Tony Stark – the genius whose alter-ego is Iron Man – may be a fictional character, but Philippe Starck is a bonafide genius whose designs are so original they could be the stuff of fiction. The Frenchman is an exceptional product designer who creates everything from furniture to toothbrushes. The latest addition to the remarkably impressive Starck collection is the ‘Chapeau Light’, which is a stark contrast to other lamps you will have seen. The idea for this was very simple, but then the best ideas always are: take a hat stand and a table lamp, and merge them together. As simple as that. But with all Starck products the Chapeau Light exudes class thanks to its quality design. Designed for Flos this new table lamp-cum-hat stand was presented recently at Euroluce at the 2013 Salone del Mobile. The LED omitted from the lamp can be shaded by any hat, meaning it can be styled accordingly to whatever your hat collection consists of. Even the cross-shape atop the light, which the hat rests upon, is a simple yet effective design. Simple, yet genius.
