Flos by FCI London

Founded in Italy in the late 50s, Flos was established with the sole aim to create modern and designer lighting. Dino Gavina, the man behind the brand, wanted Italy to be the homeland of a new interior design culture. After meeting several designers and inventors of new furniture pieces and geniuses of Italian architecture, Gavina realised that it was time for new lamps to be created.

In 1966, Flos began a new phase where it moved from its artistic approach under Dino Gavina to a more entrepreneurial style under the care of Sergio Gandini, who had been in the furniture business since 1959 with his wife. From Merano, the company moved to Brescio to tap into the local expertise in metal manufacturing. Despite the company’s difficulty of turning a profit, the production of brilliant pieces still continued.

For over a decade, between 1960 and 1970, Flos explored inventive ideas in creating products that would leave durable marks with creative inputs from two Castiglioni brothers, Achille and Pier Giacomo. As inventors and artists, they created one-of-a-kind artificial lighting that had forms and meanings. Their works were recognised all over the world and, in 26 May 1972, one of their creations was selected by the Museum of Modern Art in New York as a permanent design collection.

Today, Flos continues to partner with inventors to transform intangible ideas to tangible products, and bring to the world innovative and impressive lighting fixtures.

Flos Expertise

Flos does more than just develop lighting products. They continuously experiment in the use of revolutionary materials and impressive designs. The company’s starting point was the use of the cocoon technique introduced by Arturo Eisenkeil, a process where resin is sprayed on to a metal frame. This resulted in a cloud-like quality that gave the lamps their enchanting and captivating characteristics. The continued quest for artistry and functionality made Flos an industry leader in the creation of high quality lighting devices. For a manufacturer that focuses on quality, design and form, the company’s internal technical expertise lies in creating an object of beauty that is matched by a high level of efficiency.

Flos Products

From the moment Flos was established to the present, the company continues to collaborate with renowned designers and inventors. It started with Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, whose series of lamps are still in production to this day. In the book 1000 Lights, which outlined the most important lamps or lighting devices from the 1960s to 2005, 55 models that were presented are made by Flos. And the most notable of them is the Bulb lamp that is designed by Paul Cocksedge. The lighting fixture was actually a vase where the stem of aereal flower acted as a conductor of electricity when immersed in water. Once the flower wilts, the lamp also turns off. There is also the Arco lamp that was designed by the two Castiglioni brothers in 1962. What started out as a prototype, became a legend in the world of lighting.

Where beautiful and functional illumination is concerned, nothing beats the way Flos manufactures products that resemble art installations. So, for innovative and modern lighting, always think Flos.