sizes of Bloom decorative object.

Dounia Tamri-Loeper

Founder, CEO, Creative Director: Dounia Home

As Dounia Tamri-Loeper began to envision the next stage of her design career, she knew that she wanted to draw upon the culture and traditions of her native Morocco. Trusting in fate to show the way, she returned to the land of her youth for a tour of personal and professional rediscovery.

Her answers came to her when she saw the meticulous traditional metalworking that was a hallmark of the region's mosques, temples, and other important buildings. In particular, she was struck by the intricately-patterned lanterns and shades found in these building's illumination—and thus Dounia Home was born.

Dounia Tamri-Loeper's devotion to her heritage and homeland is more than just a stylistic one. Dounia Home's production facility is located in Marrakech, Morroco, where it provides well-paid jobs for skilled metalworkers who carry in their minds and hands the legacy of centuries of Moroccan metal crafting. Further, the metals that take shape under their skilled touch are mined and refined locally, which both helps the Moroccan economy and provides still more jobs with every unique, handcrafted designer luminaire that Dounia Home produces.

An arched hall leading to a bright modern kitchen bears an intricate pattern of light and shadow from Dounia Home's Almas pendant light.

Dounia Tamri-Loeper discusses Nur pendant light with one of her production collaborators.

Dounia Tamri-Loeper's designs for Dounia Home honour the past in their contemporary forms. Above left: Almas pendant light. Below, left to right: Nur Double suspension light, Riad suspension light, and Warda ceiling light

A cut-out image of Nur Double pendant light from Dounia Home.

Dounia Homes' Riad suspension light shows off the effect its three differently-patterned shades project on walls in a dark space.

A cut-out of Warda ceiling light from Dounia Home.

"Every product we buy affects someone somewhere on this planet we all live on."
Dounia Tamri-Loeper

The Najma pendant light provides direct task lighting while the patterns in the shade create intriguing constellations on walls and ceilings in darkness

Sofie Refer

Cofounder, Creative Director: Nuura

At the core of Sofie Refer's lighting designs is a single, simple concept that has enchanted her since she was a child: the distinctive character of sunlight in the Nordic countries.These were the qualities that she, along with partners Nadia Lassen and Peter Østerberg, sought to embrace when they cofounded Danish designer lighting brand Nuura.

Thanks to her successful design career, Refer herself was the natural choice to serve as creative director and lead designer for Nuura. As she approaches the creation of each Nuura collection, Refer appears to think very much like a musician.

She first composes the chandelier, establishing the central unifying melody, and then expands and explores that theme through the rest of the collection. Still, this pattern is evident in her own collections, but is not something she chooses to impose on others. In the first Nuura collaboration with an outside designer, Sofie Refer worked to ensure that Rizzatto's voice and Nuura's thematic essence were combined seamlessly into a luxuriously timeless collection.

Nuura creative director Sofie Refer's Blossi 8 chandelier, seen from below against a white ceiling with Rococo accents

Blossi table lamp in Nordic Gold with a transparent glass diffuser sitting on a white credenza with a decorative object

A close-up of Blossi wall sconce in Nordic Gold with an etched white diffuser against a black wall in a residential project.

Blossi In-Set table light in black with a frosted diffuser, installed in the centre of a restaurant dining table.

Sofie Refer's theme-and-variation approach is clear in the various typology and finish options based on the German Design Award winning Blossi 8 chandelier (top) for Nuura. Immediately above, left to right: Blossi table lamp, Blossi wall sconce, and Blossi in-set table lamp. Below: Blossi pendant and Blossi floor lamp.

A pair of Nuura's Blossi pendants in Nordic Gold with transparent glass diffusers hang above a kitchen counter. Out of focus in the background, a Anoli triple cluster suspension light can be seen above a dining table.

Blossi floor light in black with a frosted diffuser in a cool yet comfortable sitting room.

"I really want to honour light. I want to challenge myself to also express the importance of light in my designs—we want to enlighten."
Sofie Refer

Miira 8 circular chandelier hangs above a small circular dining room table in a cozy Scandinavian apartment.

Rizzatto 43 pendant light, designed by Paolo Rizzatto for Nuura, hangs above a plush upholstered bench before a bank of windows in a luxurious bedroom.

Miira chandelier (left) is another of Sofie Refer's German Design Award winning collections, while the Rizzatto 43 pendant (right) and its collection—named for its creator, legendary designer Paolo Rizzatto, was commissioned and curated by Refer

Lucie Koldova

Creative Director: Brokis

Unlike the women we've featured above, Lucie Koldova did not found Brokis, the Czech glass specialists and lighting brand for whom she is creative director. Rather, Brokis founder Jan Rabell, impressed by her creativity and discerning taste, hired her in a story we already told elsewhere).

Lucie Koldova is a multidisciplinary designer who, in addition to tending to her family, works ceaselessly with international clients and collaborators. From her studio in Prague, she and her team create designer lighting and furniture as well as decorative objects, interior design work, and even fashion eyewear. And, of course, all of her personal designs are created in addition to her work guiding the aesthetic and creative work of other designers whom Brokis works with to create many of their designer lights.

Lucie Koldova holds her 2020 Designer of the Year Award on the red carpet at the Czech Grand Design Awards

Sfera pendant light hangs above a wooden table in a dining nook.

Above left: Lucie Koldova in 2021, becoming the first person to win three Czech Grand Design Awards. Above Right: Sfera suspension light, the foundation of the upcoming Sfera collection. Below: A cluster installation of Big One pendant lights (left) and a pair of Ivy> Horizontal suspension lights, all designed by Lucie Koldova for Brokis.

A close-up of Lucie Koldova's Big One pendants in front of some backlit curtains

An glass-walled corridor between two buildings with Lucie Koldova's Ivy Horizontal linear suspension lights hanging inside.

"I like to be surrounded by half-finished pieces because they support my imagination. And I find that things that are 'finished' are less interesting to me in a way."
Lucie Koldova

A studio photo of the Bonbori collection by Fumie Shibata for Brokis.

Brokis' Dome Nomad portable table light by Chiaramonte Marin.

A trio of Boris Klimek's Geometric collection of pendant lights for Brokis.

Some of the collections by other designers that Lucie Koldova has curated for Brokis. Left: Fumie Shibata's Bonbori outdoor wall sconce recently joined the two sizes of Bonbori floor to expand the first outdoor lighting collection released by Brokis. Centre: Dome Nomad portable table and floor light with the ridged smoked diffuser, designed by Chiaramonte Marin. Right: Boris Klimek and Lenka Damova's Geometric collection of lights offers endless possibilities through the use of Brokis' internally-developed material, Brokisglass.

Making the Opportunities Not Given: Designer-Owned Studios

While the work to empower women through appointment to positions of oversight and curation continues, we wish also to honour the female designers who work to promote themselves, their philosophies, and their works through their own design studios.

In the words of mid-century-modern pioneer Greta Magnussen Grossman, "the easiest way to show what you can do is to do it yourself." We've selected six design studios led by women whose design philosophies could have put them out of step with the mainstream, but who have found success through tireless work, devoted creativity, and—above all—the courage and integrity to remain true to themselves and their design values.

Studiopepe

Studiopepe was born when Chiara Di Pinto and Arianna Lelli Mami, both having graduated from Politecno di Milano the year before, ran into one another during separate vacations to the same Mexican beach. Despite having differing opinions and focuses, they found in one another a shared enthusiasm for sustainable and democratic design. Together, they use their contrasting tastes to draw the best out of each other as they collaborate on furniture and lighting designs, artistic installations, and a range of architecture and interior design projects.

A hotel lobby featuring a custom installation of Unseen suspension lights and pendants.

Studiopepe's Unseen collection for Petite Friture features table, wall, and a variety of suspension light configurations, all of which recreate the vivaciously ethereal effect of classic neon lights with energy-efficient LEDs.

Unseen chandelier and Unseen table light illuminate a chic modern spa.

Unseen Triple cluster suspension light glows against a black background.

Studio Link: http://www.studiopepe.info/

Jette Scheib

From her design studio and home in The Netherlands, artist and designer Jette Scheib creates new and intriguing forms based on a wide range of traditions and techniques. Endless curiosity and exploration, both of the world and her own life, guide her creative voice, resulting in lighting designs that are as varied as they are conceptually innovative.

Jette Scheib's Membrane pendant light for Innermost serves as a work of art and an accent light in the corner of a frenetically energetic room.

Oyster table light, designed for Forestier by Jette Scheib, sits on a side table next to a wooden chair.

Above: Jette Scheib's evocative Membrane suspension light for Innermost (left) and Oyster table light, part of her Oyster family of lights for Forestier. Below: Cymbal suspension light from Forestier. Bottom: Carpa floor lamp (left) and Grass suspension light (right), also from Forestier.

A Scandinavian-style living room with a variety of Jette Scheib's Cymbal pendant lights from Forestier in several size and finish combinations.

Forestier's Carpa floor light hangs its head over an easy chair in a muted contemporary living room.

Jette Scheib's Grass suspension light from Forestier hangs above a wooden desk at the end of a hall.

Studio Link: https://www.jettescheib.com/

Lara Bohinc

Already an acclaimed designer of jewellery and fashion accessories, including work consulting for Gucci and Cartier, Lara Bohinc has more recently become known for her furniture and lighting designs. Her Moonrise collection for Roll & Hill grew out of her fascination with the deconstruction and interpretation of geometric shapes—a quality that evokes the timeless strength of Art Deco design, but with a feminine twist.

Moonrise Chandelier 2 suspension light illuminates a curtain in a darkened theatre.

Lara Bohinc's Moonrise wall sconce 2 in gold, on the wall of Bohinc's London flat.

Lara Bohinc's signature geometric exploration and metalwork mark her Moonrise collection of lights, designed for Roll & Hill

A studio image of Moonrise wall sconce 2 in black

Moonrise wall sconce 1 in gold in a studio image.

A studio shot of Moonrise wall sconce 1 in black.

Studio Link: https://bohincstudio.com/

Lorenza Bozzoli

Building on a background in fashion, 1996 saw Lorenza Bozzoli refocus her studio's boisterously vivacious sensibilities toward industrial design. Where other designers aspire to timelessness, Bozzoli embraces the excitement of fashion. Her designer lights for brands such as Moooi and Slamp are bold, intense statements that refuse to blend into the background.

La Lollo Large suspension light in the gradient finish, designed for Slamp by Lorenza Bozzoli, in a studio photoshoot image.

La Lollo Applique wall sconce in gold finish on a rough-finished wall. A few tropical leaves dip in from the edges of the frame.

Lorenza Bozzoli's La Lollo XL chandelier for Slamp in pewter hangs between two chairs in a living room.

La Lollo floor light sits in a living room next to a couch and a few decorative objects.

Lorenza Bozzoli's La Lollo collection for Slamp was named for the nickname of quintessentially glamorous Hollywood star Gina Lollobrigida. Top: La Lollo Large suspension light in the gradient finish. Bottom, left to right: La Lollo Applique wall sconce in gold, La Lollo XL chandelier in pewter, and the newest member of the family, La Lollo floor light.

Studio Link: https://www.lorenzabozzoli.com/

Front Design

Anna Lindgren and Sofia Lagerkvist, the minds behind Swedish design studio Front Design, approach every project as an exercise in cooperation. Working together, they devise and design exuberant and experimental creations that are as bold as they are fun. From a sculptural floor lamp the size and shape of a horse for Moooi to a simple arrangement of metal legs and lamping heads for FontanaArte's Tripod, every creation from Front Design distinctly unique.

Front Design's Horse floor structure for Moooi stands proudly in a sleek contemporary apartment.

A cut-out image of Rabbit table base with accessory shade, designed by Front Design for Moooi, emphasizing the inner shade and detailing.

FontanaArte's Tripod floor light by Front Design stands on a studio set next to a plush sofa.

Three of Front Design's lighting designs. Top: Horse floor structure with the optional shade for Moooi. Bottom: Tripod floor light for FontanaArte (left) and Rabbit table with optional shade (right)

Studio Link: http://www.frontdesign.se/

Maija Puoskari

In each of Finnish designer Maija Puroskari's creations, one finds a fascination with the future. This is not in an aesthetic sense, but rather a consistent valuation of nature and sustainability—as seen in her supple designs for Mater—as well as creating designer goods for children to help develop their minds and appreciation of the natural world.

The Liuku and Terho collections of pendants hang above a kitchen island in a studio space

Above: Maija Puoskari's Liuku and Terho collections for Mater. Below: The Terho collection (left) gains a sense of drama in the available black finish, while the addition of the glass shade in the Liuku Drop Shade pendant (right) adds a touch of the ethereal to Liuku's natural tone.

The Terho family of lights in black with transparent glass hangs above a kitchen island.

Two Liuku Pendant Drop Shade suspension lights and a Liuku Pendant Ball Shade suspension light hang above a small cafe table on a studio set.

Studio Link: https://maijapuoskari.com/

Be the Change You Wish to See

Naturally, these are only a few highlights from the number of women in design who have made the difficult choice to pursue an uncertain career in lighting design and succeeded. The question that should be in all of our minds right now is: "how many brilliant and creative voices haven't succeeded because their work never found an appreciative eye?" It is for this reason that we chose to celebrate the women above who have used the power they have to uplift themselves and others who may not have been as lucky.

If your desire for strong, passionate, and self-sufficient women in designer lighting hasn't been satisfied yet, may we recommend our feature for last year's International Women's Day? In it, we celebrated two legendary design trailblazers, Greta Magnussen-Grossman and Charlotte Perriand, along with two contemporary designers—Nao Tamura and Bec Brittain—whose careers uphold the legacy of daring and drive they left.

And, of course, you can always find more women who have made their mark lighting design on our designer pages in our webstore. If you'd like to consult about building a lighting plan about any of the luminaires featured above, please contact our offices and showrooms in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Kelowna, and Winnipeg.