Anything but a standstill. The idea and its results are triggered by a creative process always in progress for Federico De Majo, founder and designer of Zafferano, who began in his family’s glassworks and has moved towards new forms of interaction between tradition and innovation. This approach has led to the birth of the Lampes-à-porter collection, developed around the concept of energy independence and clean lines. Portable, rechargeable, with 4-steps dimmers – for precise control of the light – all the pieces in the line (indoor and outdoor) amplify the potential of LED lighting, with long duration, the possibility of varying color temperature, and specific functions inserted for restaurant settings, including a blue light to summon a waiter. The lamps, of course, also come in a series of finishes in the various table, floor and wall versions. These qualities, combined with the option of personalized coating in RAL colors and inclusion of logos, have helped Lampes-à-porter to shoot to the top in terms of popularity for contract applications – a recognizable brand with a forceful identity on the decorative and technical lighting market, but also an expression of contemporary trends.
The most iconic pieces include Poldina, in the Pro, Pro mini, XXL, table, floor, suspension and wall models, or in garden version with a stake, also thanks to the IP54 protection rating and guaranteed battery life – depending on the model – from 9 to 15 hours. The lamps are highly valued by designers, light and easy to handle, with a coated aluminium body and polycarbonate diffusers, making them ideal for the most prestigious restaurants, bars and hotels. The historic Gran Caffè Quadri facing Piazza San Marco in Venice, for example, is a source of pride for Zafferano, in a refurbishing carried out by the Alajmo family to combine modernity with a long history, dating back to 1775. The archetypal forms of Poldina, together with the tones of white and gold leaf, have met with the approval of the heritage authorities (without which nothing can be inserted in the context), and they have met with such success as to be chosen, later, for three other cafes on this famous square.
In Casa Maria Luigia, the ‘home away from home’ of Massimo and Lara Bottura, at San Damaso in the Emilia countryside, Poldina is beside age-old oak trees, a swimming pool, tables and perfectly groomed gardens. It is also a presence, together with the Pina lamp, in the very particular setting leading to Danì Maison, the restaurant with two Michelin stars of Nino Di Costanzo on the island of Ischia: a green oasis that intertwines Mediterranean brush, fruit trees, aroma therapy pathways and sculptures by Lello Esposito. While Studio Marco Piva wants the lamps to create impressions in open spaces and lounges of Hotel La Suite in Matera. Recently completed international projects include Cipriani Downtown and Cipriani Wall Street in New York: a true context of luxury and history, where the Pina lamp is inserted in an elegant, essential way.
