Mirei Monticelli creates biomorphic lighting fixtures that function as both sculpture and utility. The pieces undulate outward and glow from within, giving them an impression of being alive and in motion. The fixtures are made from hand-woven Banaca fabric derived from Abacá, a fiber that grows abundantly in the designer’s native Philippines. Work with weavers in Bicol province supports a long-term relationship rather than simple sourcing. Abacá harvesting and processing involve communal labor, including gathering stalks, stripping layers, sun-drying, and hand-weaving into textiles. Banaca combines modern design with heritage techniques, and the material’s character is shaped by human rhythm. Garment-construction methods such as draping and volume-building inform the lamps’ forms, and collaborations extend to interior, hospitality, and architectural partners.
"We've developed the material together over time, so it's not just sourcing, but a relationship."
"Human rhythm is what gives the material its character, and it's also why every piece feels alive when it's lit,"
"From gathering the wild plant's towering stalks and stripping them layer by layer to sun-drying bundles of knotted thread and hand-weaving the strands into functional textiles, the necessity of human connection has always been part of the process."
"Draping, volume-building, and creating shape are present in Monticelli's lamps, underscoring a bodily essence within their surging forms."
#biomorphic-design #abaca-and-banaca-textiles #hand-weaving-and-craft-communities #sculptural-lighting #milan-design-week
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