The birth of a legend
The Flos brand was founded in 1962 by Dino Gavina, Cesare Cassina and Arturo Eisenkeil in Merano, Italy. It was Eisenkeil who brought the "cocoon" technology from the USA - a polymer spray that is applied to a metal structure and when solidified forms a semi-transparent diffuser. Today this type of luminaire is very popular, but here we see the origin of this unique technology, which came to Europe more than 60 years ago.
The designers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni and Afra and Tobia Scarpa were involved in the development of the first lamps. It was clear even then that Flos wanted to not only produce the lamp, but also to work sophisticatedly with its form.
A design laboratory, not a factory
Under the leadership of Sergio Gandini from 1963 onwards, Flos became a true design laboratory. It was not just about production, it was about vision and the search for new forms of light. Each new product was created in close collaboration between the designer and the brand, with an emphasis on quality, function and unexpected aesthetic moments. Collaborating with global design greats such as Philippe Starck, Patricia Urquiola and Michael Anastassiades is not just marketing - it is the natural evolution of a brand that has creative courage encoded in its DNA.
Flos - lamps that write design history
The Flos brand has an endless array of design icons that we can't nearly fit into one article, so soak up the Flos identity with at least these few visionary models, and then browse more in our e-shop.
Suspension chandelier 2097, Gino Sarfatti (1958). Designed by Gino Sarfatti, who reinterpreted the classics with exposed cables - and created a new timeless form.
Arco arched floor lamp, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1962). Monumental floor lamp with a slender arch and marble base. A lamp that remains a symbol of design elegance after more than 60 years.
Taccia table lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1962). Directional table lamp that shines with indirect/reflected light. Sculpture and lamp in one.
Snoopy table lamp, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1967). A playful homage to the iconic cartoon character Snoopy with a marble base. It also lights up the intelligence office in the film Mission Impossible.
Smithfield pendant lamp, Jasper Morrison (2009). A ceiling or pendant light with a generous opal diffusion in a minimalist form.
Aim pendant lamp, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec (2013). A light that acts as part of the space, not a fixed point. Adjustable in height and direction using cables.
Wall Lamps 265, Paolo Rizzatto (2022). Wall lamp with an arm that swings to the side. The light thus easily reaches across the table, into the reading corner and elsewhere in the space.
Technologies that give design more possibilities
Flos has never stuck to shape. Technological developments have always played a significant role in order to maintain ease of use and purity of form.
- The use of LED technology and sophisticated diffusion systems for soft light without glare.
- Smart Control - control via mobile app.
- Modular systems such as Arrangements and others that allow a flexible approach to light installation.
But despite the technical sophistication, Flos does not lose touch with the craft. Products made from hand-blown glass or cut from a single piece of Carrara marble remain on offer.
Architects' darling
In its 60 years of existence, the Flos range has become very wide. Architects love it because they can find solutions for generous public spaces as well as distinctive elements for private apartments and houses. However, the emphasis is still on quality, technological sophistication, functionality, design and materials.
At DesignVille we offer models that are ready to fit into your projects, homes and ideas of what good light should look like.
