Campana Brothers Footstools
The Campana Brothers were among Brazil’s foremost contemporary furniture designers. Inspired by their country’s vernacular culture, Humberto and Fernando Campana (b. 1953; 1961–2022) combined everyday objects in unexpected ways — often waste materials like rope, cardboard, plastic tubing, and aluminum wire — to make their singular chairs, decor, lighting and other items. Their designs have been manufactured by such companies as Alessi, Swarovski and Cappellini. And they received numerous honors, including being named Designer of the Year both at Design Miami in 2008, and by Maison & Objet in Paris in 2012.
Humberto Campana was born in Rio Claro in 1953 and earned a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of São Paulo. Fernando was born in 1961 in Brotas, and graduated from the São Paulo School of Fine Arts with a bachelor’s degree in architecture.
The Campana brothers started working together in 1983, crafting furniture using their signature method of adaptive reuse. Their pieces frequently refer to Brazilian social and cultural traditions and entities. Among these are the country’s favelas, or shantytowns, that have grown up around major cities. An homage to the resourcefulness with which the residents of São Paulo’s favelas make use of the materials at hand, repurposing cast-off objects in ingenious designs and constructions, their Favela armchair is made of cast-off strips of wood (the first one was made from discarded slats from a fruit market), which are glued and nailed together seemingly at random. The end result, however, is a compact, solid and well-proportioned chair.
By 1997, some of the Campanas’ pieces were being produced and sold in Italy, including the Edra Vermelha armchair, constructed of cord handwoven around a steel frame. In 1998, the brothers became the first Brazilian designers to have their work exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Today their furniture is included in MoMA’s permanent collection and in those of numerous other major institutions, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Vitra Design Museum.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Campana Brothers armchairs, case pieces and other furniture.
2010s Campana Brothers Footstools
Fur, Sheepskin
Mid-20th Century Polish Mid-Century Modern Campana Brothers Footstools
Velvet
Late 20th Century Brazilian Campana Brothers Footstools
Aluminum, Steel
2010s Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Campana Brothers Footstools
Fabric, Velvet
20th Century English Chesterfield Campana Brothers Footstools
Velvet
Mid-20th Century Polish Mid-Century Modern Campana Brothers Footstools
Velvet, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Campana Brothers Footstools
Leather
Mid-20th Century Rustic Campana Brothers Footstools
Brass
Mid-20th Century Polish Mid-Century Modern Campana Brothers Footstools
Fabric
2010s Italian Campana Brothers Footstools
Aluminum, Steel
1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Campana Brothers Footstools
Leather
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Campana Brothers Footstools
Fabric
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Campana Brothers Footstools
Brass
Campana Brothers footstools for sale on 1stDibs.
Creators Similar to Campana Brothers
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 3, 2024The Campana Brothers are known for being among Brazil's foremost contemporary furniture designers. Inspired by their country's vernacular culture, Humberto and Fernando Campana combine everyday objects — often waste materials like rope, cardboard, plastic tubing and aluminum wire — in unexpected ways to make their singular chairs, decor, lighting and other items. Their designs have been manufactured by such companies as Alessi, Swarovski and Cappellini. They have received numerous honors, including being named Designer of the Year both at Design Miami in 2008 and by Maison&Objet in Paris in 2012. Find a range of Campana Brothers furniture on 1stDibs.