The Torsade collection revisits the codes of timeless chandeliers by paying tribute to the glassmaking techniques used in the Saint-Louis' hot glass workshop to forge the twisted arm of the chandelier. This is what gives the collection its name, Torsade, the French word for twist.
The modernity and poetic flexibility of the intertwining loops and U-shapes of these lights create harmonious assemblies that reflect the consistency of the molten material and the talent of the glassmakers in shaping it.
A skilled and masterful structure that revisits the language of the chandelier through a new repertoire of shapes.
Torsade presents a new repertoire of shapes to create a new language for chandeliers. Stefania di Petrillo envisages a careflly arranged, luminous architectural structure. The loop is used alone or intertwined with U-shaped arms, with meticulous angles and proportions enhancing the regular, hand-crafted shape of the twist. This system has given rise to ten models consisting of table lamps, sconces, pendant lights and chandeliers.
The Torsade lighting signature: a dialogue between materials/light and diffusion.
With its unparalleled ability to refract light, Saint-Louis crystal fascinates the eye.
No longer serving their traditional purpose of supporting candles, and later light bulbs, the chandelier arms themselves have become light sources, like refined crystal versions of neon lights.
The collection illustrates another face of Saint-Louis' lighting signature: the art of diffusion. Here, a unique alchemy of the dialogue between light and material is present. Light magnifies the crystal, which in return provides the perfect showcase for delicate diffusion. Torsade illuminates, envelops and brings poetry to spaces and moments.
To achieve this, Saint-Louis has developed its own technology for illuminating the arms from within.
Saint-Louis uses its know-how to enhance contemporary lighting.
Chandelier arms are traditionally produced at Saint-Louis to adorn timeless chandeliers, first supporting candles, then bulbs with the arrival of electric lighting.
Taking glassmakers; know-how to new heights and bringing a hitherto unsung skill back into the limelight was a bold gamble. The new looped and U-shaped arms pose an unprecedented challenge for artisans, who have been making the same shapes of arms and crooks for hundreds of years. They managed to lengthen them to form the loops, for example.
Four glassmakers, two of whom have over 30 years of experience at Saint-Louis, coordinate their movements with precision to produce loops and U-shapes in a dance that illustrates the teamwork characteristic of the hot glass workshops. The twisted arms are particularly emblematic of the wealth of glassmaking techniques and the various stages of work involved.
They provide an insight into the art of gathering and the demands of the working interval - ie the glassmakers' ability to keep the crystal at the right temperature so taht the material can be shaped. To hot and it would sag on the pipes; too cold and it would solidify.
For the 18-light chandelier, it takes around four hours to shape the arms in the hot glass workshop, followed by 15 hours of assembly in the chandelier workshop.
Breathing new life into the chandelier to adorn a wide range of interiors
An extensive dimmable range to decorate and illuminate a wide variety of rooms and spaces.
From table lamps and sconces to pendant lamps and chandeliers ranging from one to 18 lights, the Torsade lighting collection can be adjusted to suit the mood and the occasion. The dimmable LED system makes it possible to light up an entire room or create a more subdued atmosphere. At maximum brightness, a loop-shaped arm achieves 1,500 lumens and a U-shaped arm 1,000 lumens.
On their highest setting, they are powerful enough to illuminate an entire room. Meanwhile, a low level of brightness creates an atmosphere reminiscent of the candlelight of yesteryear.
The made-to-measure technology is adjusted to the length of the U-shapes and loops.
Uses by model: a single loop as a table lamp or sconce
As a table lamp, the loop is simply installed and connected to the mains socket by a grey non-woven cable, fitted with a dimmer specially developed by Saint-Louis to dim the light. It is suitable for use on chests of drawers, occasional tables, console tables and desks. Its pure design means it can be used alone or paired with its counterpart.
As a sconce, the loop can be used alone or as a duo with its counterpart. Ideal for lighting a corridor or the wall of a living room or dining room, it also lends itself to the bedroom, with one positioned on either side of a bed. The sconce simply hangs from a silver-coloured anodised metal hook and plugs into the nearest mains socket at the foot of the wall, the cable being fitted with a transformer.
The table lamps and sconces are fitted with a dimmer specially developed by Saint-Louis that echoes the shape of the metal end caps of the arms and can be used to dim the light.
Uses by model: pendant lights and chandeliers
1 and 2 light pendants: these models are an introduction to the pendant light category. They can decorate the corner of a room, adorn the space above a coffee table, be used as part of a set above a kitchen island or bar, or decorate a narrow stairwell. They lend themselves to bars and hospitality.
6 light chandelier (linear): designed to be placed above a medium-sized dining table, in a corridor or an entrance hall.
Ten light chandelier (linear): designd to be placed above a larger dining toom table, to decorate the centre of a reception room, or even be hung above a large kitchen island.
Round ten light chandelier (linear): designed to be placed above a round dining table, to decorate the centre of a reception room, a large stairwell, a hallway or a hotel lobby,
Eighteen light chandelier (linear): designed to be placed above a large dining room table (oval or rectangular). It is also ideal for decorating the centre of large reception rooms, hallways and hotel lobbies.
Alongside the linear and round ten light chandeliers, the eighteen light version embodies the contemporary revival of the traditional chandelier.
Image credits: ©Matthieu Salvaing