Fresh New Ideas: Eco - Friendly Light at the End of the Tunnel.

Born and bred in Durban, Brigitte Laurent completed her diploma in Fine Art at Durban University of Technology in 2008, ceramics being her main focus, where she explored bright and beautiful glazes on intricately detailed wall tiles.

During a small stint working at Umcebo Trust designing a chandelier for their shop down at uShaka Marine World, she found her niche. Here Laurent's unique style was released, combining her detailed designs with a new set of materials. The project of using recycled materials was a big shift in ideas for Laurent, but she has not looked back. This project opened new doors for her and has inspired her to now use found materials and things that are easily accessible in the home to create something original as well as eco-friendly. Here she incorporates Fine art with a sense of craft and design

She has had a chandelier on display at the Design Indaba in Cape Town in 2009. Here she used long, cylindrical cardboard holders covered in beadwork that she herself feels represents the vibe of Durban. She has now moved onto much more simple and elegant designs, using basic, everyday materials. The main one being piping. She has a passion for these designs and the qualities the materials have and brings to the lights. She is continuously looking for new ways of experimenting with this substance and looking for new materials in which to work with. Sure great things will soon follow.

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