15/10/2026
Rare 1997 [ Jigsaw ] Modular Candle Holder by Kazuyo Komoda for Driade, Italy.
It twists, stacks and turns into a range of different shapes and sizes. Unapologetically raw, the cast metal surfaces have gained a beautiful patina over their 30 year life, telling stories of many candlelit evenings spent around the table.
With very little information on the design and history online, I reached out to the designer, Kazuyo Komoda, for some insight into the backstory and design of one of her first projects as a freelance designer in Italy.
Stated beautifully, she says “ I remember back then, I often spent evenings by candlelight. I didn’t have a TV, there was no internet yet. There was only moving light and silence, so I came up with various ideas for candle holders. “
Despite the similarities in form to an oversized bike chain, Komoda took no intentional reference from this, and the design arose naturally in her pursuit of an infinitely modular shape.
A personal highlight of the last few months, which celebrates a fusion of minimalist Japanese materials and sensibilities with the more expressive and playful traditions of European design.