Le Klint

Le Klint's story began around 1900, when architect and engineer P.V. Jensen-Klint folded a shade for a paraffin lamp, using a Japanese-inspired cross-pleating technique to soften and direct the flame's harsh light. What started as a family hobby — his sons Tage and Kaare tinkering alongside him — grew into a company when Tage Klint founded Le Klint in 1943. The very first model, the Nr. 1, is still folded exactly as patented in 1938. Kaare Klint, the father of Danish Modern, later shaped the brand's most iconic pieces. That hand-folded, pleated shade — sculptural and geometric — remains Le Klint's defining signature to this day. Since 2003, Le Klint has held the official title of Supplier to the Royal Danish Court.

Production has never left Odense, and the Klint-Foundation, established in 1972, exists solely to protect that craftsmanship for future generations. As the brand puts it: "A Le Klint lamp can light up a home for many decades and be passed on to the next generation, who will still consider it beautiful."