(smow) blog compact: Kartell celebrate a decade of Bourgie by Ferruccio Laviani

It’s probably indicative of the transiency of the contemporary furniture business, but during the recent Maison & Objet in Paris, Milanese manufacturer Kartell celebrated 10 years of the lamp Bourgie by Ferruccio Laviani.

Time was when 10 years was but the blink of an eye for a lighting design object; these days, objects that survive a decade are the grand old men of the company’s portfolio.

To celebrate ten years of Bourgie Kartell asked 14 designers to re-imagine Ferruccio Laviani’s faux-baroque lamp. Or 13 designers and Lenny Kravitz.

Philippe Starck chose to garnish/mock the base with kitsch plastic jewellery, Eugeni Quitllet turned the one light bulb into ten birthday cake candles, Alberto Meda removed the baroque excesses to produce a delightfully reduced metal version, Patricia Urquiola completely revised Bourgie and created a hanging chandelier, and perhaps most impressively Mario Bellini created the most fantastic lamp-cum-coat stand-cum-umbrella holder.

In the coming months the anniversary lamps will go on a small global tour before being auctioned at the end of 2014. The proceeds from the sale going to charity.

A few impressions: