The design studio Taiwan Lantern officially made its US debut at the 2026 International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York City. The studio expanded its traditional practice of hanging pendants into its first-ever collection of freestanding floor and table lamps.
Founded by Pei-Ching Hsiao and Jean Marc Daniels and based in Amsterdam, the studio blends Taiwanese heritage with contemporary designs. The brand wants to take you back to the origins of lantern-making in the Han Dynasty, an art form now fading from the annals of human craftsmanship.
The brand’s first-ever freestanding lamps cast a soft, moonlike glow that instantly slows down the rush of a room. They marry the clean lines of modern minimalism with the gentle, rounded curves of the ancient paper lanterns. It feels like watching a quiet sunrise captured in silk, transforming any corner into a visual sanctuary.
Every lamp is born from the hands of the last remaining masters of a fading Taiwanese craft. The designers themselves have designed the pieces while collaborating with the last of the factories, mastering the heritage art.
Wisps of fine silk and satin are stretched over hand-bent bamboo frames, then anchored by heavy marble and raw lacquer bases. It is a beautiful dance of opposites, the delicate breath of fabric grounded by the ancient weight of stone.
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Rooted deeply in the Wu Xing philosophy, these pieces treat light as a living element of nature. By balancing the five forces of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, they bring harmony back into the modern home.
They are not built just to illuminate a dark room, but to reconnect our busy lives with the quiet rhythms of the earth and nature. “Neutral shade lanterns with a satin finish take you back to the origins of lantern-making in the Han Dynasty,” the brand says.
The US debut heavily emphasizes preserving a fading art form. Earlier in March 2026, The New York Times spotlighted Taiwan-Lantern as one of “6 Design Products That May Be the Last of Their Kind.”
