Wax is one of those materials we rarely stop to think about — yet it carries stories of bees, craft, time, care and reuse.
That’s what makes the work of Lola Lely, co-founder of Wax Atelier, so fascinating. Through candles, workshops, exhibitions and collaborations, she invites people to slow down, work with their hands, and reconnect with materials in a more thoughtful way.
After first meeting Lola through Open City and later collaborating on a workshop between The Green Londoner and Wax Atelier, it felt like the right time to share more about her practice, her relationship with wax, and the quiet sustainability behind her work.
The Green Londoner: What does wax represent to you?
Lola Lely: Wax feels alive to me. It carries the work of bees and a real sense of time. The more you handle it, the more you realise how responsive it is. You can melt it, reshape it, start again. It naturally slows you down, which I really value.
TGL: Why did you co-found Wax Atelier?
Lola: It started quite naturally with a friend and fellow designer, Yesenia Thibault-Picazo. We were both teaching at Central Saint Martins and had set our students a brief to explore a raw material in depth and really become experts in it. We tried the brief ourselves and chose wax. Our students’ projects were so interesting, and going through the process firsthand opened up even more for us. We haven’t really looked back since. Wax Atelier grew from that shared curiosity.
TGL: Tell us about your multidisciplinary approach
Lola: Candles are often how people find us, but they’re just one part of it. The workshops, talks and exhibitions all come from wanting to open things up. We’re as interested in conversation and learning as we are in making. It keeps the practice feeling alive.
TGL: Why is sustainability central to your work?
Lola: It’s hard to ignore when you’re working with beeswax. You become very aware of where it comes from and what supports it. For us, it’s less about making a statement and more about working in a way that makes sense. Wax can be reused again and again, so it naturally resists waste.
TGL: How do you approach the creative process?
Lola: It’s very hands-on. A lot of it is testing, trying things out, seeing what happens. Wax has a mind of its own sometimes, so you have to respond to it. Some of the best pieces come from things not going to plan.
TGL: Where do you find inspiration?
Lola: It’s quite everyday. Nature, materials, conversations, things we come across. It tends to build gradually rather than coming from one big idea.
TGL: What are you working on right now?
Lola: We’re continuing to develop workshops and collaborations, including the ones with The Green Londoner. At the same time, we’re starting to think more about installations and working with wax in a more spatial way.
TGL: What’s your dream direction?
Lola: More collaborations, especially with people in different fields. And pushing wax into new contexts, maybe larger scale or public-facing work. Just keeping it evolving.
Quick fire
TGL: Favourite green space in London?
Lola: Isabella Plantation in Richmond
TGL: Favourite dish?
Lola: Vietnamese bún chả nem chay, vegetarian spring rolls with lots of herbs and vermicelli noodles
TGL: One word for Green Londoners?
Lola: Care
You can explore Wax Atelier’s work here.
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