Luz De Flores: VENZON And JJ Acuña Collaborate On A Floral-Inspired Lighting Collection

The new collaboration between design and manufacturing studio VENZON and designer JJ Acuña is a re-examination of how light can transform the modern day space. 

VENZON has long been a proponent of all things proudly Filipino. Since 2013, it has been creating bespoke lighting and objets d’art, and even before it became a design studio, founders Cris and Jackie Venzon were already key players in the export industry of proudly Philippine-made lighting and furniture. Over the years, the brand has stretched the bounds of creativity through collaborations with like-minded artists, engineers, designers, artisans, and architects, creating customized or commissioned pieces that stand out. The studio’s most recent pairing features the work of Hong Kong and Manila-based designer, creative director, and JJ Acuna/Bespoke Studio founder JJ Acuña, whose design language is making us re-think how transformative lighting can be within modern spaces. Through easy, versatile lighting, the collaboration Luz de Flores presents a joyful collection of wall, floor, table, and pendant lamps that follow the shape of a flower. 

READ ALSO: Art Deco At 100: How Sleek Opulence Transformed Design Forever

Marking A New Era For VENZON

“Luz de Flores marks a new chapter of world-building that expands beyond the scale and context that people usually associate with the brand,” shares VENZON’s Brand Director Alexis Venzon, referring to the company’s long history of creating bold, conversational design objects. “VENZON has been known for large-scale bespoke chandeliers and bespoke pieces, which naturally require a kind of space and investment. Luz de Flores became our way of opening the world of VENZON to people who deeply appreciate local design and craftsmanship, but may live in smaller spaces or simply want something more approachable and flexible for everyday life.”

The collection also marks a significant milestone in VENZON as it ushers in a new era with the retirement of founder Criz Venzon, who’s handing over the business to the women of the company, mother-daughter duo Jackie and Alexis. 

The Inspiration And Origins Of Luz De Flores 

The earliest iterations of the Luz de Flores lamps were originally created for a clinic in Singapore, where JJ aimed to soften the seriousness often associated with medical spaces. “We wanted to create timeless wall accents that were iconic statement pieces, but made the space softer and more relaxed,” he explains. “Clinics can be a serious space, so we wanted to make sure we designed lamps that added easy and whimsy into the room.”

Once the pieces were finally installed, JJ immediately saw potential beyond the project itself. He reached out to Jackie and Alexis with the idea of turning the lamps into something more expansive and accessible to the market.   From there, the direction of Luz de Flores became clear: a collection of lighting fixtures spanning wall sconces, pendants, table lamps, and floor lamps that were playful and versatile while remaining extremely functional within today’s homes. 

“I feel like in general, the world needs more wall sconces and fun floor lamps. Some iconic and decorative lighting can feel too masculine or streamlined, and extravagant,” JJ adds. “For me, I just felt the market needed well-crafted pieces that are urban, whimsical, and easy.”

For Alexis, the challenge was translating VENZON’s existing design language into pieces that held the same emotional weight in a more approachable format. “The intention really came from JJ from the very beginning. He challenged us to think about how VENZON could translate its design language into pieces that were playful, collectible, and easier to live with,” she notes. “Pieces that could move in and out of condos, studios, or smaller homes while still carrying the same emotional presence as our larger works.”

More than functional objects, the lamps were envisioned as final touches that bring warmth and personality into a room. “I want Luz de Flores to be a point of beauty, inspiration, focus. Think of it like an art piece or piece of jewelry in a space. It is the last and final touch in your space,” Alexis elaborates.

How VENZON Crafted The Pieces In The Collection

Even for an established studio like VENZON, bringing Luz de Flores to life required patience, recalibration, and a willingness to rethink familiar processes. 

“Developing smaller scale products like table and floor lamps has honestly taken time. It required confidence, resources, and a willingness to rethink how we design and manufacture,” Alexis admits. “But this collaboration also gave us the opportunity to push ourselves in a new direction while staying true to our DNA.”

That spirit of experimentation is inextricably linked to VENZON’s long-standing expertise in metal fabrication, which include laser cutting, welding, and hand-finishing techniques that give the collection its tactile depth. 

“My dad spent years refining our capabilities in metal fabrication, and we were among the earlier local manufacturers to really explore how technology and craftsmanship could coexist,” Alexis expounds. “A huge part of our process is experimenting with shapes, materials, and construction techniques to push what locally made lighting can look like.”

Among the collection’s finishes, Chrome 26 proved to be the most technically demanding. “JJ proposed it because it felt fresh and exciting […] Chrome plating is extremely unforgiving. Every imperfection becomes visible once the finish is applied so it demands a different level of precision from our team,” Alexis states. To achieve it, the studio went through multiple versions while working closely with artisans experienced in the delicate finish.

Creating Luz de Flores was a process of trial and error, but it was also an exercise in relentless craftsmanship and precision. “The process pushed us to expand our capabilities as a workshop, and we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved,” Alexis adds. 

A Closer Look At The Luz De Flores Collection 

The Luz de Flores collection is composed of three wall lamps that also function as pendant lights: FLOR S, FLOR M, and FLOR L, each named according to its scale. Expanding the collection are two floor lamps, RAMO M and RAMO ESPECIAL, alongside a table lamp called RAMO S.

Designed with movement and flexibility in mind, Luz de Flores marks a first for VENZON through its fully portable and rechargeable lighting features. The pieces are fitted with intuitive touch switches that allow for dimming and easy control, while four colorways (Pommy, Toma, Forrest, and Chrome 26) pull inspiration from the natural world.

FLOR S, FLOR M, and RAMO S come equipped with 1W USB-C chargers, dimmable bulbs, and batteries that last over 36 hours on a full charge. Meanwhile, FLOR L is a hardwired wall lamp, while RAMO M and RAMO ESPECIAL function as plug-in floor lamps. The wall lamps are also fitted with keyhole mounts, allowing them to be easily hung with a single screw or repurposed as portable tabletop lighting objects.

For JJ, the collection was always meant to capture something fleeting and alive. “We always felt that the pieces should relate to the lotus flower in bloom, which only lasts a day or a few days at most,” he shares. “We wanted it to be inspired by a moment. With the colorways we drew from the natural world–pomegranates, tomatoes, trees. Although they are shaped like flowers, we didn’t want the colors to be too on the nose. We wanted to be remixed, intersectional, and maybe even a bit more on the edge of pop.”

Luz de Flores also reflects a shared global-local identity between JJ Acuna and VENZON. “Part of what excites me about working with VENZON is that the studio is half Filipino but also half Mexican,” JJ explains. “The brand and the Venzon family are both local and global. It’s the same as JJ Acuna/Bespoke Studio. I grew up in Texas, our studio launched in Hong Kong, and now we have a presence in Manila.”

But what really lies at the heart of the collection are the hands that made each of its pieces. “What makes these pieces truly Filipino are the hands that make them. Every piece is laser cut, welded, hand-finished, assembled, and painted in our workshop in Pampanga by a team of craftsmen who have been with VENZON for years,” Alexis says. “These are people who have spent decades creating technically demanding bespoke pieces with extraordinary care and precision.” 

Ultimately, the collection is one built for the modern home, by the hands of Filipino craftsmen who understand the foundations of building a space that’s meant to be inhabited fully and beautifully. 

See the collection below.

The Luz de Flores Collection by JJ Acuña for VENZON is available upon order with a lead time of four to six weeks. For more details, email VENZON at [email protected] or visit www.venzon.ph. 

Photos courtesy of VENZON and Before Deadlines