Why a Brazilian designer finds Hong Kong so inspiring it drives him ‘crazy’
Humberto Campana, who has been creating quirky furniture, clothing and lighting with his brother Fernando for 25 years, on how to keep the mind fertile and creative
You trained as a lawyer. How did you end up in design? “After I graduated I gave my diploma to my parents and got on with my life, working with my hands, making simple crafts and objects, and my brother [Fernando] joined me. We grew up in the countryside and didn’t have much, but had fertile minds, so we made our own universe comfortable using our imaginations.”
What spurs you on? “The challenge is to maintain a fresh mind, to be young in terms of creativity. I find travel inspirational. I like to be in ateliers working with people – that really excites me.”
You work with a wide range of materials – which is your favourite? “I love natural fibres, like bamboo. It drives me crazy when I am in Hong Kong because I see it everywhere and it is so inspirational. Brazil has 110 species of bamboo so we use it for all sorts of things.”
You founded your studio in São Paulo in the early 1980s. How has your design evolved since then? “When we started, Brazil wasn’t known for its contemporary design so it took a lot of effort to get to the stage where we were respected. Now we work with brands like Baccarat, Louis Vuitton and Lasvit but I always try to be aware of how we are moving forward. I am always afraid I will lose authenticity.”
Tell us about the design process for your Bomboca Sofa. “The idea started when Fernando created a bowl in leather that looked like a fruit basket. It evolved into a chair and then we added cushions. It looks like the candy served at parties in Brazil. This is the way we think; we don’t start by deciding to design a sofa.”
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What are you working on now? “We’ve created a monster sculpture [called Outer Space Monsters] in glass for Lasvit. It’s funny because I am the older brother and Fernando says I torture him. Maybe this monster is myself?”
Do you and Fernando argue? “Yes, but it’s good to disagree. We say what we think with no filters. We also still play like kids.”
