Bottega Veneta x Flos : un heureux mariage italien

The Italian luxury brand Bottega Veneta is collaborating with the famed design company Flos, known for its lamps designed by the top names in the business. This happy pairing has given birth to a reinterpretation of Gino Sarfatti’s “Model 600”.

It all started in 1966. At the time, the prolific designer Gino Sarfatti, who is said to be responsible for 600 creations, designed the “Model 600” table lamp for his company Arteluce. This Milanese brand, which joined Flos in 1973, produced a number of lamps, some bespoke, for the lighting of prestigious locations such as Genoa’s Palazzo Bianco or Turin’s Teatro Regio. From a long line of high-end creations, our “Model 600” sets itself apart from traditional designs, in particular the sheath in which the light bulb is inserted and, most of all, its base. The latter is filled with lead pellets and covered in smooth leather. The construction of this base, both rigid and malleable, makes it possible to change the angle of lighting, whether direct or indirect. Exhibited in May 1968 at the Triennale in Milan, the lamp remained in production for many years. There are several hypotheses about the origin of its shape, which adds to the aura of this leather and metal sculpture. According to some, the Venice-born designer was inspired by a bag of hunting ammunition. Others think that Sarfatti got the idea for this piece from an ashtray on the armrest of a chair in his grandmother’s house. The luxury brand Bottega Veneta, or Venetian Boutique, was also created in 1966, specialising in smooth leather goods. So this famous lamp and the venerable Italian leather goods company share a birthday, and 60 years later, they are joining forces for a new version of Gino Sarfatti’s “Model 600”. It comes in a myriad of finishes with colourful names such as Parakeet (fluorescent green), Matte Black, Bright Red, Thunder (dull grey) and Emerald Green, Bottega Veneta’s signature colour. Available in large and small formats, our famous lamp is made all the more elegant thanks to the leather covering its unique base. It now comes in two different weaves, both signatures of the renowned Italian leather goods designer. “Intrecciato” is a chequerboard weave, whereas “Intrecciato Foulard” has more tightly knotted leather strands. While the shapes of the light bulb and the original reflector have not changed, “Model 600” has been given a touch of modernity thanks to LED technology. It’s a new version of this lamp with space age flair, unlike any other, thus making it a true collector’s piece. •