Luz de Flores: VENZON and JJ Acuña are rethinking how modern spaces are transformed through light

FLOR S, FLOR M, FLOR L; RAMO M + RAMO ESPECIAL; RAMO ESPECIAL

Flowers are the inspiration behind Luz de Flores, a collaboration between designer James “JJ” Acuña and Philippine-based design and manufacturing studio VENZON. But rather than a literal translation of a flower, JJ approached the collection differently.

“I just didn’t want to illustrate a flower. That felt too easy and honestly a little limiting. So what I was really going for was something more structured, more geometric, more abstracted. Something that reads as circular and sculptural rather than botanical,” says JJ.

He adds, “When you look at the pieces, they feel like art objects first. The flower is in there, but it’s more of a symbol, a signifier of the concept of a flower, rather than a portrait of any specific one.”

For JJ, using symbolism rather than copying a specific form gives the design lasting power. He elaborates, "When something is too literal it dates itself almost immediately. But when it’s symbolic, when it points toward an idea rather than copies a form, it stays open and current.”

JJ is the creative director of JJA Bespoke Studio and works across hospitality, residential, and lifestyle projects throughout Asia. Splitting his time between Hong Kong and Manila, he approaches his work with a sensitivity to storytelling, materiality, and the way people move through and inhabit space.

Much of his work is bespoke, with individual projects shaped around particular clients, contexts, and needs. Designing a collection for production allowed him to create for a wider audience.

VENZON, meanwhile, creates bespoke lighting and art pieces by combining technology with local craftsmanship. Founded in 2013 by Cris Venzon, the family-led studio is known for bold, timeless design.

With Luz de Flores, JJ Acuña and VENZON created smaller, more accessible pieces while retaining the design and craftsmanship that define the studio’s work.

Designing for a wider audience

Much of JJ's work is bespoke by nature. “Every project is shaped around a very specific client, a very specific context, a very specific need. And I love that. But it also means the work is inherently scaled for a narrow audience.”

Designing for production, however, means designing for a wide range of people. “A collection changes that completely. When you design for production you’re designing for yourself but also for everyone of every potential age, gender, and cultural background.”

 Creative director of JJA Bespoke Studio JJ Acuña 

JJ has already seen the collection reach people who are not part of his usual clientele. He says many of the desk lamps are being bought by students and young people who are just starting out. The wall lights are USB powered and can hang on a nail. “That person is not my usual client. I would never reach them through a hospitality commission or a bespoke residential project.”

Luz de Flores allows him to reach that audience. “Through Luz de Flores, through this collaboration with Venzon, I actually can. I can design something that’s aspirational and attainable and that can genuinely grow with someone through different seasons of their life. That’s new for me. And I find that really exciting.” While JJ does not yet know where this direction will take his practice, he shares that he is also excited about this as "a side quest that feels like expansion to new creative directions." 

Smaller pieces, the same VENZON care and philosophy

VENZON has long been known for highly customized, large-scale lighting. For Jackie Venzon, however, scale is not what defines the studio.

“What defines VENZON has never really been the scale of our pieces, it’s always been our approach to design. Whether we’re creating a large installation for a hotel or a wall light for a home, we always begin with the same intention which is to create lighting that feels sculptural, timeless, and thoughtfully made.”

VENZON’s work combines precision and craftsmanship. Technology is used to achieve consistency and accuracy, while hand-finishing and attention to detail give the pieces their character. “Our work has always been a balance of precision and craftsmanship. Technology helps us achieve consistency and accuracy, but it’s the hand-finishing and attention to detail that give each piece its character.”

Jackie Venzon

When the studio began designing a more accessible collection, Jackie says the team focused on the qualities that define VENZON. “We didn’t feel like we had to simplify who we were. Instead, we focused on what really defines VENZON which is our craftsmanship, our proportions, our finishes, and the architectural quality of our designs. The pieces may be smaller, but they’re made with the same care and philosophy. We wanted more people to experience the brand without compromising what makes it VENZON.”

A belief in Filipino design and craftsmanship

VENZON was founded 13 years ago by Cris Venzon, who brings more than four decades of experience in the lighting manufacturing industry across the United States, China, and the Philippines. With his expertise in engineering and production, Cris oversees the technical precision and craftsmanship behind each piece.

Jackie leads the creative direction of the brand. In 2023, their daughter Alexis Venzon joined the company as Brand Director, helping refine and articulate the vision her parents built over the years.

As VENZON enters a new chapter, Jackie shares, “What has always stayed the same is our belief in local design and craftsmanship. We’ve been in this industry for more than 30 years, so we’ve had the privilege of seeing both design and manufacturing evolve, not just here in the Philippines, but globally. And I think this is a particularly exciting time for Filipino design.”

VENZON has invested in engineering, technology, and production while continuing to use handcrafted processes. “From the very beginning, VENZON has invested in engineering, technology, and production because we’ve always believed that Filipino design deserves to be realized at the highest level of quality. At the same time, we’ve never lost sight of the handcrafted processes that give our pieces their warmth and character.”

Jackie says the studio’s goal has been to demonstrate what Filipino craftsmanship can achieve. She also identifies this belief as one of the reasons the collaboration with JJ Acuña took place. “Our goal has always been to show that Filipino craftsmanship can stand alongside the best in the world, and that’s one of the reasons collaborating with JJ Acuña felt so natural. We share the same belief that local design deserves to be celebrated on a global stage.”

Telling the VENZON story to a new generation

While VENZON’s belief in local design and craftsmanship remains, Jackie says the way the studio tells its story is taking new shape.

“What is evolving is the way we tell that story. Alexis has brought a fresh perspective to the brand, particularly in how we communicate with a new generation of clients. She’s found thoughtful ways to collaborate with other Filipino creatives and build a broader community around VENZON. It’s been exciting to see the brand evolve while staying true to the values we’ve always believed in.”

Alexis joined VENZON as Brand Director in 2023. With Luz de Flores opening the brand to people living in condos, studios, and smaller homes, she hopes first-time VENZON collectors experience happiness when they bring a piece into their spaces. “I hope they feel a little bit of joy. Lighting is something we interact with every day, so it’s nice when it can bring a sense of personality or even playfulness into a space.”

Alexis Venzon, VENZON Brand DirectorShe says that alongside its craftsmanship, VENZON has enjoyed telling stories through design. She believes that VENZON has always been known for its craftsmanship, but creatively they’ve also always enjoyed telling stories through design that feel bold and conversational. She adds that working with JJ on this collection felt deeply aligned for her, because "his work also has such a strong point of view, but it feels warm and approachable.”

Alexis says, “With Luz de Flores, we wanted to create something that reflected the world that JJ and I live in Manila." She explains that she and JJ both spend a lot of time moving between work, family, friends, and different creative spaces, so they wanted the collection to feel versatile, expressive, and easy to live with.

Furthermore, Alexis shares that for some people, Luz de Flores may also be their first VENZON piece, and she hopes that "it feels like the beginning of a relationship with the brand rather than just a purchase.”

The product comes first

As Alexis helps shape VENZON’s future alongside her parents, one of the biggest lessons she has learned from them is to prioritize the product. She says emphatically, “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from my parents is that the product should always come first.”

Alexis acknowledges the role branding and storytelling play in how people experience a brand, while emphasizing what her parents have taught her about the importance of the product itself. She says, "I love that side of the business. But my parents have always reminded me that none of it matters if the product itself isn’t thoughtfully designed and beautifully made.”

She applies that lesson to the way VENZON presents its work, saying that this kind of mindset has really stayed with her. "Everything we do, from our photoshoots to the way we post on Instagram should simply reflect the quality of the work behind it.” Alexis hopes this is something VENZON carries forward. “As I think about the future of VENZON, that’s something I hope never changes. We want to create pieces that people will genuinely want to live with for years, maybe even generations.”

Ever blooming

The Luz de Flores collection is made up of three wall lamps that double as pendant lights. They are named FLOR S, FLOR M, and FLOR L, reflecting their progression in scale from small to large.

FLOR S, FLOR M, FLOR L 

It also features two types of floor lamps and a table lamp. The floor lamps are called RAMO M and RAMO ESPECIAL, while the table lamp is RAMO S. With ease, movement, and mobility in mind, Luz de Flores is made distinct by fully portable and rechargeable lighting features–a first for VENZON. They are also fitted with a touch switch that allows for intuitive control, which includes dimming. There are four colorways to choose from: Pommy, Toma, Forrest, and Chrome 26.

RAMO M and RAMO ESPECIAL

FLOR S, FLOR M, and RAMO S come with a 1W USB-C charger, dimmable bulbs, and batteries that last more than 36 hours on a full charge. FLOR L, the largest wall lamp, is designed to be hardwired. Similarly RAMO M and RAMO ESPECIAL are built as plug-in floor lamps.  

The collections, wall lamps are fitted with keyhole mounts. This makes it easy for users to hang them using a single screw. It also offers the option for using the pieces as portable table top lighting objects. 

RAMO S

JJ expounds, “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. 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.” 

Chrome 26, Forrest, Pommy, and Toma Finish

Luz de Flores is a statement piece as it is testament to the brilliance of Filipino talent. For JJ, there was something exciting about the prospect of two global Philippine brands coming together. “Part of what excites me about working with VENZON is that the studio is half Filipino but also half Mexican. The brand and the Venzon family are both local and global. It’s the same as JJ Acuña  / Bespoke Studio. I grew up in Texas, our studio launched in Hong Kong, and now we have presence in Manila.” 

Alexis concludes, “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. These are people who have spent decades creating technically demanding bespoke pieces with extraordinary care and precision.” 

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 please email VENZON at sales@venzon.ph or visit venzon.ph. 

Photos by Renzo Navarro.