“These S-shaped arms determine the method of construction of the Saint Louis chandeliers. Their ethereal and ever-pellucid presence might not be eye-catching,” explains the designer. “They are regarded as supports for candles and light bulbs. Their hollow core allows the electrical cables to pass through. I love to draw attention to these mundane elements; the unheralded toil that they represent touches me.” Her own body of work demonstrates her appreciation and whimsical sensitivity for these unsung heroes by depicting objects discreetly shaped for the pragmatic needs of everyday life. She even dedicated a column featuring them in the French magazine, Le M du Monde, titled “Objets trouvés (Found objects),” which later became “Écologiquement Vôtre (Ecologically Yours),” scrutinizing the practicality of 200 everyday objects.

To shape a chandelier arm, the crystal makers need to work in pairs to handle the incandescent molten crystal. They stretch and twist in unison on both sides to create the intertwined pattern of a rope. For the Torsade, the crystal blowers reinterpreted this technique to create a U-shaped piece instead of an S-shaped arm. For the loop-shaped pieces, they wrapped the molten crystal rope around a steel capstan, which allowed it to cool down into a 3-dimensional form. An LED with an invisible sheath, developed especially for the project, was then slipped in. The branch lights up, owning the scene with nothing more than its serenity.