We know what you’re thinking: Poltrona Frau is making lamps now? What’s next – sofas that fly? Lighting might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Poltrona Frau, the storied Italian house revered for its buttery-soft leathers and impeccable craftsmanship. But at this year’s Milan Design Week, the heritage brand is casting an unexpected – and undeniably elegant – new glow. One that feels celestial, sculptural, and entirely modern.
Enter Moonbeam, a debut lighting collection in collaboration with Argentinian digital artist and designer Ezequiel Pini, founder of the Barcelona-based studio Six N. Five. Known for his surreal, dreamlike digital worlds that blur the line between physical and virtual, Pini brings a touch of that otherworldliness to this physical realm, creating a table and floor lamp that feel like light sculptures from a distant planet.
Image credit: Poltrona Frau
At first glance, Moonbeam appears simple – but simplicity, here, is deceptive. A disc of pearlescent satin glass evokes the pale glow of the moon, partially veiled by a second disc of Poltrona Frau leather in soft neutral tones, as if mid-eclipse. Both elements are held in delicate balance by a slender brass rod and a weighted base, giving the piece the quiet confidence of a mobile frozen in space. It’s lighting as a contemplative object – more poetry than product, perhaps.
Pini’s sensitivity to emotion and materiality aligns seamlessly with Poltrona Frau’s own ethos, which has evolved in recent years to include more experimental design voices. While lighting may be a newer chapter in the brand’s portfolio, it’s one that has been building slowly behind the scenes—through research, thoughtful development, and now, this illuminating collaboration.
In a week filled with bold statements and maximal gestures, Moonbeam stands out by doing the opposite. It whispers, and we’re listening.
Main image credit: Poltrona Frau
