There’s probably no greater influence on the Brazilian design ethos than the mid-century modernism of Oscar Niemeyer and Sergio Rodrigues.
Unless it’s the vivid colors of nature or the wide varieties in Brazilian wood.
“There’s wood here that’s not found anywhere else,” says Luiz Silva, president of Brazilian furniture maker Saccaro. “There are rattans, mallaca, junco, bamboo, and banana bark.”
His designers use them all, paired up strikingly with fiber weavings on metal bases, in an atmosphere that’s driven by hands-on design.
“Saccaro is a designer’s paradise,” he says. “All the elements are at your disposal to create beautiful pieces, including product research and development. It’s in our DNA.”
The 68-year-old company’s DNA is also partially Italian. It was started up in the southern part of Brazil by descendants of an Italian colony established there at the turn of the 20th century.
“They brought all their skills and the will to succeed,” he says.
Designers at Saccaro don’t simply develop an idea and send it off to the factory. They’re actively engaged every step along the way. And their products evolve over time, as designers add new finishes, woods and fibers to adjust to issues of sustainability or new design requirements.
One example might be the Noronha by Roque Srizzo, a 45-year-old Brazilian.
“He’s one of the best designers in marketplace today,” Silva says. “But Saccaro always has unique concept pieces.”
With collections of indoor and outdoor pieces as broad as theirs, each must speak to the others, for a mix-and-match effect in their ultimate environment.
“At the end of day, it’s all the identity of the company,” he says. “We’re not an accent piece manufacturer – we thrive on getting a more cohesive collection.”
And yes, Saccaro will be at ICFF in New York, from May 17 – 20.
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