Studio

The journey of Sipek Design began with Milan Sipek and his wife Sherrill. The company was founded with the goal of architectural designs, expanding soon after to include projects such as furniture collections, glassware and other products.

After two decades, Sipek Design made a proud return to Europe to stay in close touch with the Sipek family and complete its identity as a multi-talented team.

We tirelessly dedicate ourselves to a grand scope of artwork and designs, some of which we humbly present in our webshop for like-minded creatives to appreciate.

We enjoy making it,
hope you enjoy owning it.Sipek Design

Sherrill

Co-founder and general manager

Milan Šípek

Founder and head of design

Three generations
of glass design

It starts with René Roubíček, one of the first Czech glass artists to show and work outside the Czech Republic and across the oceans, and the godfather of Bořek Šípek. René took Bořek under his wing from a young age and opened up his mind to the beauty of glass.

The name Sipek is world-renowned in design circles, our father Borek Sipek was a prolific architect, designer, and thinker. He is often referred to as the father of the Neo-Baroque style. We have learned a lot from him but we have also had the opportunity to create our own unique style. Milan Sipek lived and worked in Asia for almost two decades and developed a number of his own brands and projects.

Although some of the projects we have done in the past are of a grand scale we have always maintained a small tight-knit family team. Times and styles change and also our preferred mediums of design tend to evolve, so you will find a wide range of items on this site we have poured our hearts into.

Šípek Crystal presents you with new and innovative handmade bohemian crystal design, with a tradition that spans more than a decade and three generations of glass artists. Stationed for almost a hundred years in northern Bohemia, the glass center of Czech Republic, the Šípek/Roubíček name has spread itself all over the world over and over again. Starting with René Roubíček, one of the first Czech glass artist to ever show and work outside of Czech republic and even across the oceans, the godfather of Borek Šípek.

René took Borek Šípek under his wing from a young age and opened up his mind to the beauty of glass. Borek Šípek went on to work with glass, as well as many other media, in a pursuit to awe the world with bold design. He founded his company in Amsterdam, where he fathered two sons, Milan Šípek and Dalibor Šípek. Both sons took to art from a very young age exploring as many media as possible.

Every journey to Czech Republic was a treat for the sons, because they could spend time with their grandfather René, and because they could spend time in the glass factories. From a young age with awe at the beauty of the craftsmanship and design produced from Bohemian crystal, the two brothers grew up with glass in their roots. Milan Šípek studied a variety of art and design forms, and started up his own company in China.

With over ten years of successful architectural and design experience, Milan Šípek is a unmissable aspect of the Šípek Crystal design team. Dalibor Šípek worked hand on in the Šípek Team glass factory as a glass blower, and later took over the family company. Having learned the techniques hands on, Dalibor Šípek has learned how to play with glass from a workers view point, creating challenging designs that push the material to its limits.

Milan and Dalibor Šípek always have a close eye on quality control, and great communication the glass team, ensuring great quality crystal and stunning design.

René Roubíček

Glass artist, godfather of Bořek Šípek

Bořek Šípek

Architect, designer and thinker

Dalibor Šípek

Photographer - Product Designer - Artist

From Amsterdam to Shanghai and back

There is no manual for finding inspiration.Milan Sipek, Tongji University, 9 November 2015

On November 9, 2015, European designer Milan Sipek gave a talk at Tongji University in which he discussed the topic of finding inspiration with students. Sipek, known for pioneering the category of modular furniture and for his work as a Czech crystal designer, is also a respected interior, landscape, and product designer. During the talk, Sipek addressed a question that he is frequently asked when presenting his work to audiences or clients: "What is your source of inspiration?"

Sipek admitted that he doesn't particularly enjoy this question, as it is often difficult to answer and, for him at least, there is not always a clear answer. True creative thinking, Sipek explained, is free and unrestricted. There is no manual for finding inspiration, and it can be sparked by anything - music, literature, or even a random encounter on the street. To tap into inspiration, one must keep their mind, heart, and senses open to receiving it.

This means allowing oneself to make random associations, which can be surprising and unexpected, and recognizing when inspiration strikes. Of course, having a strong foundation of theory and technical knowledge is also important in order to build upon and execute the ideas that inspiration brings. But ultimately, Sipek emphasized the importance of letting go of preconceptions and expectations and being open to the unexpected in order to truly embrace creativity and find inspiration.

Press & exhibitions

Antonia Jannone Gallery, Milano

From 11 December 2018 to 20 January, Milan Sipek had a couple of his works on display at the Antonia Jannone Gallery in Milano, Italy. In approaching the nativity, thought goes to the faith that can welcome everyone. Since the early centuries the symbol of Christians to be recognized and to make sure that the interlocutor was of the same faith was the fish. Elegant, silent, fascinating and sinuous figure that lives in total freedom.

FISH Artists included in the exhibition are: Andrea Branzi, Sergio Cappelli and Patrizia Ranzo, Elena Carozzi, Girolamo Ciulla, Thomas Corey, Anna De Carlo, Michele De Lucchi, Giorgio Maria Griffa, Ugo La Pietra, Diane Loranchet, Livio Marzot, Alessandro Mendini, Santiago Miranda, Gaetano Pesce, Franco Raggi, Aimone Sambuy, Fabrizio Sclavi, Milan Sipek, Gianni Tamburelli, Velasco Vitali and Marco Zanuso Jr have interpreted this symbol in different colors, techniques and materials.

From Andrea Branzi's aquariums to the painted nautical charts of Diane Loranchet; from the travertine sculptures of Girolamo Ciulla to the works on paper by Tom Corey, Michele De Lucchi, Giorgio Maria Griffa, Ugo La Pietra, Velasco Vitali; from the painted wallpapers by Elena Carrozzi to the resin design by Gaetano Pesce; from the Bohemian crystals of Milan Sipek to the enamelled fishes of Marco Zanuso Jr.

Inhabited fish (Franco Raggi), dreamed fish (Santiago Miranda), fish object (Gianni Tamburelli), flying fish (Anna De Carlo), cosmic fish (Livio Marzot) ... an ocean of fish will surprise you. "The fish gallery taught by Antonia Jannone is a party at the rank of the symbol where every fish being is the revealer of intimate mysteries. The role of mediation that they hold is a bridge between visible and invisible. "From a glass of water for many fish by Marco Sammicheli. And an unpublished writing by Erri De Luca.

This is where all the design magic happens