Designer
Christophe Mathieu
Christophe Mathieu was born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1961. His name is French and his family has Belgian roots, but he grew up in the Canary Islands after his family moved to Spain in the 1960s. His father was an architect and handyman who…
Biography
Background
Christophe Mathieu was born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1961. His name is French and his family has Belgian roots, but he grew up in the Canary Islands after his family moved to Spain in the 1960s. His father was an architect and handyman who made lamps at home using origami. Mathieu was a professional competitive swimmer before turning to design. In the mid-1980s he moved to Barcelona to finish his degree in interior design, then went to Milan, where he discovered industrial design while collaborating with architect Marco Zanuso jr. on products for De Padova, Menphis and Driade, and with Roberto Menghi, Giulio Crespi, Sergio Coppola and Antonio Zanuso.
Signature Style
Mathieu says he does not like boring things. He draws in pencil every day, builds mock-ups, and writes a "wish list" for each lamp like a briefing. He believes the quality of light decides whether a lamp lasts, gives colour great importance, and wants objects that everyone can understand: playful and well made rather than intellectual. He names Vico Magistretti, Carlo Scarpa, the Castiglioni brothers, Konstantin Grcic and Jasper Morrison as inspirations.
Notable Works
- Discocó (Marset, 2008): discs around a chromed sphere that give direct, reflected and indirect light
- Bicoca (Marset)
- Nº8 (Marset): a flexible reading lamp with a wooden sphere
- Piola (Marset): a spiral ribbon that shields the light source
Legacy
Based in Barcelona for many years, Mathieu is one of Marset's longest-serving designers. He describes his career with the company as "having grown up together", and the Discocó remains one of Marset's most iconic designs.
