Founded in Paris in 1924 by Georges Léon Rispal, the Rispal company became a benchmark in modern French lighting after World War II. Based at 172 rue de Charonne, the firm shifted from traditional production to a bold, avant-garde approach with its “Formes Nouvelles” collection from 1950 onward, characterized by organic lines and pioneering materials such as pleated rhodoïd.

The now-iconic floor lamp no. 14.950 — nicknamed the “Praying Mantis” — stands as a symbol of French organic design. The workshop closed in 1982, taking its archives and original tools with it. In recent years, designer Douglas Mont has revived the brand, reissuing its emblematic creations in France with updated, sustainable methods of production.