Robert Dudley Best was the heir to the worlds largest lighting factory based in Birmingham; he decided that his current range that he was producing was dated and stale. He decided to travel the world for inspiration including the Modern Design exhibition in Paris where he was inspired by the Bauhaus movement and designs of legends such as Mies Van Der Rohe and Le Corbusier . He then decided to study industrial design in Düsseldorf and became pals with founder of the Bauhaus movement Walter Gropius. This was the inspiration the Bestlite was produced.

This was responsible for the Bauhaus movement in the UK and the lamps became favorites amongst everyone including our greatest ever Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. There is a famous picture of his air raid shelter in Whitehall with a Best lite lamp on his desk. The lamps also became popular because they were features in the architect’s journal and became a favorite amongst architects and interior designers.

In 2004 Danish design brand Gubi took over the rights for the Bestlite lights they specialize in reissuing popular designs of yesteryear. The lights are to this day still manufactured in Birmingham and are now available in wide range of variations in the table lamps and floor lamps, wall lights and ceiling lighting. They are also now available in a range of 3 colours black, white. And cream (off white).