La Cesta by Milá
The 50s and 60s were especially productive for the Catalan design. The lamp “Cesta” is one of our favorite icons designed at the beginning of the 60s by Miguel Milà, a member of the generation of pioneering design of the 50s and whose furniture and lamps have become true classics. He received the first National Design Award and in 2008 he received the Compasso D’ Oro for his career. Milá, in his designs, updates the tradition with large doses of sensitivity, being Cesta one such example.
It is a timeless, elegant and understated piece, refined and essential, a portable lamp that has multiple uses, reminiscent of oriental lanterns and which has been a bestseller. It can be defined as a handmade magic lantern, composed of a cherry wood structure and containing a globe light of white opaline.
Currently and since 1966 it is manufactured by the company Santa & Cole. Before this date was Tramo (Trabajos molestos) , the company created by Milà to self-publish his own designs, which produced it.
Cesta was born from a discovery: Milà found the glass screen globe and liked it so much that he decided to do something with it. When production began, the glass was replaced by plastic to prevent breakage. Santa & Cole recuperated it as well as introduced other changes: Tramo manufactured it in two sizes, La Cesta y la Cestita – now Santa&Cole only publishes one – , and the structure was made of Manila cane, a difficult item to find, that led to the current cherry wood . It is difficult to find copies of La Cesta, as the handmade production needs a long and detailed process.