In a workshop nestled in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, silk is hand-tailored around luminous spheres with the precision of haute couture, revealing how Workstead’s newest LANTERN collection reimagines the very nature of architectural lighting through the lens of fashion craftsmanship. The collection’s three forms – two pendant scales and a sconce – emerge from a philosophy that treats light fixtures as sculptural garments.
The 100% Dupioni Raw Silk wrapping is not merely decorative but functional, creating soft architecture that recalls the tradition of textile-based lighting, from the paper lanterns of ancient China to the silk-wrapped fixtures from Isamu Noguchi. The construction process also reveals layers of American craft tradition. The shade maker’s three-generation family practice represents the kind of specialized knowledge that industrial production typically erases.
Each fixture begins with two mirrored half-domes joined along their equator. Yet where modernist fixtures often emphasized industrial materials and machine production, LANTERN embraces the irregularities of handcraft. The silk’s natural texture creates subtle variations in light transmission, while the fully lined interior ensures even diffusion without sacrificing the material’s inherent character.
The custom metal fittings provide structural contrast, their refined geometry grounding the silk’s organic texture. The hand-finished tassel adds a gestural detail, humanizing the fixture’s grand scale while referencing the decorative traditions of both Eastern and Western textile arts. The 36-inch large pendant commands attention in grand spaces, while the 18-inch version brings sculptural presence to more intimate settings. The half-dome sconce transforms the traditional up-light, using material warmth to create gentle wall illumination.
For more information about Workstead’s LANTERN Collection, visit workstead.com.
Photography courtesy of Workstead.
