Ay illuminate: lighting up the world

Craftsmanship, civilization’s soul 

At Maison&Objet Paris, the Ay Illuminate stand is an ethereal haven whose multitude of lights crafted from natural fibres immerse visitors in an exquisitely serene world. The ONA pendant light, featuring a delicate bamboo stem frame draped with a silk or cotton veil, harnesses the essence of the brand’s DNA: simplicity, clean lines and the artisan touch. "We believe that craftsmanship expresses a civilization’s soul," says Ay Lin Heinen, who is based in the Netherlands. Ay Illuminate has captured the hearts of stylists, magazines and some of the most stunning hotels right across the globe. But the road to success has by no means been easy, paved with encounters, dreams and obstacles, and taking two decades in all. 

Back in 2003, Indonesian-born Ay Lin was working for a legal team in the Netherlands, but had begun to get bored of her job. Her sister Ay Wen, who was working in human resources at the time, had been given the extremely tough task of announcing redundancies to people much older than herself. Armed with their savings, the two sisters consequently decided to hand in their notice, determined to do something more meaningful with their lives. They began by going back to their roots and heading to Indonesia, subsequently shipping back a container full of handbags, table runners and photo frames. "It was fun, but not enough to start a serious business," says Ay Lin. “We ended up falling flat on our faces.” In their friends’ eyes, however, there was one stand-out piece in their haul: a lamp. “We said OK, let’s focus on lamps”, Ay Lin continues. Cue a trip to Vietnam to source silk lamps. 

The importance of being design-focused 

Casper Heinen, Ay Lin's husband, an executive at Polspotten at the time, suggested having a stand at Maison&Objet Paris. In 2004, the two sisters took his advice and booked a stand in Hall 6, their sights set on conquering the market. It turned out to be a huge disappointment. "Visitors said: your lamps are pretty, but not very original. We can get exactly the same thing at other stands, but for less." That advice was invaluable, inspiring the duo to become more design-focused. But in 2007, Ay Wen threw in the towel, leaving Ay Lin to go it alone. Casper kept the money coming in, giving her some much-needed time.  “When I attended Maison&Objet in 2010, I found myself next to a stand displaying ceramics. It was attracting huge amounts of attention from the press and buyers alike. I chatted with their designer, Nelson Sepulveda, over coffees and chocolates.” Sepulveda had originally come to Paris from his homeland of Chile to study at the Beaux-Arts, then settling in the capital following his graduation and striking up collaborations with numerous brands. Having really hit it off, the pair decided to embark on a collaboration themselves. Sepulveda is a designer who not only loves simple materials, but also loves taking his time. He and Ay Lin began by heading to China, where he adopted his usual way of working: sitting alongside the artisans and watching them work to understand the intricacies of their art, before introducing his own special twist to make for thoroughly modern designs. "I scan each gesture," he explains. "As the piece progresses, it fuels my imagination. I tune into its frequency with the utmost affection and respect, giving rise to a harmonious design." Trips to other countries were soon to follow, including the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and Indonesia. Certain lights are even produced in a workshop run by a social enterprise in the Netherlands. Today, Ay Illuminate employs 200 artisans. Casper, meanwhile, has turned his back on his monthly salary and company car to manage the development of the global client base, acquired solely at Maison&Objet. All the ingredients for success are there at long last. 

By Caroline Tossan
Illustration ©Sarah Bouillaud

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