Foscarini
Foscarini began on the island of Murano and outgrew it on purpose. For over forty years, the Venetian company has made lighting its only subject, working in whatever material serves the idea: blown glass, carbon fiber, concrete, wood. BeDESIGN carries Foscarini in Houston, Texas.
About Foscarini
Foscarini was founded in 1981 on Murano, the Venetian island synonymous with glassmaking. Its first collection under its own name followed in 1983. In 1988, Carlo Urbinati and Alessandro Vecchiato, who had joined the company as designers, became its owners and set the direction it still follows: lighting as the entire business, with no attachment to any single material.
Foscarini's model is unusual in Italian design. The company owns no factories and employs no in-house designers. It designs and engineers each lamp, then produces it through a network of specialized manufacturers, mostly Italian, chosen piece by piece for the material and technology involved. When the right answer was industrial glass rather than Murano glass, Foscarini moved. Since 1993 the company has been headquartered in Marcon, on the Venetian mainland, and in 2022 it acquired Ingo Maurer, the Munich house of one of lighting's most singular figures.
The designers
Rodolfo Dordoni, Foscarini's art director from 1988 to 1993, designed Lumiere in 1990, still one of the brand's signatures. Marc Sadler's Mite and Tite (2000) wound fiberglass with carbon and Kevlar thread, a first in lighting, patented, and winner of the Compasso d'Oro in 2001. Patricia Urquiola, with Eliana Gerotto, created Caboche (2005), a sphere of transparent spheres. Sadler returned with Twiggy (2006), the arched floor lamp that has become the company's most recognizable silhouette. Gregg by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba (2007), the concrete Aplomb by Lucidi Pevere (2010), and Spokes by Garcia Cumini (2015) each extended the catalog in a different material.
What makes Foscarini different
Most lighting companies are defined by a material or a factory. Foscarini is defined by neither. Each project starts with an idea and finds its own means of production, which is why a Foscarini catalog can move from blown glass to composite fiber to concrete without losing coherence. The results are in the permanent collections of MoMA (Havana by Joseph Forakis; Bague by Urquiola and Gerotto) and the Centre Pompidou (Mite and Tite). The company also produces outdoor versions of key designs, including Twiggy Grid, engineered for exterior use.
Why Buy Foscarini at BeDESIGN
BeDESIGN carries Foscarini lighting in Houston, with custom quotes, trade pricing, and white-glove delivery throughout Texas. Lighting is a specifying decision. Scale, output, dimming, and placement matter as much as the object itself, and our team works with homeowners, designers, and architects to get those decisions right.
Visit our showroom to see Foscarini pieces lit, which is the only honest way to judge a lamp. Every order is custom-quoted for your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BeDESIGN carry Foscarini in Houston?
Yes. BeDESIGN carries Foscarini designer lighting at our Houston showroom, with custom quotes and trade pricing on the full range of suspension, floor, table, and wall models.
What is Foscarini best known for?
Foscarini is known for material-driven Italian lighting design. Iconic pieces include Twiggy and Mite by Marc Sadler, Caboche by Patricia Urquiola with Eliana Gerotto, and Spokes by Garcia Cumini. Mite and Tite won the Compasso d’Oro, Italy’s highest design honor, in 2001.
Is Foscarini lighting made of Murano glass?
Foscarini was founded on Murano in 1981, but the company deliberately works beyond glass. Its catalog spans blown glass, fiberglass and carbon fiber composites, concrete, polyethylene, and wood. The material follows the design, not the other way around.
How long does a Foscarini order take?
Foscarini lighting is produced in Italy and lead times vary by model and finish. BeDESIGN provides a detailed timeline with every quote.
Does Foscarini make outdoor lighting?
Yes. Foscarini produces outdoor versions of key designs, including Twiggy Grid, engineered with weather-resistant composite materials for exterior use.
Can I see Foscarini lighting in person in Houston?
Yes. BeDESIGN’s showroom at 2016 W Alabama St in Houston features Foscarini lighting on display. Appointments are welcome but not required during regular hours.