The wonders of Venetian glass come to life in classy ‘Ribbon’ of light by Oriano Favaretto for Masiero
Kieron is a freelance writer and Digital Consultant who doesn't consider himself a design lover but a user of design - which to him is more than enough.
LinkedinSober lines and a decorative play of light define Oriano Favaretto Ribbon design, a lighting system worth the brands’ forty years of history.
Designer Oriano Favaretto has created Ribbon, a new lighting system for Venetian brand Masiero. Combining a purity of materials and minimalism of colors, the design is an evolution of one of the company’s most iconic pieces, Honicé.
Ribbon is the latest piece to come out of Favaretto’s five-year-long collaboration with Masiero. Since its founding in 1981, the family business has produced high-end decorative lighting with particular attention to the metalworking process.
Ribbon is a contemporary evolution of Honicé, a series of LED suspension lamps and wall lights made of metal and onyx stone. Available in two finishes, black matt and galvanic burnish, Ribbon uses an innovative combination of upward and downward facing lighting elements to create a visual impression similar to that of a dramatic city skyline.
“The brief [that we gave to Favaretto] was very unique in this case and tailor-made for the project,” the company explains. “The idea was to combine a successful design like that of the Honicé, seeking a more contemporary taste thanks to the use of colors and materials”.
Similarly to Honicé, Ribbon illuminates both upwards and downwards thanks to LED strips located on the inside of the metal frame. Surrounding it are glass plates placed in various sizes and positions to radiate light and create unexpected reflections within their environment.
“The goal was to have a clean but decorative line, suitable for modern and at times even minimal environments,” Masiero explains. “The challenge was trying to maintain the structure of the Honicé and transforming a highly decorative product into a minimal alternative without losing its beauty”.
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A fundamental element in Favaretto’s design process was the designer’s choice of materials. Favaretto honours the brand’s history of metalworking with his use of iron forged inside Masiero’s workshop and painted in matt black. Ribbon is also available on request in 12 different matt coatings, 4 galvanic finishes and 4 gilding options.
Meanwhile, his use of Venetian glass references the brand’s origins. Masiero started life as a small atelier in Northern Italy’s Casale sul Sile, a small town in the Veneto region where the specialised production chain still remains. To complement the linear shape of the frame a geometric decoration was chosen, which was produced by a local supplier who creates the texture effect by pouring the molten glass into a special mold.
“Plate glass was chosen both for its link with the territory [but also for] its technical characteristics including the refraction and reflectance of light, and the possibility of having a decoration on the entire surface while respecting the required measurements,” explains Masiero.
“The overall effect is like white chiffon wrapped in a black ribbon by the skilled hands of a seamstress.”
Favaretto designed Honicé for Masiero when they first started collaborating together back in 2017. Since then, the Venetian designer has been a favourite of the brand for his artistic skills and for his link with Veneto. Earlier this year, Masiero also unveiled a golden edition of Favaretto’s iconic Honicé collection, also in celebration of its fortieth anniversary.
Interested to know more about Masiero’s golden edition collection? Head to: Masiero goes gold with icons collection celebrating 40th anniversary.
