Dwell 2015 09

profile
in the store’s small custom upholstery
workroom, where his tinkering yielded
the streamlined MP-001 armchair, produced
in 1961. A T-shaped steel base
covered with thin pieces of solid rosewood,
it had an upholstered seat crafted
out of layers of foam instead of springs.
“I made it in a modern way,” explains
Lafer, noting that the blend of steel and
wood in his designs was informed by
the analogous structures of architects
Oscar Niemeyer and Mendes da Rocha,
whose work posed “a real departure
from traditional methods.” In short
order, the chair was a huge hit and Lafer
built his first bona fide factory.
Around that time, Rodrigues, eight
years Lafer’s senior, introduced his
now-iconic Mole chair, which Lafer
notes “influenced not only me, but a
whole generation.” Rodrigues paid Lafer
a visit in the late ’60s, after his MP-041
collection took off. Though he was initially
wary of the seeming similarities of
their work, recalls Lafer, “He recognized
they were true originals that only helped
to expand the market for this kind of
‘Brazilian look.’ We developed a relationship
of great respect for each other.”
By 1974, Lafer had produced a prolific
and diverse range of work, including
the now-vintage MP Lafer sports car,
kiosks, telephone booths, and fiberglass
architectural components. In 1985, when
shipping costs increased exponentially,
Brazil Contempo stores came to an
abrupt halt in the States. By then, Lafer
was immersed in making ergonomically
correct recliners, which he continues to
produce today for the home and healthcare
markets. “I’ve always been drawn
to the motion features of furniture,” he
says. “The engineering and design work
that goes into its mechanisms is fascinating
and fulfilling.” Though chairs are
once again his present mainstay, he still
doesn’t necessarily consider himself a
furniture designer: “I love to make physical
objects, and I’m constantly thinking
about all the ways I can improve them.”
The seat support of the MP-129,
designed in 1976, hangs on
the upper back beam of its
solid hardwood frame (below).
The MP-163 “Earth Chair”and
matching footstool in light
beige, and the S1 collection of
armchairs, sofas, and tables,
designed in 1975 (bottom).
70 SEPTEMBER 2015 DWELL