Flos - Achille Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni - Chandelier - Opaline glass - BLACK & WHITE FLOS

Flos Black & White – Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni – 1965
Iconic Flos chandelier Black & White, designed by the brothers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni and produced by Flos.

In the landscape of Italian design in the twentieth century, few figures have managed to fuse formal genius with functional rigor as Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni. Among the most fascinating and sought-after creations by lovers of mid-century design and vintage lighting stands the suspension lamp “Black & White” (also known as White and Black), designed for Flos in 1965.

A refined example of Italian design from the 1960s, characterized by the Castiglioni brothers’ unmistakable design language and the elegant black-and-white color combination.

The chandelier dates to 1965 and is kept in excellent condition; I personally disassembled it from my Uncle’s house. This is an original period chandelier (NO REPRODUCTION), cleaned in all its parts and fully functional. It is sold without bulbs for safety during transport.

Ceiling-mounted pendant lamp, height adjustable with original steel cable, suspended, diameter 50 cm.

An object of great interest for collectors and enthusiasts of Italian design and vintage lighting.

Designed in 1965, the Black & White lamp perfectly embodies the philosophy of the two Milanese masters: removing the superfluous, focusing on function, and highlighting raw material through ingenious and poetic solutions. What makes Castiglioni’s Black & White an extraordinary object is not only its elegant mushroom-like or dome silhouette but its double luminous nature:

“White” Effect (diffuse ambient light): The upper part of the lamp consists of a generous opal glass dome (or acrylic in later models). When the internal light sources inside the dome are switched on, the room’s atmosphere fills with a soft, warm, enveloping glow.

“Black” Effect (direct and accent light): The lower part houses a refined concave reflective element in grooved aluminum or mirrored finish. Activating the central light source, the beam is precisely directed downward, ideal for illuminating a dining table or a work surface without causing glare.

The Castiglioni ingenuity made it possible to control the two light sources separately, allowing a transition from soft, conversational lighting to targeted ambient lighting with a simple switch.