Bethan Laura Wood reinvents Baccarat chandelier as modular "vortex" of jewelled flowers

British designer Bethan Laura Wood has created a modular version of a 175-year-old crystal-glass chandelier, described as "somewhere between a science-fiction wormhole and the interlacing of Elizabethan garters".

Wood's Mille Fleurs chandelier was the showpiece of Crystal Crypt, the Milan design week exhibition of historic French crystal house Baccarat.

The design is an interpretation of Baccarat's emblematic Zénith, a baroque-inspired chandelier introduced sometime around 1850, identified by its twisted branches, octagonal jewels and dangling prisms.

Many renowned designers have reworked this iconic design, but Wood is the first to turn it into a modular system. Her version is made up of rings that can be arranged vertically or horizontally on a crisscrossing lattice of tensioned cables.

"In the traditional chandelier, everything is fixed to a large central core with an armature inside," the designer told Dezeen.

"I was curious what would happen if I removed the centre and opened up that space," she said.

"The rings create this kind of vortex feeling. It still has a baroque feeling, but it can be built up into more elaborate, architectural column arrangements."

The design combines some of the classic Zénith components with elements introduced by Wood. Some are completely new, including one she refers to as the "pinch lozenge", while others are based on familiar forms from her repertoire.

The most recognisable is a crystal glass version of the flower motif from her Mexico-inspired Criss Cross collection, first developed in 2013.

Wood also incorporated some flower forms she found by digging through Baccarat's extensive archives.

She initially used these flowers for candleholders, also part of the Mille Fleurs collection, before bringing them into her chandelier.

"It was a voyage of discovery, as we worked out which moulds were ready to be used, which moulds we could remake, and which moulds we couldn't," said Wood.

"When you go closer to the piece, you'll see a punctuation of mini flowers around the inside of each ring," she added. "I like that mix of making something graphically strong from a distance, but with all these beautiful details."

The colour palette includes different shades of green, from forest to emerald, along with pops of lilac and gold.

"I'm an 80s fantasy film girl, so I wanted to create a vibe of Return to Oz, green emerald madness," Wood said.

The Mille Fleurs collection also includes matching wall sconces, which Wood has affectionately nicknamed "the frogs".

The Crystal Crypt exhibition offered a striking backdrop to these works and Baccarat's other new launches, which included two reinterpretations of the iconic Harcourt glassware from 1841.

Designed by artist and curator Emmanuelle Luciani, this science-fiction-inspired scenography combined a cathedral setting with neon lights, dancers and a techno soundscape.

"This crystal does interesting things with light," added Wood. "In the light of the show, it's a very bright mix of pinks and purples, but in natural light it's much softer."

Baccarat Crystal Crypt was on show from 21 to 25 April 2026 as part of Milan design week. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

The photography is by Philippe Garcia.

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