Promoting a culture of functional aesthetic and well-crafted excellence

Originally established as Studio Italia Design and rebranded to Lodes in 2020, the Italian company has risen to global prominence in the lighting design industry. From its inception fueled by a deep passion for light, Lodes has advanced to crafting contemporary creations that beautifully meld design with technological innovation.

Under the leadership of Massimiliano Tosetto, Lodes champions a philosophy that merges Italian heritage and craftsmanship with a relentless pursuit of research and innovation, ensuring product excellence and customer satisfaction through a holistic approach to design, production, and after-sales support.

Given its compelling history and a unique path of rebranding within the design industry, we’ve chosen to pose several questions to Massimiliano Tosetto, the company’s current Managing Director. Our goal was to uncover and highlight the unique aspects of the company’s DNA that have enabled it to successfully reinvent itself across three generations.

Established in 1950 under the name Studio Italia Design, Lodes has evolved into a leading design company on an international level. What pivotal moments do you regard as most significant in the brand’s development over its 70-year history?

Massimiliano Tosetto:

“Founded in 1950, Lodes narrates an evolutionary journey through three generations, from a pure passion for light to contemporary creations that seamlessly blend design and technological innovation. The company’s transformation includes a significant rebranding initiative initiated in 2020. This cultural shift, stemming from the aspiration to explore new avenues and the commitment to continual learning from light, centres on research, design, and innovation to develop progressively versatile and innovative lighting solutions.

In June 2022, Lodes opened its first showroom in Milan, inaugurating a new chapter in the brand’s history. Located in the heart of Brera – the cultural district that hosts some of the major brands of Italian design – inside an elegant historic building in Via della Moscova, the space serves as a precious meeting point between the brand and its customers, both industry professionals and end consumers.

In addition to the Milan showroom, our presence extends to various cities. Our exhibition spaces in Paris and Cologne, designed for customers, partners, and collaborators, foster moments of exchange and sharing regarding the light and solutions crafted by the company. Furthermore, in 2023 Lodes opened a dedicated U.S. subsidiary in New York and also a Hong Kong office to enable us to closely operate in target markets, provide consultations, and forge new collaborations.”

What does the creation of decorative lighting entail? What are the key elements that a product in this category must incorporate?

Massimiliano Tosetto:

“Our products are designed for optimal enjoyment of living spaces, emphasising ease of installation, immediate interaction, and energy efficiency. Lamps and pendants that we like to think of as ‘adaptable’ and ‘approachable’ have to be versatile with a stylish aesthetic that would work for multipurpose interiors.”

Since 2020, you’ve embarked on a comprehensive rebranding journey for your company and brand, which has emerged as one of the most noteworthy success stories in the industry. What factors do you attribute to this success, and which steps do you believe were instrumental in achieving it?

Massimiliano Tosetto:

“We are driven by some principles that guide us in every choice. Our heritage plays a key role in our journey: Lodes promotes a culture of functional aesthetic and well-crafted excellence, with attention to detail through contemporary forms and functions.”

The essence of your brand’s values lies in its Italian heritage, craftsmanship, dedication to research, and fostering strong relationships. How do these values translate into the daily operations of the company, its employees, and ultimately, the satisfaction of your customers?

Massimiliano Tosetto:

“Lodes ensures quality throughout the supply chain, from material selection to production techniques, deliveries, and post-sales service. We have a dedicated customer service that supports every customer request but also a customer care team dealing with all aspects of after-sales service. Furthermore, we also offer a B2B service for order placement reserved for our customers.”

“Standard Bespoke and Out of Scale – Universal collections, customised solutions” is a mantra for your company. How did this concept come about, and, from a business standpoint, how does an organization structured around it operate?

Massimiliano Tosetto:

“Lodes enables the development of functional and decorative solutions, providing infinite personalization possibilities by combining lamps and canopies. This great flexibility gives rise to the concept of ‘Standard Bespoke’, a collection with universal character capable of addressing the unique requirements of each space through the creation of distinctive and meaningful compositions, tailored to individual preferences.

Light compositions evolve into bespoke solutions for any space: the flexibility provided by the combinations of lamps and canopies allows for an infinite array of applications and fully personalised solutions. Through the development of innovative configurations in terms of shapes and sizes, Lodes can cater to the requirements of any space and creative project, adorning each environment with a luminous scenography that truly stands out.

The product configurator is an accessible online tool, which allows users to choose a lamp and a canopy to fit their project and then save or share the resulting design. The tool allows users, from consumers to designers and architects, to create accurate and immediate product renders and creative lighting solutions.”

To date, Lodes boasts collaborations with prestigious international designers. Among these, Ron Arad has designed “Cono di Luce,” unveiled for 2024. Which elements of this collaboration embody your values and contribute to the aforementioned mantra?

Massimiliano Tosetto:

“Collaboration is not just a concept; it’s a key aspect of our creative identity. When it comes to select designers or architects for our new products, we adhere to a set of guiding principles that reflect our unwavering commitment to creativity and innovation. Innovation is another core ingredient of our collaborative philosophy. We are drawn to creatives and technology suppliers who possess a fearless spirit of experimentation and a relentless drive to innovate. At the heart of our collaborative endeavors lies a commitment to premium products. Ultimately, our collaborative approach is not just about creating beautiful products; it’s about forging enduring relationships, nurturing creative synergies.

Cono di Luce designed by Ron Arad represented a great challenge for us in terms of technical development: thank you our knowledge we were able to solve several issues along the whole process. Lodes was able to transfer Arad’s intuitive response to the brief, as shown in his initial sketch, into a real lamp – finding a technical solution that solved critical aspects while simultaneously fulfilling several functions. A continuous exchange between the company and the designer is always vital to develop a great project.

With the same aim, we can anticipate you that during Milan Design Week 2024 we will launch our new collaboration with renowned Italian architect and designer, Paola Navone. The new product has a fluid silhouette and chromatic palette, evoking the sensations of the sea.”