VALIGIA

The soil and table lamp Valigia was by Ettore Sottsass named after the Italian word for 'suitcase', because the red The lacquered metal arc on the shade of the Valigia lamp is not merely a stylistic element; it also serves a practical function. Much like a briefcase or suitcase, the Valigia table lamp can be easily grasped, carried, and used in a different location. This modern concept of mobility, combined with Sottsass's excellent stability and the sophisticated design language of early postmodernism, makes the Valigia table and floor lamp a unique artifact of design history.

Origin of the Valigia

Loud Stilnovo Sottsass was reportedly approached in 1977 by a friend who was invited to a birthday party the following day and was looking for a unique gift. The friend asked Sottsass to create such a present, whereupon Sottsass began work that very night and created Valigia. In collaboration with the Italian lighting manufacturer Stilnovo, a mass-produced design object, the Valigia floor and table lamp, was eventually developed.

Classical and Modern

Two red-lacquered metal arches flank the Valigia table lamp, forming the framework that frames the upward-curving lampshade. This diffuser is painted matte black on the outside, while the white interior optimally reflects the light downwards. An E27 socket allows the use of any light bulb, and a 7-watt LED bulb with a color temperature of 2,700 Kelvin (warm white light) is included. A 1.5-meter-long black cable with a switch and flat plug allows for flexible placement of the Valigia floor and table lamp.

Harbinger of Postmodernism

The Valigia floor and table lamp symbolizes Sottsass's typical design language, which is so characteristic of the Milanese design group Memphis, formed about three years later, that broke with the prevailing rules of functionalism and shaped the design style of postmodernism. In a certain sense, the design of the Valigia lamp anticipates this later design development and can therefore certainly be described as one of the first postmodernist lamps.

Small architectural structures

The Valigia floor and table lamp measures 37.5 centimeters in height and 35.3 centimeters in width. The depth of the geometrically inspired table lamp is 23.8 centimeters. “I continue to create small architectural forms, very small ones (…) a bit like monuments, a bit like tombs, a bit like temples abandoned by the gods, a bit like ruins of an ancient and unknown civilization that is said to have known quite a lot. It is said that they knew the axes, curves, intersections, and perhaps even the nature of the cosmic orbits that the private flows of atoms, from which our fragile bodies are composed, follow daily,” says Sottsass.

Stability and flexibility

The Valigia floor and table lamp has a straight base and is equipped with black rubber feet, giving it excellent stability. Whether as an eye-catching piece on a sideboard or shelf, on a stair landing or table, a console or windowsill – the Valigia lamp is versatile and can be repositioned as desired. Some are reminded of a colonnade by Valigia, others associate it with the shape of a doctor's bag or travel bag. Whatever the interpretation, Valigia captivates us, and it seems as if Ettore Sottsass had given it to us as a gift.

Made in Italy

Stilnovo is one of the world's unique brands in the field of artistic lighting design. Unlike some other manufacturers, Stilnovo focuses on design classics made in Italy. The Stilnovo collection includes contemporary designs and design classics – exclusive, unique, and of timeless elegance and value. TAGWERC As an official partner of Stilnovo, we offer the licensed original Stilnovo products both online and offline.