Original BTC
When Peter Bowles launched lighting company Original BTC (which stands for British, Timeless, Classic) 30 years ago, he could not have imagined it would become the internationally renowned, family-run business it is today. With showrooms in London, Paris and New York, it has come a long way since its humble beginnings, when Bowles decided he did not like the plastic flex used on a lamp, so designed what is now the brand’s signature woven cotton braid flex. Following a visit to Stoke-on-Trent, where he found a ceramics factory under threat of closure, Bowles took on the business, including all the staff, and began making bone china lamps.
Today he works alongside his son Charlie, and together they have acquired several other lighting businesses to create a comprehensive catalogue of world-class British lighting designs that focus on longevity, craft and pushing the boundaries of production. All Original BTC’s metal and glass components are produced in Birmingham, its LED lights in Oxford, and the bone china elements still in Stoke-on-Trent. Iconic Original BTC products include the Hector, Oxford and London collections.