Luminaires by Eileen Gray.

Photo by Oliver Jaist.

Photo by Christian Kain.

Photo courtesy of Classicon.

Photo by Elias Hassos.

ClassiCon celebrates Eileen Gray, an icon of modernity, with her luminaries—Pailla, Tube Light and Roattino—the proven classics continuing to define our interiors to this day. All three designs have been given an upgrade this year: Pailla is now available in a matte black version; Tube Light also comes in a matte black version and with a dimmer, while Roattino is available for the first time in a white version and with dimmer function.

The Pailla, designed by Gray in 1927, is a simple wall light with a two part cylinder designed for her villa E1027 on the Côte d’Azur. Like many of the fixtures, folding mechanisms or decor in Eileen Gray’s home—an architectural masterpiece which resulted in some of her most significant furniture designs—Pailla is reminiscent of the interiors of ocean liners. Reduced to a socket and bulb, Pailla is mounted directly on the wall.

The Tube Light is reduced to a minimum of form and material. Also designed in 1927, with its minimalist, functional form and the use of a fluorescent tube, the simple light was far ahead of its time. The base, the slender rod made of steel and the vertically positioned light tube, combine to form an object of simple aesthetics and elegant moderation. The design is still both a timeless and contemporary classic that can be found in numerous design collections and museums worldwide.

Unconventional, non-conformist and with a dash of humour, Roattino is a typical Eileen Gray object. Designed in 1931, Roattino is reminiscent of a snake that rises up from the ground and slightly tilts its head—in this case the lamp shade. Emerging from a round base, an S-shaped bent steel tube encloses the cable and gives this luminaire its unusual, characteristic shape. The elegant, swivelling textile shade dims the light and creates a pleasant, warm atmosphere.

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Eileen Gray portrait, copyright of the National Museum of Ireland.

Photo by Elias Hassos.

[Images courtesy of ClassiCon. Photography by Elias Hassos, Oliver Jaist & Christian Kain.]