Getting creative with modular furniture can require a certain amount of inventiveness; there are only so many ways to organize a rigid set of components, as in the Swiss company USM’s signature Haller system. So to produce something never before seen from such a precise framework — metal rods, ball-shaped connectors, and an array of wildly colorful milled steel panels — a designer really needs to think outside the, well, box.
“Restraint sometimes allows you to think further in order to arrive at something unexpected,” says Armando Cabral, who has entwined the expressive elements of his West African heritage with strict Swiss production parameters in a new collaborative collection with USM.
A Lifestyle Brand Rooted in Heritage
Born in Portugal, Cabral’s West African heritage plays a pivotal role in everything related to his eponymous lifestyle brand, which he founded during the pandemic following a career as a fashion model.
“There are so many rich cultural aspects that speak to me personally,” Cabral says. “So I wanted to take that and bring it into everything that we do.” What began as a line of shoes quickly burgeoned into a full lifestyle offering. Now, he’s debuting his first home collection, Armando Cabral A Casa, as part of his collaboration with USM.
The Influence of Adinkra Symbols
During his research for the collection, Cabral discovered a set of visual symbols known as Adinkra, used by the Gyaman people of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to adorn everything from architecture to fabrics in the region.
“It’s this beautiful, very intelligent system that they created to communicate the wisdoms of the world,” Cabral says. One symbol that particularly resonated with him was Nkyinkyim, an Akan word that literally means “twisting,” which has a snake-like appearance to represent the twists and turns of life’s journey.
“It’s a symbol of initiative, adaptability, and community, which in a way really summarizes the idea I had to approach collaboration.”
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The Nkyinkyim Bookshelf: A Bold Interpretation
The titular piece in his USM collaborative series, the Nkyinkyim bookshelf, translates the serpentine symbol into color-block panels between the stainless steel frames that form open shelves and supporting legs.
It took a lot of sketching and iterating to translate this symbol into a three-dimensional form using only USM’s standard components, the assembly of which is dictated by a computerized system.
“I can’t tell you how many times we started with a design, but then couldn’t achieve it because of the challenges [of the existing system],” Cabral reveals. “But we had to go back and adapt ourselves within that framework.”
A Collection Full of Vibrant Expression
Other pieces in the Armando Cabral x USM collection include:
- A bed frame comprising boxes with bright orange panels, forming a base, a headboard, and nightstands all in one.
- An armchair with olive green panels and cushions upholstered in a custom fabric created with Brooklyn textile brand rruka.
- A side table and a valet stand, designed with the same modular system.
“When you talk about anything related to African references, you have to bring in warmth and vibrancy,” says Cabral. “Orange was the most logical choice for that, particularly because of its size of the structure.”
A Stunning Exhibition in Soho
To present the collection at USM’s Soho showroom, Cabral called on several brands he admires to create an installation that embodies his vision. Ceramics from Fefo Studio, as well as pieces from Amalia Home Collection, Nordic Knots, Alkemis Paints, and Savior Beds, are all used to style and accessorize his designs, along with Armando Cabral A Casa bedsheets, throws, and cushion covers.
The exhibition was originally due to close at the beginning of May, but has been extended until the end of July following overwhelming interest in the collection. It is then set to travel to a variety of locations around the world—catch it near you if you can.
