Inspired by Ashford and Simpson’s 1977 disco hit “Bourgie, Bourgie,” the Bourgie lamp by Italian designer Ferruccio Laviani (b. 1960) is a cheeky take on modern consumerism in the Western world. Laviani explained that he wanted to juxtapose our desire for wealth and status against our ever-increasing reliance on Chinese manufacturers to produce our so-called luxury goods. This, of course, was an irony that he deftly reveals with the lamp’s excessively showy baroque style and mass-market plastic material.
Laviani designed the Bourgie in 2003 for the Milan-based furniture company, Kartell, where he’d been working for 12 years, first as an exhibition designer and later as a furniture designer and art director. Kartell designers work mostly in plastics and thermoplastics, and the Bourgie lamp was no exception. For his Bourgie, Laviani used either a transparent or batch-dyed polycarbonate, which is both easy to recycle and incredibly durable. The lamp is currently offered in nine colorways that range from a simple translucent to a carousel of gold, turquoise, fuschia and orange.
Laviani told the New York Times that Dolce & Gabbana was a client when he conceived of the Bourgie lamp. “They came from baroque roots; it’s a part of the DNA of their company,” he said of the Italian luxury fashion house. “I always say I would never use gold if I’d never worked with Dolce & Gabbana. When I worked with gold in the Bourgie lamp, I was no longer afraid to use gold. I learned how to use it. It’s okay.”
Each variation of the shade casts different playfully colored shadows, making the lamp a statement piece for a living room or office.
Born in 1960 in Cremona, Italy, Laviani studied at a number of prestigious schools, eventually earning a degree in architecture from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1986. Since then, he has worked with a number of manufacturers and design companies as an architect and product and interior designer.
In 2013, Kartell invited 14 contemporary designers to reimagine the Bourgie lamp in their own style to celebrate the lamp’s 10-year anniversary. Philippe Starck, Christophe Pillet, Patricia Urquiola and Nendo were a few to take on the challenge, creating wild, whimsical and worshipful renditions of the classic.
Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Multicolored Fuchsia by Ferruccio Laviani
By Ferruccio Laviani, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The baroque style bas...
Plastic
Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Multicolored Blue by Ferruccio Laviani
By Ferruccio Laviani, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining Classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The Baroque style bas...
Plastic
Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Silver by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The baroque style bas...
Plastic
Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Crystal by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The baroque style base is composed of three interconnecting decorated layers, while the large lampshade...
Plastic
Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Copper by Ferruccio Laviani
By Ferruccio Laviani, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The baroque style bas...
Metal
Kartell Bourgie Lamp in White and Gold by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining Classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The Baroque style bas...
Plastic
D/Vision.0 Deconstructed Cabinet with orange plexiglass by Ferruccio Laviani
By Ferruccio Laviani, Fratelli Boffi
Located in Lentate sul Seveso, Monza e Brianza
With D/Vision Ferruccio Laviani makes a process of decomposition and separation, on different levels. Starting from the trumeau, a fashionable item back in the 1950’s, he redesigns i...
Mirror, Plexiglass, Wood, Walnut
F* Hole Gueridon Small Table in Mahogany Wood and Pink Fluo Hole by Laviani
By Fratelli Boffi, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Lentate sul Seveso, Monza e Brianza
The F* Hole Gueridon side table by Ferruccio Laviani is made of black ebony and covered by dark feather Mahogany. To its classic taste and proportions, decorative details are added,...
Brass
D/Vision.2 Green Brown Deconstructed Trumeau in Solid Wood, Glass and Brass
By Fratelli Boffi, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Lentate sul Seveso, Monza e Brianza
Indulge in the avant-garde design of Ferruccio Laviani with the D/Vision .2 cabinet—an extraordinary piece that redefines the classic trumeau of the 1950s through a process of artist...
Brass
Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Glossy Black by Ferruccio Laviani
By Ferruccio Laviani, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The baroque style bas...
Plastic
$1,128 / item
Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Gold by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The baroque style bas...
Plastic
Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Multicolored Titanium by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A lamp with an inimitable style, Bourgie is one of Kartell’s best sellers, skillfully combining classic style, richness and tradition with innovation and irony. The baroque style bas...
Plastic
$96
H 12.21 in W 6.7 in D 6.7 in
Kartell Take Lamp in Crystal by Ferruccio Laviani, Italian 21 Century
By Feruccio Laviani
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
The classic icon of the bedside lamp is revisited by Kartell's technology to become an industrial product in a variety of colour shades. The shape of Take is the result of the joinin...
Plastic
$1,875 / item
H 22.835 in W 12.205 in D 12.205 in
Lladró Hairstyle 'H/I/M' Table Lamp in Black and White by Hisakazu Shimizu
By Lladro, Hisakazu Shimizu
Located in New York City, NY
Table lamp in black and white porcelain with touches of gilded sheen, features Murano blown glass screens in several layers that are inspired by the sandogasa hats. The Hairstyle collection of lamps has been conceived by the team of Lladró Atelier, the brand's ideas laboratory, in collaboration with the Japanese designer Hisakazu Shimizu. They are inspired by historical Japanese characters who set the trend for their fabulous hairstyles. Decorated in black and white with touches of golden luster, they feature multi-layered Murano blown glass screens inspired by Sandogasa hats, worn in medieval Japan...
Blown Glass, Porcelain, Wood
$1,720 / item
H 14.961 in W 12.205 in D 12.205 in
Lladró Hairstyle (H/M) Table Lamp in Black and White by Hisakazu Shimizu
By Lladro, Hisakazu Shimizu
Located in New York City, NY
Table lamp in black and white porcelain with touches of gilded sheen, features Murano blown glass screens in several layers that are inspired by the sandogasa hats. The Hairstyle collection of lamps has been conceived by the team of Lladró Atelier, the brand's ideas laboratory, in collaboration with the Japanese designer Hisakazu Shimizu. They are inspired by historical Japanese characters who set the trend for their fabulous hairstyles. Decorated in black and white with touches of golden luster, they feature multi-layered Murano blown glass screens inspired by Sandogasa hats, worn in medieval Japan...
Porcelain, Wood, Blown Glass
Purple Kartell Easy Pendant Light Designed by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Vienna, AT
Easy is a cylindrical suspension lamp that enchants and excites with plays of color and light. Once turned on the polycarbonate is enhanced by a myriad of reflections. 3 pieces avai...
Acrylic
French Clear Crystal Table Lamp by Daum
By Daum
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Beautiful 1960s small French crystal table lamp by Daum. Hand Signed Daum France on bottom corner. In original vintage condition with new white linen...
Crystal
Hydrangea Table Lamp in White and Gold 1950's
Located in Hastings, GB
A rare 1950s American Hydrangea table lamp. The gold painted leaves and flower stems housed within a golden pot, each of the three off white Hydrangea flower heads has a wonderful cr...
Metal
$1,911
H 21.66 in Dm 7.88 in
Philippe Starck. Limited edition “Toobe” table lamp by Kartell, Italy, 2000s
By Kartell, Philippe Starck, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in SANT ADRIÀ DE BESÒS, ES
Philipp Stark. Limited edition "Toobe" table lamp by Kartell, Italy, 2000s. Composed of a transparent PMMA cylinder with the names of the authors of Rowohlt printed on it, and a whit...
Plexiglass, Plaster
Kartell Cindy Lamps in Silver, Set of Two
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Rochester, England
Illuminate your space with the Kartell Cindy Lamps in Silver, Set of Two - a perfect blend of glamour and contemporary design. Featuring a sleek, cu...
Metal
Silver Star Ship To Mars Table Lamp by Studio Job, Made in Italy
By Studio Job (Job Smeets & Nynke Tynagel)
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
The V-2 rocket from World War II became an icon in the 1950's a symbol of futuristic technology and the American space program. It became iconic with children as the rocket that took the character Tin...
Plastic
Foscarini Bit 5 Wall Lamp in White by Ferruccio Laviani
By Foscarini, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Wall lamp with reflected and diffused light. Wall fitting and wall rose in epoxy powder coated metal. Satin finish white or color painted glass diffuser, available in 5 different sha...
Glass
$2,980 / item
H 7.88 in W 23.63 in D 5.91 in
Table Lamp in Marble and Copper, Brazilian Contemporary Style, by Tiago Curioni
By Tiago Curioni
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
The Bubble is a table lamp designed to be interactive with the user. Executed with a sphere carved by hand from a block of marble found in the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil, has a ...
Carrara Marble, Brass
Kartell FL/Y Pendant Light by Ferruccio Laviani, Red, Italy
By Ferruccio Laviani, Kartell
Located in London, England
FL/Y suspension from Kartell by Ferruccio Laviani. Red color FL/Y essential lamp which is characterized by "the usual interpretations of the theme". Made of transparent methacrylate...
Plexiglass
Pair of Black Bourgie Lamps by Ferruccio Laviani for Kartell
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Chicago, IL
These striking table lamps are the iconic Bourgie Lamp by Italian designer Ferruccio Laviani (b. 1960), manufactured by Milan-based furniture company Kartell. Inspired by Ashford and Simpson...
Plastic
Ferruccio Laviani for Kartell Black "Bourgie" Table Lamp, Italy 2015
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Naples, IT
Bourgie is a Table Lamp designed by Ferruccio Laviani and produced by the brand Kartell. The Bourgie lamp is a Baroque-style creation with a plissé-effect lampshade made of polycarb...
Plastic
Ferruccio Laviani Crystal "Bourgie" Lamps for Kartell, a Pair
By Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Miami, FL
Pair of Bourgie lamps in crystal designed by Ferruccio Laviani for Kartell. The Kartell Bourgie table lamp is a Kartell favorite due to designer ...
Plastic
Vintage Kartell Bourgie Lamp in Crystal by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Stockton, NJ
A vintage Kartell Bourgie lamp in crystal by Ferruccio Laviani.
Plastic
Table Lamp Kartell Bourgie Black by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Roma, IT
A lamp with an unmistakable style, a true best-seller by Kartell, Bourgie marvellously combines classicism, wealth and tradition with innovation and irony. The base, in Baroque style...
Acrylic
