During Salone del Mobile, Vibia invited us to join their press breakfast where we attended the guided tour to discover the latest collections. Our journey through the stand led to an incredible interview with designers Ludovica and Roberto Palomba.
ALBA is still in working progress. Vibia presented the prototype version at the fair; however, it is likely to be introduced as a final collection soon.
Vibia CEO Pere Llonch provided an animated press tour of the latest collections presented by the brand at Salone del Mobile. The team grouped the collections into themes according to the four key areas of exploration: materiality and warm light; conducting light through space; dynamic light, atmospheres for every moment; and indoor-outdoor living.
The Spanish lighting company organized its stand around a central melting pot where tables hosted the ALBA lamp in its four different colors. The portability of the ALBA lamp tags it quite seamlessly as fitting for both indoor and outdoor situations. We joined the designer duo for a coffee to talk about their studio, their collaboration with Vibia, and their work on the ALBA lamp.
A Creative Partnership Rooted in Complementarity
For more than three decades, the Milan-based studio of Ludovica and Roberto Palomba has built a reputation for thoughtful, enduring design. The duo, both in life and in work, founded their studio in Rome, later relocating to Verona before settling in Milan.
“We started like crazy people with a lot of dreams,” Roberto recalled. “I think we’ve been very lucky.”
Their partnership is the driving force behind their creative output.
“We are two creatives,” said Ludovica. “He does a little more design, I do a little more architecture.”
Despite the division of focus, the couple collaborates closely on everything they create.
“It’s different, but it’s very close,” she added. “We don’t always agree, but in the end, we always find a solution together.”
That complementarity is central to their studio’s ethos.
“Of course, I am a man and she is a woman,” Roberto said. “So we have a different vision that is complementary. It will integrate the vision of the other.”
This openness to each other’s perspectives fuels a process where curiosity and mutual respect are essential.
“If you are curious about the vision of the other, you can always learn something,” he added.
Their team, now numbering 25 and hailing from diverse backgrounds, also reflects this integrative spirit. The Palombas embrace the contrast between their own seasoned experience and the fresh outlook of their younger collaborators.
“We have the experience, but younger people have the vision of the future,” Roberto said. “They have the problems of the future, which we don’t. So it’s interesting—we can create something more complete.”
At the core of their practice is a shared belief in collaboration, curiosity, and design that transcends trends.
ALBA: A Lamp Inspired by the Poetry of Dawn
The ALBA lamp, designed by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba for Vibia, embodies the duo’s poetic approach to design by balancing emotion, utility, and timelessness. Its name, Alba, the Italian word for dawn, is a direct reference to the natural moment when sunlight first touches the earth.
“It’s the moment when the day begins,” Ludovica explained. “We say, ‘OK, I’m still on the earth. I have to do this, I have to do that.’ It’s the beginning of everything.”
That delicate intersection between light and life forms the conceptual heart of ALBA.
“It’s the sun and the earth that touch,” Roberto added. “It’s a moment. Exactly.”
The lamp’s form and function are deliberately soft, inviting, and emotionally resonant.
“The incredible thing about what we do… is that reality has a lot more fantasy than your idea,” said Ludovica. Seeing the lamp completed—with its correct color, materials, and light—brought genuine emotion: “It’s beautiful. I’m really moved.”
Crafted from metal and plastic, ALBA was designed with longevity in mind.
“We don’t make fashion objects,” Roberto noted. “We make objects that have a concept. Something precious. Something that stays in time.”
That philosophy extends to its practical use. Battery-operated and cordless, ALBA is intended to move with the user, like a modern candle.
“You have a light that follows you in the house,” Ludovica said. “You can put it on the table, in the bathroom, on the sofa. It integrates with the ambiance.”
The technology behind the lamp is equally advanced: the LED doesn’t heat up and lasts for hours.
“It’s wonderful,” Ludovica said. “We need objects that are kind, that bring a moment of relaxation.”
With ALBA, the Palombas have created not just a product, but an experience—quiet, poetic, and enduring.
A Shared Vision: Designing with Vibia
The collaboration between Ludovica and Roberto Palomba and Spanish lighting brand Vibia is rooted in a shared sensitivity toward design, emotion, and human experience. Known for creating elegant, emotionally resonant atmospheres through light, Vibia aligns naturally with the Palombas’ philosophy.
“We like working with Vibia,” said Ludovica, reflecting on the long-standing partnership. “They go very slowly, so the projects are well thought out, with good technology. The details are perfect.”
Vibia’s emphasis on creating emotional atmospheres and putting people at the center of design is something the Palombas deeply appreciate.
“We bring the design, but they do the development of the technology,” added Roberto. “And they are fantastic.”
As Vibia continues to lead with a people-centered approach—integrating dynamic light and advanced controls to shape evolving spaces—the Palombas find resonance in the brand’s mission.
“They are a brand that is active in research,” said Ludovica. “It’s fun to work for them.”
For the designers and the brand, it’s beyond illumination. It’s about enhancing well-being through thoughtful design that stands the test of time.
