British designer Tom Dixon will exhibit his new collection, entitled A Bit of Rough, at Superstudio Più in Milan during the furniture fair in April.

New products include a "tree" for Dixon's Mirror Ball lights (above), which can support up to six of the lights in different sizes, and a production version of Blow (top image), a light specifically designed for low-energy compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).

Dixon gave away 1,000 of a version of this lamp during the London Design Festival in September 2007 to raise awareness of CFL bulbs. See also our movie of the Trafalgar Square project.

Below is the press release from Tom Dixon:

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A BIT OF ROUGH

Superstudio Piu, Via Tortona, 27, Milan

16th–21st April 2008, 10am–10pm

British design company TOM DIXON will reveal its new lighting and furniture range in Superstudio Piu during the Milan Design Week in April 2008.

The 2008 collection entitled ‘A bit of Rough’, derives from a British colloquial saying that typifies down to earth characteristics and straight talking, devoid of affectation attitude.

Tom Dixon says: “Its not that I have anything against slickness or refinement, but for me a British brand should stick out through it’s no nonsense approach, it’s honesty in surfaces and materials, innovation and a robustness that takes it beyond short term fashionability. The collection is based on heavy-weight industrial techniques such as cast glass, cast iron, vitreous enamel and solid oak, to give objects longevity and honesty that should speak for itself.”

The Mirror Ball has, despite its slick, high tech finish, an industrial strength and heritage. Inspired by the lunar landing space helmets, the lamp is fashioned from high impact resistant polycarbonate normally used in bullet proofing and anti vandal applications, making it almost indestructible. Its new configuration, on a robust stainless steel stand features an array of various sized balls, tightly held in place with robust, industrial strength clamps creating an extraordinary sculptural interior lighting ‘tree.’ The new stand allows for up to six Mirror Balls, available in three different sizes 50cm, 40cm, 25cm.

Also new to the collection is the Blow Light, the first energy saving light in the range specifically designed to accommodate a low-energy compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL). Unusually, the fluorescent light source is concentrated and colour temperature is warmed by the pure copper reflective coating, making it a broad beamed spot lamp. The lamp is held in place by a heavy weight industrial rubber plug allowing it to function as a unique outdoor lamp. It can be used on a stand, as a pendant or floor light.