Lamps - part I

The Artemide Group is one of the global leaders specialising in residential illumination. They started lamp manufacturing in 1960 in Italy. Ernesto Gismondi and Sergio Mazza founded Artemide in Milan and launched their first product, Alfa lamp.

Alfa, www.artemide.it

One of the most famous Artemide lamps is Tizio, usually mentioned in the design books and albums, manufactured in 1972 by Richard Sapper with a halogen light source, became a world known symbol of the label.

Tizio, www.artemide.it

Their first awards were obtained for Vico Magistretti project Eclisse (1967) - see below his similar idea Dalu. These small, colourful, table lamps in a style related to 2001 Space Odyssey by Stanley Kublick (1968), contributed to the history of international design.

Eclisse, www.artemide.it

www.schoener-wohnen.de

Dalu, www.artemide.it

Below you can watch an interesting animation on a famous Tolomeo lamp (1989) of Michele de Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina. This beautiful, minimalistic desk lamp is usually an inspiration for modern office lighting. Tolomeo is one of the bestselling Artemide product worldwide made of cantilevered polished structure in polished aluminium.

Tolomeo, www.artemide.it

Artemide Tolomeo animation - Adrede Art Studio from AdredeArtStudio on Vimeo.

At the Medici Fortress

At the Medici Fortress in the heart of Italian Tuscany, fashion and design met this January to discover new trends for the autumn 2011 collection. Pitti Immagine Uomo is a quality clothing and textile fair organised twice a year in Florence. This initiative attracts fashion designers, fashion admirers or amateurs and professionals working with creative contemporary arts. Through lifestyle promotion Italian fashion remains unbeatable and represents a leading reference of inspiration.

As man's fashion seemed to be neglected in the past when fashion industry was strongly dominated by women. It looks like now it revives and even becomes a source for designers working on the female style. As I personally prefer man style to woman sometimes, the next season must haves are based on a 'dandy' essentials and a 'sartorial' look. What is beyond any doubt is that the jacket is the star of the season. There are specific cold- and weatherproof jackets: from the parka to the navy-inspired pea coat. Sophisticated fabrics, doubled wool fabrics, inserts and lapels, jackets with jacquard linings fitting like a glove. And, the cardigan is not alone: there are heavy cashmere pullovers, hand-made looking knits; along with Norwegian style mohair knits and hand-knit alpaca sweaters.



After being extremely counterproductive, I must admit several changes appeared in my life. We moved to a big and crowded city, the Polish capital which one of my friends (surprising, but born in Warsaw) recently compared to an unruly jungle.. No wonder, I think that the reason of our bad mood and negative approach to life is winter which happily, slowly but surely, leaves Poland. The weather improves indeed and it will hopefully mark a change for all of us!