An obsession with light

Love from the first sight 

There are some design pieces you come across and immediately know you want to see again. For me, Flare by Studio Douze Degrés was one of those pieces.

I first discovered Flare during Paris Design Week in 2025. Among the many objects and installations presented across the city, it was its unusual relationship with light that caught my attention. A simple candle suddenly became something much more dynamic - amplified, transformed and projected into the surrounding space.

Since that first encounter, Studio Douze Degrés and RUIMTE have stayed in touch. The idea of working together was there almost from the beginning. We quickly realised that we share similar values and, perhaps even more importantly, a similar belief in how design should be presented and experienced: with curiosity, context and a genuine appreciation for the story and process behind an object.

An obsession with light

Light is at the heart of Studio Douze Degrés’ practice. The French multidisciplinary studio explores the relationship between light, objects and space, approaching light not simply as something functional, but as a material in its own right.

Even the studio’s name reflects this fascination. Douze Degrés refers to the blue hour - that fleeting moment when the sun is between 6 and 12 degrees below the horizon and daylight gradually gives way to darkness. It is a moment of transition, when colours, forms and spaces are perceived differently.

This fascination with changing light translates into a design practice that moves between objects, lighting, furniture, installations, scenography and spatial design.

Flare: turning a candle into light

Flare is perhaps the clearest expression of this approach. Inspired by the optical principles of lighthouses, the design uses a Fresnel lens to capture and amplify the light of a candle. Instead of simply illuminating the space around it, the small flame becomes something almost theatrical - projected and multiplied through the lens.

What I particularly love about Flare is that the technology never becomes the main story. The object remains simple and almost familiar, while the experience it creates is unexpected. It is a beautiful example of how experimentation can transform an everyday element into something completely new.

Design through experimentation

Studio Douze Degrés is a young studio, but there is a remarkable sense of maturity in the way they approach their work. Their process is rooted in experimentation, research and making. Ideas are tested through materials and techniques, often in collaboration with craftspeople and manufacturers. There is no rush to arrive at the final object. Instead, the process itself becomes an important part of the design.

This is something I value enormously. In a world where design is often expected to move quickly, I find the patience behind their work particularly refreshing. There is an incredible attention to detail - not only in the final object, but in the way an idea is developed, tested and refined.

Why Studio Douze Degrés at RUIMTE

For RUIMTE, selecting a new designer or studio is never only about the object itself. I look for a certain way of thinking about design - a combination of strong ideas, craftsmanship, curiosity and authenticity.

Studio Douze Degrés felt like a natural fit from our first conversations. We share an appreciation for design that invites you to look closer and discover something beyond its immediate function.

Their work is experimental without being complicated, conceptual without losing its sense of purpose. And perhaps most importantly, it creates an experience.

That is what stayed with me after seeing Flare for the first time in Paris  and what made me want to bring Studio Douze Degrés to RUIMTE.

Discover Studio Douze Degrés at RUIMTE

Studio Douze Degrés is now part of the RUIMTE collection, with Flare as the first piece introduced to our selection.

A light designed not only to illuminate, but to transform the way we experience a space.