Collection: Nika Zupanc
Nika Zupanc was born in 1974 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where she graduated with honours from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in 2000. She opened her design studio in 2008 in the same city. Zupanc quickly achieved fame with one of her first works, the Lolita lamp, designed and produced by Moooi. That same year, she made her debut at the Salone del Mobile in Milan with a space in the Satellite Pavilion. Her light and ironic style immediately attracted international attention and led to encounters with various brands. In Zupanc's work, art, cinema, music, and literature come together as sources of inspiration for unprecedented, somewhat theatrical and surprising projects marked by a feminine and poetic character. Her collaborations include Moooi, Qeeboo by Stefano Giovannoni, Sé by Pavlo Schtakleff, Moroso, Natuzzi Italia, Nodus Rug, Ghidini1961, Scarlet Splendour, Contardi Lighting and De Castelli. Among her best-known pieces are the eye-catching Golden (Moooi) and Ribbon (Qeeboo) chairs with their soft designs and ironic appearances.
In parallel to these prestigious collaborations, Nika Zupanc conceives and self-produces collections of design objects. During the 2013 Milan Furniture Fair, she presented the self-produced exceptionally functional Black Cherry modular lamp with a pop appearance. Nika Zupanc's installations are romantic and extravagant. They include "I Will Buy Flowers Myself" (2009) and "Gone with the Wind" (2010), both exhibited at the Milan Furniture Fair at Superstudio Più. 'Selfdiscipline' (2011) and 'Summertime' (2012) marked the beginning of her collaboration with Rossana Orlandi and the creation of a series of limited edition collections.
In 2013, the book by English writer Virginia Woolf, "A Room of One's Own" (1929) inspired the installation created with Dior for Miss Dior. The company selected Zupanc - along with fourteen international artists and designers - to interpret the fragrance by the renowned French maison. For the occasion, she created a small office composed of carved wooden walls reminiscent of a straw basket. In the space, raised off the ground, she placed a lamp, a table and a chair to create a minimal, existential space in which individuals can find and discover themselves. Zupanc boasts numerous international prizes and awards. The Longing wardrobe (De Castelli) won the Salone del Mobile 2017 special prize and the Crystal lamp (Contardi Lighting) got the best design award in 2018. In 2020, she stood out for her Deep collection of chairs and sofas designed for Natuzzi Italia. She won the 2020 ADA Archiproduct Design Award with the Wave sofa.
