Iridescent beauty: Lely prepares for London Design Festival

London – LS:N Global has visited product designer Lola Lely’s studio for a sneak peak at the experiments she is conducting in preparation for her exhibits at London Design Festival 2013.

Inspired by science and natural forms, Lely’s signature aesthetic is achieved by experimenting with processes such as patination and marbling.

‘Alchemy and science are important in my work because they are controlled as well as serendipitous,’ Lely tells LS:N Global. ‘It’s the serendipitous outcome that inspires me to continue researching a process, but also to re-engineer it. There is a lot to learn from these happy accidents.’

Lely is developing a range of products, including lighting, stools and tables – all in bold reductionist shapes and bearing unique iridescent surface markings. Through Lely’s series of ‘patina recipes’, she achieves brightly pigmented surfaces with delicate veining and mottling reminiscent of marble. To achieve vibrant hues as opposed to typical brown tones of bronze, she is collaborating with master patineur Derek Bayley at the Bronze Age foundry, a pairing that began for the Wallpaper* Handmade exhibition in Milan 2013.

Lely’s work will be shown during London Design Festival at various exhibitions, including Made by Works at the Clerkenwell Gallery, Cabinets of Curiosities at Mint Gallery, 20 Lion: Made by Works at Christie’s South Kensington, and Wallpaper* Handmade at Harrods in October.

Look out for more London Design Festival previews in our Seed and Shows sections, and read what Lola Lely can do for your brand in our Portfolio feature.