Armando Cabral Reimagines USM Haller With Heritage Portuguese Textiles
Spanning eight versatile pieces, the drop includes the Bassarel love chair, Lily daybed and sculptural Nkyinkyim bookshelf.
Summary
USM and Armando Cabral unveil their second collection, "NKYINKYIM A CASA," an eight-piece modular furniture range.
The designs pair USM Haller structures with handwoven Portuguese woolen textiles from Fabricaal. Highlights include the Bassarel love chair, Lily daybed and Manjak chairs.
Swiss modular furniture pioneer USM and designer Armando Cabral have reunited to unveil the “NKYINKYIM A CASA” collection, marking the second chapter of their ongoing collaborative exploration following its initial launch in 2025. Named after the Ghanaian Adinkra symbol representing transformation, growth and non-linear progress, the project explores how design can carry cultural memory across geographies and generations. Drawing from Cabral’s personal journey spanning Guinea-Bissau, Portugal, London and New York, the collection conceives the home not as a static space, but as a dynamic, living system centered around gathering, ritual and storytelling.
The eight-piece collection brings a tactile, human warmth to USM’s timeless Haller modular system by integrating historic Portuguese material traditions. To achieve this synthesis of industrial precision and heritage craft, Cabral collaborated with traditional Portuguese mill Fabricaal. The heritage mill outfitted several key seating designs in vibrant woolen textiles rooted in the richly colored palettes and centuries-old weaving techniques of Portugal’s Alentejo region, bridging the gap between Swiss structural engineering and artisanal textile production.
Spanning a wide range of functional living solutions, the collection features standout seating pieces including the Bassarel love chair, built to invite close interaction, and the sweeping Lily daybed, designed as an impressive living room centerpiece. The seating range is rounded out by the Manjak and Manjak Mini chairs, while storage and display requirements are addressed through architectural pieces like the Banu credenza, Arkad sidetable, Uno bookcase and the sculptural Nkyinkyim bookshelf. Each design emphasizes modular versatility and structural adaptability, allowing the pieces to evolve alongside their inhabitants.
The collection made its symbolic debut in Lisbon at MAAT Central’s Sala dos Geradores before arriving in New York City for its global presentation. “NKYINKYIM A CASA” is currently on view at USM’s flagship showroom located at 28 – 30 Greene Street in Soho.
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