Atelier001 lighting

Atelier001 might be an unusual name; but there is no denying that the the designs are stunning. The creations of German illuminate artist and sculptor Eva Menz, the company was founded in 2019. Previously, Menz spent 18 years traveling worldwide offering private clients large, luxurious lighting pieces. With Atelier001, Menz is able to bring smaller-scaled lamps, pendants, sconces, and chandeliers to residential homes. Her hope that is her clients choose to arrange different pieces together in “bespoke assemblages.”

Menz believes in prioritizing true craftsmanship. The company is built on the heels of long-standing relationships with a number of craftsmen… each extremely passionate about their work. Atelier001 is set on working to maintain traditional methods of craftsmanship via an exchange in knowledge and experimentation with materials and finishes.

As each piece is hand-made, everything is, essentially, one-of-a-kind. Courtesy of 1st Dibs, Menz explained her brand, “It’s perhaps like a fashion brand that has a couture side or an accessories side. Atelier001 offers wider access to some beautifully made pieces. I think of it as mass production with more of an individual touch.”

Menz was born and raised in Germany; she moved to England in the 2000’s to study product design at the University of the Arts London. About her career path decision, the designer said, “I loved materials and detailing, and from a creative standpoint, I was always experimental and sculptural. St. Martins (her specific college in London), allowed me to be quite free in that, even though back in those days, art and design were typically more divide. I’ve always felt somewhere in between, or a little bit of both.”

Following graduation, Menz’s career flourished; she was hired at the ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair). Going through a hard time personally, the designer sought to distract herself by creating beauty. Menz designed two chandeliers that were inspired by origami birds… those instantly sold. That was just the start!

Although Menz’s team is quite small (only about six people work in the studio), there are roughly fifty additional worldwide artisans with whom she collaborates. Among those mediums are glassblowers, ceramists, patina artists, metalsmiths, and silk weavers. She says, “I like to have a small capsule of a studio and then tap into highly skilled experts on different levels, as necessary. It’s a real network of expertise.”

It would be difficult to classify Menz’s designs as one specific style. Some pieces have a retro feel, others are more mid-century Scandinavian, while a number of designs can be categorized as Art Deco. One detail common to all of the pieces is that her lighting sources always include modern technology and use only LED elements which remain hidden from view.

Recently, Atelier001 debuted the Cosmic Collection. The inspiration behind this gorgeous collection was the terrestrial and extra-terrestrial textures of plant-like forms. The surface patinas are essentially the metalworkers’ easels… for these artisans, the canvas is achieved by (courtesy of Sleeper), “an alchemical process of oxidation, heat application, acid and pigments that create an almost accidental interaction between the material and elemental factors.”

The involved process results in stunning finished products… hours are spent on each piece and the culmination is utter perfection. Menz says, “From otherworldly realities the Cosmic creations are born, the collection itself is a dreamy, surreal, imaginary world where anything can happen.”