We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Elizabeth Costigan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Elizabeth thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My mother taught me to believe in the healing power of beauty. And that good design and quality are worth investing in, to keep our spirits alive and healthy.
My mission for EiC Lighting is to inspire by beauty. I want people to feel alive and connected when they see my chandeliers. I want EiC Lighting designs to illuminate our world to think big, dance, and play. I want to revive our spirits by creating an open relationship between the past, present, and future, in a celebration of quality that I have learned through ceramics and jewelry processes. I want to inspire people to understand anything is possible when color, texture, and culture are celebrated.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

A few years ago, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal Style magazine about a woman who was transitioning from making jewelry into making light fixtures, and it was an ‘ah ha’ moment for me. I could feel it in my bones. After making statement jewelry for 10 years, I was ready to design on a bigger scale.

Not only could I feel it in my bones, I have lighting design in my blood. My great grandfather was a lighting inventor, and had founded the St. Louis Brass Company, later turned Guth Lighting Company, in 1902. The company was the largest manufacturer of light fixtures in the world until the 1940s. My great grandfather had 160 lighting patents. For example, he is responsible for first illuminating the exit sign. He invented both a light that eliminated shadows during surgery and also the first ceiling light fixture to successfully incorporate a fan.

While still designing jewelry for a living, I started playing around with making chandeliers, dissembling unwanted fixtures, and reassembling them into new designs. Inspired, I made light fixtures for every room in my house and installed them with the help of an electrician friend. That friend became integral to my evolution as a lighting artist. I moved my jewelry studio into the back room of his electrical warehouse, and I was able to ask the wiring questions that had initially intimidated me, and he encouraged me to keep pushing forward.

I became more serious about establishing EiC Lighting in 2022. I insulated my garage, pulled wire through the walls for electricity, and mudded sheet rock. I found suppliers and materials for chandeliers. While traveling, I picked up eclectic materials; with these materials, I designed my first collection, ‘Vintage.’ Currently, I am in process of connecting with established showrooms to represent my work.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

As a kid, I struggled to succeed in school; my interest waned and it was hard for me to focus at a desk. This was quite painful for me. Because of this, my mom encouraged me to enjoy an activity of my choice outside of school. I began ceramics classes starting in 4th grade, and I regularly threw pottery on a wheel throughout elementary school. In ceramics, there are strict steps to follow, and each step has to be done impeccably for a quality result. These steps introduced me to process, and understanding process has deeply affected my life; I know how to produce quality.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

As I level up my marketing game, I have been interviewing my marketing and sales friends who have succeeded in their respective fields. My sister suggested to give them a ‘cupcake’. Not a real cupcake, but a small gesture that speaks to the design industry. For my cupcake, I hand paint art deco wallpaper with metallic gold paint, make it into an envelope, and send my lighting catalog inside the bedazzled package. These envelopes take skill and about an hour to paint. I send them to the highest quality showrooms and maximalist interior designers who inspire me. And I usually get a response. Not a sale necessarily, but a response. And that’s a win for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.eiclighting.com
• Instagram: @eiclighting

Image Credits

Rio Chantel
Brandon Krage