On the Bright Side: Miles Endo

They say we’re a product of our experiences, and lighting designer Miles Endo, who was born in Tokyo and raised in Hawaii, is a prime example. That, and a whole lot of talent and tenacity, of course. His rise has been fast, focused, and filled with some pretty cool opportunities.

A few highlights: since graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2011, Endo collaborated on furniture design projects for West Elm and fashion designer Jason Wu during an internship in New York City; he opened his own design house in Providence; he was one of fifteen designers selected to make furniture for sneaker giant Converse’s new Boston headquarters; he appeared on HGTV’s Ellen’s Design Challenge; and he received a sizable grant from DESIGNxRI to launch his first collection.

Today, Endo focuses exclusively on lighting. His designs are modern and geometric, a “sculptural take on a functional item,” he says. Fabricated from steel, they are large in scale and designed to make a statement, many measuring five or six feet in diameter. While his inspiration comes from varied sources (the Ditri, which blends a convex hexagon and a triangle, was inspired by a snowflake, and the Deco sconce was born out of the bold lines of the art deco movement), Endo often credits music as his muse. “My parents are both musicians,” he says, “and as a drummer myself, I seek inspiration from musical instruments and the quality of sound.” Be it drumming or designing, Endo clearly moves to a steady beat—he has already debuted five new fixtures this year and shows no signs of slowing his rhythm.

Studio Endo, Providence, studioendo.com