We saw many inspired designs and beautifully crafted things on our recent trip to Copenhagen and the DesignTrade show, but right at the top of my list were these lampshades by young Danish designer Alexander Raben.
I’m so glad that I managed to catch her for a quick chat as I was doing one final tour of the stands – I so wanted to tell her in person how much I loved her work. Considering it was the last hour of the final day of the show, she was full of energy, enthusiasm and grace. Her passion for her work shone as brightly as her beautiful lamps.
A recent Weekly Edit was inspired by “mixed materials”; the Intricate Lamp series is very much in this vein, but the juxtaposition of materials in this case is particularly subtle.
The handmade steel frames clearly declare their material of origin, but also have a fineness and delicacy in their strength – they are almost a kind of “thread” too.
The intricate patterns that Alexandra then creates with the cotton and linen yarn that she wraps around the frames add softness and delicacy to the shades, and were designed to throw “playful and beautiful” shadows” once the lamps are lit.
Alexandra also explained during our conversation that she’d “wanted to make a lamp that was as interesting when the light was off as when it was lit up”. Success on both counts, wouldn’t you agree?
Alexandra describes the Intricate Lamp series as “a composition of the delicate and textural with the hard and industrial [and] a poetic story about the meeting between soft textiles and raw industrial through the interesting contrasts in the material selection”.
The theme of contrasts is fundamental to Alexandra’s approach. Her website states she “swears by design that manages to incorporate the perfect fusion of contrasts, elegance and materials. A feminine approach with an understatement of raw edge and a Nordic influence is what defines her take on design”.
The Intricate series includes shades of different shapes, colours and sizes and can be made as pendants, table or floor lamps; customised versions can also be produced to suit specific requirements. All are entirely handmade from steel, cotton and linen yarn, brass bulb holders and linen wire.
Alexandra will be visiting the UK for the London Design Festival where she’ll be showing her work at Tent London, and also demonstrating how she makes these subtly beautiful Intricate lamps – you can find her at Tent London: Stand D18, Hall T1.
Another great reason to experience London Design Week, and definitely a talent to watch.
Images: Alexandra Raben Design
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