The Story Behind Guise

Recognized with a 2018 German Design Award for innovation, the Guise collection was created by Stefan Diez. Crafted of precision-cut, engraved crystal tubes and imbedded with LEDs, Guise explores the relationship between light and transparency.

Inspired by illuminated wall signs and digital screens backlit by a small light source—a technique that had never been applied to lamps—Diez spent a year developing his collection for Vibia. He was intrigued by the idea of obscuring the light source within the fixture and painstakingly created a precise slit to contain the LEDs, which are recessed in a slim row like an imperceptible interior seam.

After testing different materials for their ability to reflect LED light, he settled on glass as the most suitable. To enhance the quality of the light, Diez collaborated with a company in the Czech Republic that specializes in cut glass. Together they produced hand-blown tubes etched with delicate patterns. The glass conducts the light to the engraved surface of the cylinder where it finally appears, the markings beautifully diffusing the light in a soft, ambient glow.

The collection is available in vertical and horizontal versions that can be displayed alone or in a group for greater impact. The wall sconce features a different form altogether—a glass ring that generates a circular glow, recalling a solar eclipse when illuminated. When switched off, Guise’s transparent glass and hidden LEDs essentially disappear, hence the collection’s name.

Guise is fitted with a special sensor that dims by simply bringing one’s hand close to the light, without direct contact. It is offered in a matte graphite lacquer finish.

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The Story Behind Guise

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