Designer

Louis Weisdorf

Louis Weisdorf’s multifaceted talent is what has made his lamps iconic.

Born in 1932, Louis Weisdorf was a highly versatile Danish artist. Having been one of the youngest graduates of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts’ School of Architecture, he went on to work in graphic design, interior design, industrial design, landscape architecture and the construction industry. Weisdorf thus possessed a multifaceted talent.

It was in 1967 that the Dane founded his architectural firm in Copenhagen, sharing premises with the architect Ole Panton, brother of Verner Panton. He then began collaborating with numerous clients, both local and international.

That same year, he designed the first light fitting to be marketed by the Danish interior design company Gubi. By exploring the use of uniform slats as a technique for directing light, the Turbo lamp went on to win the iF Design Award. When it came to design, Louis Weisdorf was fascinated by the principle of repeating forms and the flexibility this offered in terms of appearance, depending on colour and position.

The flagship design of his career was another collection for Gubi: the Multi-Lite lamp range. In 1972, Weisdorf designed this range of lamps, which once again reflected the designer’s passion for objects that could be modified by the user. Thanks to its removable shades, the Multi-Lite’s design can be transformed into numerous combinations, allowing the light to be directed in various directions. It is perhaps the lamp’s customisability that has made it so popular. Indeed, it can be found in all the high-fashion brand Chloé’s shops around the world.

Louis Weisdorf’s lamps and pendant lights are now iconic pieces worldwide and are highly sought after by collectors.