Before starting her own home collection and design shop, Michele was a fashion designer. She was fortunate to have spent a considerable amount of time in Japan while designing a collection for the Japanese market. The traditional homes she visited made an especially strong impression. The simple construction, often using hand-hewn wood along with the play of light through the semi-transparent paper screens used to divide the living spaces was magical and transportive.
Michele is often quoted as saying that she desires to see the hand of the maker in every object she designs and curates. While impressions, divots, and literal fingerprints could be perceived as imperfections to some, to her they are a sign of the craft and organic materials used to make each object. Before she knew the Japanese term wabi-sabi, she was attracted to the all-too-human cracks and imperfections in our surroundings, celebrating materials that age gracefully and design that is authentic versus pristine.
In the summer of 2023, we launched the first piece in the new line of linen lighting at Michele Varian, the Diamond Pendant. This and the ensuing Diamond Pendant designs reference traditional Japanese rice paper shades, in both function and in "lightness." Lightness here has dual meanings, simultaneously referring to visual weight and emission of light through varying thin and textured materials via folds, layering and cutwork. In place of traditional rice paper, our fixtures are made with the finest quality Belgian linens and raw brass, aptly marrying Japanese inspiration with our Western roots.
For New York Textile Month last September 2023, we released the first two illustrated drum pendants, the beginning of a new line of illustrated appliqué fixtures that take inspiration from Japanese panel paintings, which often feature highly-stylized and peaceful rolling landscapes, florals, clouds, and trees. The neutral tones of the undyed linen and flax spread natural, soothing light, adding to the serenity of the fixtures. As globalization continues to expand, traditional Japanese rice paper lanterns and screens and the aesthetic principals from which they emerged have become part of the language of contemporary global arts and design.
For New York Textile Month last September 2023, we released the first two illustrated drum pendants, the beginning of a new line of illustrated appliqué fixtures that take inspiration from Japanese panel paintings, which often feature highly-stylized and peaceful rolling landscapes, florals, clouds, and trees. The neutral tones of the undyed linen and flax spread natural, soothing light, adding to the serenity of the fixtures. As globalization continues to expand, traditional Japanese rice paper lanterns and screens and the aesthetic principals from which they emerged have become part of the language of contemporary global arts and design.
Join us on Thursday, October 24th 4-7pm at Michele Varian Shop to celebrate the launch of our newly developed Wisteria chandelier, the newest addition to our Japanese-inspired appliqué lighting line. Additionally, we have invited guest Japanese artists and designers to contribute new, one of a kind pieces for the event. Come to mingle and meet the makers!
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