Bohemian ‘72 Floor lamp - / 1972 reissue by Gubi Beige/Natural wood

Popular interior designer and decorator of the 1960s and 1970s, Gabriella Crespi (1922 – 2017) is associated with the “hippie chic” taste of the 1970s. Her style is a mix of cool luxury, bohemian chic, nomadic glamour and timeless elegance. As part of a sensualist-organic approach, typical of the 1970s, her creations are highly prized by collectors. Gabriella Crespi has counted Grace Kelly, Gunther Sachs, the Shah of Iran and King Faisal of Saudi Arabia among her clients. Created in the 1970s by Gabriella Crespi, the Bohemian '72 collection brings together the designer's interest in natural materials, her fascination with stacked sculptural forms and her curiosity for Eastern cultures, honed over the course of her many travels. During her lifetime, these exclusive pieces were only produced for private clients, but today, 50 years after their conception, GUBI has worked from Crespi's original designs to reissue and produce this iconic collection for the first time. In the Bohemian '72 collection, GUBI has distilled Crespi's vision of a family of versatile, nomadic furniture for a home in the sun, evoking worldly Milanese sophistication from one of nature's humblest materials: rattan. Sleek, flexible and refined, the Bohemian '72 collection is the pinnacle of the bohemian lounge lifestyle of the 70s jet set. Gabriella Crespi: “I wanted to create a house of the sun which exudes warmth, light and refinement. Rattan – with its soft tones, natural look and the way light passes between the canes - is the ideal material for creating such a decor. The very long stacked canes give the impression of infinity just like the rattan vines that reach skyward in nature. "Made up of an armchair, 3-seater sofa, pouf and table lamp, the Bohemian '72 collection embodies Crespi's goal throughout her career to create movable furniture that harmoniously unites indoor and outdoor living spaces. Crespi never allowed curtains or screens to block the natural flow of light or air and had what her daughter described as "a deep feeling for the cosmic energy of nature". Highly flexible, the Bohemian '72 collection breaks down the distinctions between indoors and outdoors wherever it’s placed. It’s equally at home inside the house, on a covered terrace, or outside to make the most of a sunny afternoon. It blends into any environment: city, countryside, seaside or mountains. Crespi designed the four pieces in the spring of 1972, from the terrace of her house in Milan. Attracted by the solidity and versatility of rattan, she designed these pieces at a time when this material was very fashionable in the social circles in which she moved, considered the pinnacle of sophistication. However, her decision to use overlapping layers of horizontally wrapped rattan canes was unusual for the time: a distinctive and luxurious approach that’s truly timeless. Recreating Crespi's original designs requires a high level of craftsmanship, as the rattan canes must be steamed and then bent by hand. The curved rattan canes are stained to provide a weathered look in rich, warm tones, then finished with a glossy coating. Because it’s a natural material, rattan standardisation is a complex process: colour, texture and dimension differ from vine to vine, introducing a high level of skill into the production process. The Bohemian '72 table lamp is topped with a contrasting piece in golden brass. The pattern of rattan strips allows the lamp to cast a beautifully delicate play of light and shadow on the ground around it, evoking a warm, bohemian, sophisticated vibe.