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Knoll Designer Bios

Marc Lepage

b. Canada, 1946

Marc Lepage is perhaps best known for his inflatables, an idea he initially conceived of while studying fine arts, design, and sculpture at the Rhode Island School of Design. Described as “soft, sensitive machines—to be touched,” Lepage’s works represented his effort to bring a more playful, delicate aesthetic to product design. Somewhere between art and toy, the designs encouraged the user to experience and explore the piece in as many ways as possible.

Lepage applied this concept to his Parachute Lamp, designed for Knoll in the early 1970s. The lamp was advertised by Knoll as “a magical glowing cylinder of light for people to play with, hug and touch.”