Payam Askari, with the help of Italian material platform SK!N, transformed leather scraps into the sculptural SoftPillar Light. It’s part of an experimental exploration of leather called Hidescapes, which transforms leather into a unified material language.
The leather has a paper-lik quality to its when viewed from a distance. That’s because Askari used thinned translucent parchment leather draped over a stainless steel structure. When lit up from within, the lamp reveals the patchwork of leather.
SoftPillar Light is more than a lighting fixture. The scars, grain, and folds transform it into a sculptural piece, while the layered patchwork gives it a topographical aesthetic. The overlapping leather fragments create lines and edges that evoke visions of valleys and natural landscapes.
The lamp invites tactile interaction due to its unique material design. It challenges the perception and encourages viewers to approach and interact with its intricate details. “I wanted to extend the idea of patchwork into three-dimensional formats,” Askari said.
Thus, the SoftPillar Light transforms leather scraps into artistic expressions. It is both functional and captivating. The lamp, along with a sofa and folding screen, is part of the Hidescapes project, which was born following a visit to tanneries. Askari observed how leather was selected, treated, and often times discarded as “deadstock.”
He shared of the project, “The collection is a direct response to that observation: treating discarded hides not as waste, but as a generative material and starting point for form and surface.” Askari debuted the SoftPillar Light, as well as his other leather creations, at the 2026 Matter and Shape salon in Paris.
Check It Out
Images courtesy of Payam Askari/Instagram
