Foscarini was founded in 1981 in Murano, Venice, the cradle of glass craftsmanship. Foscarini launched its first lamp collection in 1983. Over those 40 years, the company has had countless design icons to add to its collection, symbolising innovation and creativity. In all those years, Foscarini has never let the limitation of materials and techniques stop it, indeed, the company develops one iconic lamp after another in its very own way. 2024 is the year to look back on 40 years of research, innovation and creative freedom.
To mark the 40th anniversary of its collection, Foscarini is releasing a monograph entitled 'Some think it's just about shedding light', a book that guides readers on a journey, on a path that stretches through the stories, ideas and products of a company that has guided the evolution of light design for four decades.
The secret behind success
At Foscarini, every lamp is a project. It starts with a tantalising idea and a design with a strong emotional impact. From there, we look for the ideal partner to take on this challenge, as well as the best technical and innovative solution to express the idea and turn it into a concrete product. Foscarini does not have its own factory, but collaborates with specialised workshops where the lamps are made in an artisanal way. Taking on challenges and discovering new paths in the lighting sector is the brand's drive and partly explains its success.
Design icons and their designers
In 2003, the Foscarini collection celebrated its 20th anniversary with the opening of a new headquarters, still in Marcon. From then on, the company grew rapidly. Collaborations with designers such as Rodolfo Dordoni, Marc Sadler, L + R Palomba, Patricia Urquiola and Ferruccio Laviani produced extraordinary designs, which are still among the bestsellers in the collection today. This year, Foscarini celebrates its 40th anniversary with a collection comprising 219 different models, 60 lamp families, 36 colours, 52 finishes, 22 technologies, 20 different materials and more than 30 designers. And Foscarini's creativity doesn't stop there.
"We want to maintain our specific characteristics, our independence and our role in the research and development of each new product, formulated in close collaboration with the designers," - says Carlo Urbinati. "We will continue to initiate projects and are aware that this is our true heritage, our true identity."
The most important lamp will always be next
The Foscarini collection is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The current collection has 60 lamp families, produced with more than 20 different materials, as a result of collaboration with more than 30 designers. But as Carlo Urbinati says in the book's introduction, "the most important lamp will always be the next one. Because design as we see it, and as it is seen by those who work with us, stands for giving meaning to things through confrontation and constant learning. To make not just another lamp, but that specific light: that speaks to people, makes them feel at home, fills everyday life and the spaces within it with emotion and atmosphere. From this point, from who we are, we continue to build the next 40 years of our company. Every company stands in the world in its own way. Ours encourages us to work on the complexity of projects, because doing business means creating a design culture and producing lamps laden with meaning. We will continue to do this because it is what we are. And it's also a lot more fun."
Monograph 40 years of Foscarini 'Some think it's just about shedding light.' To mark the collection's 40th anniversary, Foscarini is releasing a monograph entitled ''Some think it's just about shedding light.'' A book of stories, ideas and products from a company that has guided the evolution of light design for four decades.
The monograph contains six chapters of critical analysis and a careful selection of lamps to illustrate the product range. Notes and anecdotes highlight the unique values and characteristics of the brand. The richly illustrated work highlights key historical moments and explores the significance of Foscarini's impact on Italian design.
More information:
Foscarini
www.foscarini.com