Designed by Doshi Levien
Bela ropes were designed by Doshi Levien in 2017 as a new outdoor material for Kettal’s material palette. Designed primarily as a textile material to be used on furniture, Doshi Levien saw an opportunity to illuminate the 17 different colours of Bela ropes by creating lamps for outdoors.
The aim was to make a lamp with a continuous length of rope in a form referencing the texture and lightness of traditional handwoven lanterns. Every year in India there is a kite festival and the streets are lined with enormous spinning frames wound with colourful kite string.
These light wooden structures gave Doshi Levien the idea for the frames or spools onto which the Bela ropes are clipped. Bela lamps are colourful, versatile and they can be placed directly on the floor, suspended or used as a standing lamp.