THE WWW'S — FAREN'S CAITLIN & DOMINIQUE

Have you heard of The WWW’s? Through this section on our website, you’ll be able to get to know our clients a little better, as we’ll dive deep into the WHO, WHAT and WHY of their brands. Intrigued? Enjoy your read.

This duo spends a lot of their time as fully fledged hunter-gatherers traveling the world in search of unique industrial lamps, which they virtually always find in old ships or abandoned industrial premises. They select, inspect, clean and repair the lamps, all while honoring their impressive pasts by naming them after their place of origin. Meet Melanie Caitlin Veen and Dominique Sanjay Schellekens, the enterprising pair that founded industrial lighting brand ‘Faren’.

www.faren.be — @faren_antwerp — #faren_antwerp — @faren.antwerp

Hi Caitlin and Dominique! Could you please introduce yourselves and tell us about your background and education?

Hi there! We are from Antwerp and we currently still live here. Our educational backgrounds are completely different from one another. Dominique studied graphic design while Caitlin studied Biomedical Sciences and Economics. That being said, we share a passion for vintage objects, as we find these to be more interesting, charming and of better quality than a lot of newly produced items. We love to visit flea markets to scavenge for forgotten treasures and reclaim them.

How did you come up with the idea to start a vintage and industrial lighting brand?

Ha, that was a coincidence! One time, while we were traveling, we came across several industrial lights that had previously housed in an abandoned factory. They were so beautiful, so interesting. We fell in love with their design and uniqueness instantly. So, we bought them, without knowing what we were going to do with them or even how we would get them back to Belgium. Soon afterwards, we discovered there were only a few companies that focused on vintage industrial lights. And, that was when we decided to start Faren… to focus on unique industrial vintage lighting.

What makes Faren lighting unique?

The lamps we offer are sourced from old ships and abandoned industrial sites around the world. They reflect a piece of history so to say, and no two are alike as weather conditions, usage and age give them their own distinctive character. Very importantly, we believe in offering high quality products to our customers, so we hand-pick each item before adding it to into our collection.

Where would you like to see Faren in 5 years time? What are your dreams for the future?

We’d like to grow Faren as a brand that inspires both our customers and partners on larger projects to create unique lighting experiences. Our aim is to personally grow alongside Faren by taking on new adventures and expanding our existing network for sourcing lamps.
Our vision for Faren is to become the beacon of light for reclaimed industrial lamps to create unique lighting experiences.

What advice would you give to people who are considering starting their own business?

Our advice is to believe in the product you offer. Have passion and determination, but also have patience. Starting your own business is tough and very exciting at the same time. It was a huge leap and constant learning curve for us. It is important to allow yourself to make mistakes along the way. We made mistakes but they made us re-think what we were doing and led us to new ideas which sometimes ended up as new opportunities.

Thank you, Caitlin and Dominique, for the inspirational talk! Good luck with everything!

Intrigued by the brand? Check out Faren and get inspired!