Nelson Cigar Bubble – S – Ø26,5 x H35,5cm - HAY

Origin and inspiration

The story of the Bubble pendant light begins with a personal anecdote: George Nelson, then design director at Herman Miller, fell under the spell of a Swedish pendant light made of silk stretched over a light wooden frame.

Seduced by its elegance, he wanted to buy one for his office, but the high price put him off. An ingenious and pragmatic man, Nelson decided to reinvent the concept, taking inspiration from this lamp.

He replaced the silk with a translucent polymer, an innovation resulting from techniques developed by the American army, and used a light steel frame. The result was a series of lights with organic shapes, reminiscent of cocoons or floating bubbles.The story of the Bubble pendant light begins with a personal anecdote: George Nelson, then design director at Herman Miller, fell under the spell of a Swedish pendant light made of silk stretched over a light wooden frame.

Design and characteristics

Nelson Bubble hanging lamps are characterised by their varied and sculptural silhouettes: Ball (spherical), Saucer, Cigar (elongated), Pear, Apple, Propeller and Lantern.

Each model is available in different sizes, offering great flexibility to adapt to various interior spaces, whether it be a living room, dining room or office. Their lampshades are made of a thin polymer canvas sprayed onto a metal structure, creating a smooth and slightly translucent texture that diffuses a soft and warm light.

Some versions, such as the Crisscross models, feature delicate geometric patterns formed by the frame visible through the material.

The apparent simplicity of the Bubble conceals technical sophistication: they seem to float in the air, fixed to the ceiling by a brushed nickel ceiling rose and a discreet cable. This visual lightness, combined with their ability to produce an enveloping light atmosphere, makes them both functional and decorative pieces.

Hay x Herman Miller collaboration

Although the Bubble was originally produced by Herman Miller in the United States, its reissue by Hay marks an important step in its distribution in Europe. Hay, founded in 2002 by Rolf and Mette Hay, is inspired by Danish design from the 1950s and 1960s and seeks to make quality design accessible.

In 2018, the partnership between Hay and Herman Miller – an iconic American company with which Nelson collaborated for more than 25 years – enabled the relaunch of the production of these light fittings in the same American factory that manufactured them in the 1950s. This continuity guarantees fidelity to the original process while integrating Hay's modern standards.

Impact and legacy

Bubble pendant lights are not just utilitarian objects: they represent a break with the conventions of classic lighting of the time. Their timeless design and their ability to blend into a variety of interiors – alone or in multiple compositions – bear witness to Nelson's avant-garde vision.

An architect by training and a key figure in American modernism, he combined aesthetics, innovation and accessibility, values that resonate with Hay's philosophy.

In short, the Nelson Bubble suspensions produced by Hay are much more than lighting fixtures: they are pieces of design history, reinvented to illuminate contemporary interiors with elegance and simplicity. Their soft light and airy presence continue to captivate, almost 80 years after their creation.