Why OKA X Cabana’s Globally Chic Collab Is Lighting Up

Combining Indian and Moroccan design motifs, the Arabesque lampshade is the collection’s crown jewel.

Combining Indian and Moroccan design motifs, the Arabesque lampshade is the collection’s crown jewel.

OKA co-founder Sue Jones (left) joined forces with her Cabana counterpart, Martina Mondadori (right) for this collabroation.

OKA co-founder Sue Jones (left) joined forces with her Cabana counterpart, Martina Mondadori (right) for this collabroation.

Intricate hand-stitching based on traditional phulkari embroidery is central to production of the Arabesque lampshade.

Intricate hand-stitching based on traditional phulkari embroidery is central to production of the Arabesque lampshade.

Martina Mondadori, the Milan-based co-founder of Cabana, worked with OKA's London-based co-founder Sue Jones to create a complementary collection of lighting.

Martina Mondadori, the Milan-based co-founder of Cabana, worked with OKA's London-based co-founder Sue Jones to create a complementary collection of lighting.

The full collection is available in multiple sizes and scales.

The full collection is available in multiple sizes and scales.

OKA AND CABANA TEAM UP FOR A LAMPSHADE COLLECTION

British home decor label OKA and publication/lifestyle brand Cabana have launched a charming lighting collaboration that highlights a shared appreciation for international travel and heritage handicraft.

Spurred by OKA co-founder Sue Jones’ and Cabana founder Martina Mondadori’s personal caches of antique textiles, the curated collection features patterns and motifs that nod to colorful craftsmanship from countries like India, Italy and Morocco.

Considering the brands’ track records for great teamwork (past Cabana collaborations include Carolina Herrera and Schumacher, while OKA’s range from Adam Lippes to Vincent Darré), it seemed only fitting that a meeting between both powerhouses would give way to pieces that underscore their overlapping design outlooks.

Shown in an ochre shades, the lacquered Pilastro lamp base supports a pleated Ambi lampshade in coordinating colors.

OKA X CABANA LAMPSHADES WITH INTERNATIONAL FLAIR

The OKA x Cabana collection includes three styles of lampshades in a choice of prints and colors:

For the Ambi shade, the duo tapped talents in India’s Delhi territory for pleated lampshades made from block-printed paisley—a design motif common across continents and centuries—on natural linen. Enhanced by contrasting linings and trims are three rich but subdued palettes: ochre with forest green, maroon with dark teal, and burnt sienna with sage.

The Veneto shade pays tribute to Venetian frescoes with faded hues à la the powder pigments of the Italian Renaissance. Veneto’s printed card shades, produced by a North London specialist, come in a three different patterns: Viccolo, Collato and Cosima—the latter having a scalloped edge.

Meanwhile, the Arabesque shade is the collection’s crown jewel. Combining elements of Indian and Moroccan design, this lampshade typically takes three or four artisans up to 12 days to create. Handcrafted in Delhi from richly textured tussar silk—the same material traditionally used for saris—its intricate herringbone stitching is based on the folk phulkari embroidery of the Punjab region.

Although each of the shades can seamlessly complement existing fixtures in their customers’ collections, Jones and Mondadori have also released Pilastro, a turned-wood lacquered lamp base (in four colors) perfect for pairing with them.

The Veneto lampshades come in a trio of motifs: Viccolo, Collato and Cosima—the latter with a scalloped edge.

Find the collection at any of OKA’s brick-and-mortar stores and online at cabanamagazine.com or oka.com/us.

LIFESTYLE PHOTOS BY GUIDO TARONI; CRAFTSMANSHIP PHOTOS COURTESY OKA