Céline Wright combines ancestral techniques, contemporary design and responsible manufacturing.
For over thirty years, Céline Wright has been creating unique lighting fixtures, with Japanese paper, blending poetry, artisanal excellence, and ecological commitment.
Inspired by the transparent whiteness of washi paper, Céline Wright has been creating light features ‘as soft as feathers’ for thirty years. True odes to lightness and simplicity, her creations – with their organic shapes and clean lines – diffuse a soothing, cocooning light. Her sensitive and poetic approach is firmly rooted in nature. Cocoon, cloud, bird, chrysalis, full moon... all her light fixtures evoke nature, her greatest source of inspiration.
She loves the apparent fragility of paper. Much stronger than it appears, much like in La Fontaine’s fable *The Oak and the Reed*, “paper bends but does not break”.
From her childhood years spent in Japan, Céline has retained a particular fondness for Japanese culture. And as a fellow of Villa Kujoyama, a prestigious artist residency in Kyoto, she will return there in 2022 to explore the infinite possibilities of washi. For six months, she will push the boundaries of this traditional Japanese material and create large-scale works. Two ‘Cocoon Shelters’, each over four metres in diameter, are on display at the Kyocera Museum during the Nuits Blanches. “Unkai”, a kozo paper cocoon suspended from bamboo poles, is installed in the outdoor courtyard of Villa Kujoyama for over six months… Gigantic pieces, Land Art, new papers, new techniques – Céline Wright’s work is resolutely turning towards the Land of the Rising Sun.
Combining craftsmanship, art and design, Céline is now exploring the vast diversity of paper and the forms she can create with it. From bespoke pieces and unique creations to exhibition designs... in her new studio in Montolieu, in the heart of the Montagnes Noires in the south of France, she is able to give free rein to her creative impulses.
A path between travel, art, design and nature
It all started with passion for textiles
It all started with passion for textiles
Trained at the Ecole Dupperré, following in her mother’s footsteps, Céline went on to graduate from the Ecole Supérieure des Arts Appliqués, specialising in textiles.
Luxury at Louis Vuitton and Paola Navone
Luxury at Louis Vuitton and Paola Navone
She worked as a designer at Louis Vuitton on the ‘Vanity Case’ range, where she remained for a year before joining the Catimini brand as a textile designer for three years. In 1994, Céline created decorative items for "Paola Navone" in Italy.
From 1994 to 1997, she designed contemporary lighting fixtures distributed by Pachyderme.
The first light fixtures and the birth of his eponymous brand in 1996
The first light fixtures and the birth of his eponymous brand in 1996
Céline has embarked on self-publishing her Japanese paper cocoon-style lighting fixtures. This will be followed by new collections each year, showcased at major international design and lighting trade fairs. She has created bespoke architectural lighting designs for the Hotel du Cheval Blanc, Rosetti, the Château des Ducs de Bretagne, Château Beychevelles, and the Château de Villepreux...
Ten years later, in 2016, the parisian showroom opened on Île Saint-Louis.
Laureate of the Villa Kujoyama, Kyoto, Japan
Laureate of the Villa Kujoyama, Kyoto, Japan
In 2022, in the midst of the Covid pandemic, Céline, a laureate of the Villa Kujoyama artist residency in Kyoto, set off for a six-month stay in Japan. Her dream had come true ! Although she had remained distant from Japan until then, despite having spent part of her childhood there, the reconnection was powerful and immediate. There, she rediscovered her bearings and her inspiration. Since then, she has returned every year.
Artistic recognition and monumental installations
Artistic recognition and monumental installations
Installations, exhibition designs – Céline shies away from no challenge. From the luminous installation at the Musée des Archives in Paris during Heritage Days, to the giant cocoons in which visitors could curl up at the Kyocera Museum in Kyoto, right through to the exhibition design presented at Osaka 2025 in the French pavilion in collaboration with Japanese partner Kotaro Nishibori and calligrapher Hiroshi Ueta, Céline’s work continues to evolve and be acclaimed.
A human-sized workshop located in Montreuil in the Paris region
Each light fixture is handcrafted in our workshop in Montreuil, near Paris, or by a local network of people working from home. This manufacturing model, inspired by the "Cottage Industry," limits transportation and celebrates the praise of time.
‘I love well-designed, minimalist objects that evoke emotion.’ Céline Wright brings together craftsmanship and design. She is developing increasingly sustainable production methods using natural materials and environmentally friendly products.
"Handcrafted work is the only form of energy that doesn’t pollute, and celebrating time helps to slow down our frantic pace of spending", says Céline Wright.
Located in Montreuil within the Chapal factory, a former tannery now home to many artists, the workshop covers an area of around 100 square metres. Every inch of space is put to good use, there’s no wasted space here ! Around six people work there every day, crafting the light fittings.
The designer passed on to them her artisanal expertise, the traditional techniques and methods she had learnt in Japan.
Here, hundreds of strips of paper are cut and arranged on moulds, with 100% natural wood or rice glue applied using a brush. This technique was brought over from Japan.
A shade from the Cocon range can be covered with over 1,600 strips of paper, each applied by hand. The shapes created in this way must then be left to dry before being carefully assembled to form a lampshade. The process can take up to four days to complete.
Each light fixture is unique and evokes nature.
Behind the scenes of the manufacturing
All our light fixture are manufactured in our workshop in Montreuil (93). The production of a light fixture can take up to a week, from preparing the mould through to the finishing touches, including the careful application of the strips and the final drying process.
Step 3
step 1
It all begins with the creation of a form in earth or clay, first sketched by Céline Wright and then shaped by her hands. This mould – in this case, the Bird – is then used for production. It is from these moulds that the lampshades are handmade, using only clean energy. Our only tools are scissors and brushes !
step 2
Once the mould is ready and waxed, we cover it with tarlatan, a stiff woven cotton fabric. We then need to apply a layer of glue before attaching the pre-cut strips of washi paper. We use 100% organic rice glue – a technique used in Japan – and sometimes wood glue.
step 3
The careful work of applying the strips can then begin. Applied one by one, their positioning varies depending on the design of the light fixture and the various gluing techniques used: in a chequered pattern for an organic look, or in a radial pattern for a more regular, stylish design. These artisanal techniques are passed on by Céline Wright to the workshop’s "dexterous hands".
step 4
The drying phase is very important. It varies depending on the model, the ambient temperature, the humidity level… and can take several days for some larger models.
At this stage, the lampshades must not gather dust, so we take great care to keep our workshop clean. Assembling the shells and applying the finishes requires a certain amount of dexterity and great care. This can take up to five hours, for models gilded with copper leaf, for example.
Nature as inspiration
Céline Wright draws her energy and inspiration from the heart of the plant and mineral worlds. Creating designs that are both light and airy, she stands out from her generation through her sensitive and poetic approach, which is firmly rooted in nature. In 2022, she joined the collective of eco-responsible businesses, 1.618, which promotes a new form of ethical luxury.
In the face of environmental challenges, Céline Wright remains true to her artisanal approach. By “pushing the potential of paper to the limit through experimentation”, she is developing increasingly sustainable production methods, notably through the use of environmentally friendly products and recycling.
Each light fixture is handmade in the Montreuil workshop using natural materials such as Washi paper – which Céline selects herself in Japan – and eco-friendly components such as rice glue.
To minimise our carbon footprint, shipments are consolidated and the light fixtures are protected using custom-made cardboard packaging and corn-based packing chips – rather than polystyrene – only where absolutely necessary.
Handmade
Each light fixture is handcrafted using traditional techniques with a modern twist.
Made in France
All our designs are made in our workshop in Montreuil and with our local network.
Ethical production
The fabrics used are natural and eco-friendly.
Free delivery in France
Transportation available worldwide, subject to quotation.
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