Lia Lounge Chair by Sergio Rodrigues, Brazil, 1962

Designed in 1962 by Sergio Rodrigues, the Lia fauteuil embodies the expressive clarity that defines modern Brazilian design. Created originally for the restaurant of the Edifício Manchete in Rio de Janeiro, an architectural project by Oscar Niemeyer, the chair reflects a dialogue between architecture and furniture that was central to Brazil’s cultural optimism of the period. Rodrigues, often regarded as the father of modern Brazilian design, combined structural rigor with material warmth, establishing a language that was both international and distinctly Brazilian.

The Lia chair is composed of a solid jacaranda (Brazilian rosewood) frame with precise, rectilinear lines, softened by a suspended sling seat in thick saddle leather. The tensioned leather forms both seat and backrest in a single gesture, offering ergonomic comfort while emphasizing the chair’s architectural silhouette. The rich tonality of the hardwood contrasts elegantly with the patinated leather, resulting in a piece that is at once restrained, tactile, and deeply characteristic of Rodrigues’ oeuvre.