Belle Haleine — Bertrand Lejoly presents a new lighting piece for FontanaArte at Milan Design Week 2025

Belle Haleine is a figure composed of three volumes. Balancing between architecture and sculpture. Quiet yet present. The piece is the result of a sculptural exploration rather than a predefined function. From the start, the intention was not to design a lamp per se, but to investigate volume, proportion, and the dialogue between glass and metal. Over time, the object naturally took the shape of a table lamp — though its form holds potential for various typologies, including a floor or wall version.

At the core of the design process was a search for equilibrium. The aim was to create a form that didn’t rely on decorative detail, but rather on the clarity and purity of its composition. Belle Haleine is composed of three essential elements, carefully balanced to form a quiet but present vertical volume.

The combination of materials plays a key role. The glass is not simply an added component, but a structural part of the whole. The metal base was treated with equal attention — both materials are visually and physically integral to the piece. The chrome finish enhances this continuity, amplifying the surrounding light through subtle reflection.

While the lamp is built on familiar archetypes — a base, a shade — the simplicity is deliberate and refined. Precision and craftsmanship were essential in achieving the subtle tension between fragility and strength. The collaboration with FontanaArte, known for its technical expertise and material heritage, was crucial in bringing this vision to life.

In its materiality, Belle Haleine also nods to the legacy of FontanaArte. Just as Gio Ponti drew inspiration from Milanese architecture, Lejoly’s design reflects that lineage — reinterpreted through a contemporary and architectural lens.

Bertrand Lejoly: "With Belle Haleine I wanted to create a minimalist object that quietly transforms the space through proportion, material, and light.”

All images here.