Founded in 1999 by the husband and wife team of Marcia Zia and Paul Priven, Zia-Priven Design was born out of a shared passion for dramatic lighting and a love of ‘40s Moderne.
In 1997, Zia and Priven met while working on a film in Los Angeles. After discovering their mutual love of lighting and design--not to mention each other--the pair opened a boutique where they specialized in restyling and restoring vintage lighting. Despite the boutique's success, Zia and Priven felt dissatisfied with the lack of creativity they saw in the lighting market, so they set out to create their own line of unique lighting for the contract and residential industries. Leaving their careers in Los Angeles behind, Zia and Priven packed up and moved to New York, where they now live and work.
Their debut line, The Salon Collection, appeared in the fall of 2000, introducing the market to Zia-Priven's modern interpretation of classic lighting. With the additions of The Moderne and Extraordinary Collections, Zia-Priven Design cemented their reputation as a studio specializing in modern glamour.
Experimentation with new materials such as Exotic Wood veneers,Ping Pong Balls, Faceted Nickel Beaded Ball Chain and lengths of luxurious, yet modern crystal chains, has taken the line to a new level. The 10ft Troy Ping Pong Ball Chandelier caused quite a stir at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, 2006, resulting in a feature story in the NY Times, The NY Post and a live interview on The Today Show.
In addition to their own collections, Zia-Priven is fortunate to be included with Karim Rashid and Eva Zeisel as one of only 7 designers creating lighting collections for Stonegate Designs. Large custom projects have been completed for companies such as the Wynn Casino, the Phoenix Crowne Plaza and Miami Radisson hotels, as well as Pazo in Baltimore, Trousdale in New York City and Social Hollywood, a Zeff Design/Jeffrey Chodorow project in the historic Los Angeles landmark Hollywood Athletic Club. Some of their past work includes collaborating with world-renown designer Geoffrey Bradfield to create a line of lamps that harmonize with his Millennium Modern Lucite furniture collection, and working with other top designers that include Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, Jamie Drake, Roderick Shade and Katherine Newman.
Zia-Priven has been featured in numerous publications including Interior Design, Architectural Digest, Metropolis, House Beautiful, Contract Lighting, The New York Times, The NY Sun, and The Los Angeles Times. As well as print and interior design projects, Zia-Priven has also graced the sets of several popular television shows, including among others, The Apprentice: Donald Trump, Seasons 4 & 5 and The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, Will and Grace, Jimmy Kimmel Live and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
Known for their sleek and sophisticated style, Zia-Priven has found their passion...to create Extraordinary Lighting.
Photo Credit: Michelle V. Agins
The New York Times
Individual Bios
Marcia Zia studied fine arts and graphic design and began as an assistant for L.A.’s oldest Antique Auction Gallery. As her interests in antiques and furnishings evolved to interiors and set design, she transitioned to the film industry as a set decorator. After several years of freelance film and commercial work, she took a position at CBS Television where she was nominated for an Emmy(R).
Paul Priven, who studied at UC Santa Barbara, began in the entertainment industry as a production assistant and quickly rose to the ranks of 1st Assistant Director on numerous feature films and television productions. While producing and directing his own film, Priven developed a close working relationship with his cinematographer who taught him the value and impact of both cinematic and practical lighting.
