FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETY

The Fabric of Our Society editorial is a platform for industry thought leaders to provide experience-based opinions and reflections on various topics. Diverse perspectives are respected and most welcome. Want to contribute? Email [email protected]

May 2026

Standards Are Power. Are We Giving Ours Up?         

Kimberly R. Mercier
Principal, Lighting Design Innovations

The CIE shapes lighting standards both here and abroad. If we lose our seat at the table, we surrender influence over the rules that govern our industry. If, like me, you believe the US should lead in global lighting discourse, this is the moment to act.   MORE >

April 2026

Community as Catalyst: Why Lighting Designers Choose Entrepreneurship      

Kelly Roberts, Principal, Primary Arc Design & Francesca Bastianini, Founding Principal, Sighte Studio

A clear shift is underway: a wave of new entrepreneurship in lighting design. After more than a decade of consolidation – through mergers, acquisitions, and centralization – the trend has begun to move in the opposite direction. We see more designers starting their own practices as part of a broader shift in how careers, leadership, and longevity in our profession are being imagined.  MORE >

March 2026

The Work That Changes Us      

Cy Eaton
Associate Director, HLB Lighting Design
Managing Director, Light for LA initiative

Showing up – without authority or guarantees – quietly reshapes judgment, builds trust, and strengthens the culture the lighting industry depends on. Be attentive. Engage. Find small ways to help. Over time, small investments of grace will yield surprising dividends for your community. And you just might help yourself along the way.  MORE >

February 2026

The Hidden Cost of Facade Lighting      

Ajin Cho
Lighting Designer, Domingo Gonzalez Associates

Tools for evaluating skyglow are often used only after construction, e.g., taking nighttime photos or on-site measurements. These assessments are helpful, but they often come too late to make any real changes. What we need is a more proactive mindset that helps us understand the environmental impact of our lighting decisions before they are built.   MORE >

January 2026

Ethics in Illumination: Applying Catholic Social Teaching to the Lighting Industry    

Matthew Dacey
VP of Specification Sales, ELA + Synergy

Matthew Dacey makes the case that ethical sourcing, human dignity, and responsible design aren’t “extra.” They're the future of a stronger lighting industry. "Ethical sourcing is no longer optional. It’s a reflection of who we are and what we value as an industry."    MORE >

December 2025

From Bauhaus to Butter Cows:
Must We Choose a Color of Light? 

Scott Rosenfeld
Lighting Designer, Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery

After 30+ years, Smithsonian lighting designer Scott Rosenfeld is still learning and questioning. Can he reconcile color scientists, lighting scientists, and his own experience? "A good designer can make a wide variety of color temperatures work in the same scene. Go ahead and question the typical advice."   MORE >

November 2025

Designer and Advocate: Navigating Dual Roles

Edward Bartholomew
Founder and Principal, Bartholomew Lighting  |  Co-Founder and Executive Director, Light Justice
Founder and Former President, BUILD (Black United In Lighting & Design)

Edward Bartholomew discusses the “both/and” of lighting design and advocacy. “Light quality in these spaces is more than a design choice. It’s an act of care.”  We can ensure that lighting serves not just the privileged few, but every community that deserves to be seen, celebrated, and supported.  MORE >

October 2025

Is Lighting Cultural?

Ashley Chan
Designer, HLB Lighting Design

Moving from the Tropics to wonderful, weatherful New York City taught Ashley Chan how lighting design is shaped by geography, culture, and time. Light is powerful and ever-changing – evolving with time, place, and people.  MORE >

September 2025

Why Lighting Distributors Are Essentia/h4>

Sean Lafferty
President & CEO, Chelsea Lighting

Chelsea’s Sean Lafftery stresses the distributor’s leverage and calls for designers and distributors to partner early, communicate clearly, and make space (and budget) for each stakeholder to bring their strengths to the table.  MORE >