The term icon is defined as “a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration”. In order to become an icon, someone or something has to be looked up to as an example to follow and as a timeless source of inspiration. Founded in Merano (Italy) in 1962, Flos has been giving birth to icons since its establishment. With a philosophy based on innovation, uniqueness and timelessness, Flos immediately started to create what would become industry archetypes.
From Artur Eisenkeil’s early experiments with cocoon -a novel resin sprayed in liquid form around a metal structure to create lamps with surprisingly poetic shapes-, to revolutionary products such as the celebrated Arco floor lamp by brothers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos immediately gained a reputation for producing creatively avant-garde objects. Because of this, and with the aim to pay an ode to the contemporary style of Flos’ designs, the brand has launched an original creative and expressive visual story.
This new visual narrative, entitled Icons, features 12 beloved lamps designed by the masters of the renowned Italian design lighting brand. The selected designs draw a chronological timeline that represents the brand’s origins as well as the more recent years, portraying the design culture and the timeless essence that Flos has preserved through the years. Defined as icons by the status that they have acquired in the collective imagination, Icons serves a dual purpose.
The visual story conveys the rich history and legacy of a brand that has written the history of lighting, and that continues to write the future. Not only that, but it reflects on the meaning of contemporaneity, how it fluctuates, and the beautiful way in which Flos has been able to adapt to it and, most of all, understand it. Icons underlines the essence and longevity of these icons, essentially interpreting the spirit of the times.
Conceived and coordinated by Flos Chief Creative Officer Barbara Corti, with art direction and graphic design by Omar Sosa of Apartamento Studios, the narrative comes to life with the magical shots by Catalan visual artist Daniel Riera, which capture the timeless significance embodied by these iconic Flos lamps. An ethereal essence that is enhanced by the elegant Milanese palazzi, built between the 1930s and 1960s, that embrace and host the lamps.
“They look as though they might have always been there or have just been installed”, explains Barbara Corti. “In this dance between past and future, we represent them through the gestures and proxemics of those who inhabit the space, who move within it and interact with it”. And, just like that, a message emerges: design is a powerful intermediary tool between humans and the space we inhabit for contemplating reality.
The exquisite interiors of great Italian architecture interact with the industrial master design, creating a harmonious play of lines and geometries, depicted in color and black and white. The color shots emphasize the timeless beauty of the design objects, while the black and white images capture human presence and coexistence. In fact, each icon sets a moment of mutual dialogue with the user, a genuine conversation that transcends time, space, social classes and cultures.
“Icons bring life where there was none, becoming universal social objects that take us on an imaginative journey”, details Corti. Icons escape from the limitations of time, no longer distinguishing the past from the future. Instead, they are admired as ageless objects that, even after 60 years, continue to define the present.
