by Sergio Rodrigues, 1966
Sergio Rodrigues designed Carmel Armchair in 1966 as the iconic piece for his first international store, “OCA,” which opened that same year in Carmel•by•the•Sea, California. Rodrigues’ entrepreneurial spirit demonstrated that it was possible to take Brazilian design abroad. Carmel and OCA stood out as a manifesto in America: to promote furniture with genuine Brazilian comfort. The choice of Carmel•by•the•Sea—a paradise between San Francisco and Los Angeles—for his first store, targeted an audience of international academic intellects and sophisticated Hollywood stars, showcasing the boldness of a master who was earning his place in the flourishing American creative scene of the 1960’s.
