Behind a Lighting Designer: Simon Schmitz

During my design studies, I encountered an extraordinary educator who happened to be a Lighting Designer. It bemused me, because I had previously thought this job entailed making fixtures such as Artemide’s Tizio and Tolomeo that had been a source of amusement to me when I was young. To my amazement, his work extended beyond constructing lamps; mostly, he served as an interior design advisor, guaranteeing that the locations he illuminated were suitable. This was a surprise, particularly since I was learning product design and had envisioned the beautiful realm of designing lighting objects.

Year after year, I look forward to Milan’s Design Week and the Euroluce show as a platform to spark my creative aspirations. The event overflows with awe-inspiring pieces, which only makes me hungrier to conceive and engineer a new lamp. While it is a mix of complexity, artistic value, and utilitarian features, the one item that stood out was Liiu by Vantot manufactured by Luceplan. Of course, it is worth mentioning that those involved had the means to develop a premier lamp.

But, do I as an independent interior designer between the ages of 30 to 40, have the credentials to actually work on lighting design projects? Should I be faithful to my own style which encompasses furniture, decor, and light too? These thoughts came flooding and in search of answers, I encountered Simon Schmitz – a lighting designer hailing from Berlin, who had collaborated with renowned companies such as Martinelli Luce and DCW Editions.

During my exploration of Simon’s work, it became clear he was a qualified product designer, creating light fixtures rather than spaces. This posed questions about his craftsmanship, so let’s review his background to elaborate.

Simon sought out a design education at a school in Hamburg which employed an artistic approach and concentrated on manual labor.

This course of action is common in Northern Europe (as a fellow Italian, I can confirm) and inspired a hands-on approach to learning and advance a mindset conducive to experimenting. During this time, Simon had the realization that forming and using light would become his livelihood. Upon graduation, he entered a shared studio, where he could study lighting further and develop prototypes, show them in exhibitions, and have them manufactured through lighting companies.

During my interview with Simon for DesignWanted, it felt like we were discussing matters at dinner; his responses were revealing and interesting! We discussed a few topics; however, I’d like to focus on the core ideas that portrayed his place in the design industry and his distinct methodology. It’s a known fact to designers like me and Simon that to succeed solely in free product design, one must have a consistent stream of revenues (acquired as a portion from each sold product). Though it is conceivable (as I recall a Dutch company owner saying “to get wealthy, design lamps”), one would require perfect timing and a long-term plan.

Hoping for a big break in their career, like many aspiring actors did in the 90s, is not a viable option for success anymore; for this reason, Simon, myself, and maybe you as well, are diversifying to stay sustainable in our endeavours. Our hard work and dedication is absolutely necessary not only to be kept afloat, but also to make it a self-sustaining venture. Simon Schmitz has definitely made his mark: his specialised craftsmanship in the decorative lighting area even outshines that of many renowned designers.

There is no doubt that a certain waiting period is necessary before that right opportunity shows up; yet the real trick is not to just stand idly by, but to create the right foundations by honing your skills.

I was awestruck when I encountered Simon’s creations being in circulation, one of them being Martinelli Luce’s Y3 floor lamp. It is a highly technical masterpiece with easy-to-move light head and body, embracing creative features like the trio of orange springs beneath the lamp. Challenges are synonymous with an independent designer’s career and it can be hard to compete with celebrated brands on the market. Nevertheless, the attraction to become a designer is so potent, it is inconceivable to give up. In due course, you could be a part of the design elite. Until then, chances are that you’ll build tenacity and know-how suitable enough for founding your own company (does Tom Dixon ring a bell?)

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