Lucie Koldova (b. 1983) is a designer of remarkable creative talent, originally from the Czech Republic. After graduating from the Academy of Art, Architecture and Design in Prague, she moved to Paris, where she began collaborating with several French and international companies.
She spent several years in the French capital, where she refined her charismatic and elegant style—transforming the diverse cultural influences and inspiration she encountered into a sensual, distinctive design language. Early on, she gravitated toward sculptural work in glass, creating poetic, expressive pieces. She has always loved combining glass with other materials.
In 2010, she was named Discovery of the Year at the Czech Grand Designer Awards, and two years later won Elle Decoration Talent for Best Lighting Design, as well as Designer of the Year.
That same year, she began working with Brokis, debuting with her now-iconic Balloons and Muffins collections, which helped shape the identity of the brand. In 2014, she was appointed its artistic director, a role in which she has since created a series of acclaimed lighting designs.
In 2012, she opened her own studio in Paris, which is now based in Prague.
Lucie Koldova’s design language reflects a fusion of different cultures with her own personal, refined, and emotionally resonant style. Her work spans from one-of-a-kind furniture pieces to sculptural glass installations for museums, as well as everyday objects.
She blends traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies, focusing on the inherent beauty of materials like wood and glass.
“I’m proud to be part of a country with such a rich history in glassmaking, and that heritage inspires me to continue telling this beautiful story. Glass has become my most beloved material—it helps me express my potential and provides endless ground for experimentation,” she explains.
Her emotionally charged style is rooted in a masterful use of color, unusual proportions, and vibrant formal contrasts. Her objects often push the boundaries of what’s possible—a fact that becomes clear when encountering pieces like Capsula, or the striking, elegant Whistle and Mona lamps with adjustable tubular LED light sources developed by Brokis.
After your studies at the Academy of Art, Architecture and Design in Prague, you moved to Paris to begin your career. Why Paris?
In Prague I met Arik Levy, and that encounter truly inspired me. When I had the chance to consider my next steps after graduating, I changed my original plans and chose Paris instead of London. I knew I wanted to leave Prague to gain more experience as a designer. Paris is called the “City of Light,” and I absolutely fell in love with it.
You’ve been working as Brokis’s creative director since 2010. How did that collaboration begin?
We met at a moment when we were both ready to take off. Brokis had just completed its rebranding and was preparing to enter the international market. I came in with completely new concepts that enriched the company’s spirit—it was a very successful and important beginning. Since then, we’ve maintained a close relationship and continued launching bold new designs together.
Your first collections for Brokis, Balloons and Muffins, became true icons. What do you remember from that design process?
I began by exploring materials, with hardly any knowledge of glass at the time. I was working like a sculptor, intuitively shaping large volumes in wood and metal. It was a joy to discover glass, and that success was a clear signal that I was on the right path. Ever since, I’ve visited the glassworks regularly—to observe the blowing process and absorb the workshop’s atmosphere.
In your new Starcloud collection, you offer a luminous experience that evokes the stars. Can you tell us about the design process?
My goal was to create a bespoke collection with a clean and sensual character. The subtle play of semi-transparent shades and milky tones was essential. We wanted to expand our bold portfolio with elegant star-like compositions that allow for creating custom light clouds.
Your new table lamp, Spectra, transforms simplicity into emotional beauty. How do materials influence the user experience?
The material determines everything: the design process, the outcome, and the impression it makes. Spectra builds on the archetype of a classic table lamp, but here it’s formed from a single piece with a levitating light source.
This sophisticated simplicity, levitation, and gravity—I had already explored them with Balloons. The transparency of glass adds seduction and unexpected overlays.
Brokis highlights both glassblowing craftsmanship and technological innovation. What do you see as the future of artisanal trades? Do you think they might disappear with new generations?
We must do everything we can to promote and protect our artisanal heritage. In 2023, handmade glass was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Across the Czech Republic and Europe, thousands of glassblowers, engravers, painters, metalworkers, jewelers, and designers continue to work in hundreds of workshops and studios.
Among them are the highly skilled artisans at Janštejn Glassworks, who collaborate with Brokis. Thanks to this reputation and our strong link with design, I believe craftsmanship won’t vanish—it will become even more precious and valued by future generations.
What would you say to design students who follow your career with admiration?
I would encourage them, above all, to follow their passion for design.
Project by Lucie Koldova
