“My DNA is porcelain,” says Berlin-based designer Stefanie Hering, who prizes the material for its sculptural moldability and soothing translucence. To explore the full potential of a substance better known for tableware than lighting, she turned to Studio M, the family-owned business in Los Angeles renowned for its supportive relationships with creators. The resulting collaboration, Stefanie Hering x Studio M, has rapidly become one of Studio M’s most distinctive partnerships to date, notable for its originality, warmth and beauty. Combining the company’s technical expertise and precision craftsmanship with the artisan’s intuitive instincts and visionary point of view, it features three ambient modernist porcelain collections, plus a sparkler of a fourth fashioned from blown glass.
Rendered in three sizes and three finishes, Stream’s minimalist conical porcelain pendants can be used alone or in cascading clusters, with up to 12 suspended vertically on a single cable—making for a striking statement in a stairwell. “It’s a modular system,” says Hering. In the Tropo series, short and long shades are softly tubular, each extending from a triangular base. This curvaceous geometric construct seems to change in appearance depending on the angle. “It’s cast in brass,” she says of the framework. “I’m absolutely thrilled Studio M managed to wire [it] in this thin way.” Also available in sconce format, the design truly delivers as a dynamic dining room centerpiece. “[When it’s positioned] above the table, you’re looking at it during the whole meal.” The third porcelain style, Burgeon, resembles an abstracted flower bud on the brink of blooming. Elegant and intimate, it’s both an objet d’art and a technical marvel: A discreet mechanism built into the base allows the shade to be detached and put in the dishwasher. Finally, spherical orbs of faceted glass in clear, smoky and rosé colorways distinguish Ray Dance, which recalls the play of sunlight on water. “The reflection is spectacular,” says Hering. “Each piece of glass is unique.”
Describing her pairing with Studio M as “the perfect match,” the designer praises the company’s commitment to quality production and ethical practices, along with the experimental environment it encourages. “We went on this journey together, bringing old crafts back into daily life,” she says. In this illuminating video, Hering discusses each of her Studio M designs.
This story is a paid promotion and was created in partnership with Studio M.
Homepage image: The tubular porcelain shades of the Tropo centerpiece emit a warm, welcoming glow | Courtesy of Studio M
