[Designers of Brazil]: "Elegance, quality and comfort are non-negotiable", says Jader Almeida

_{For this designer from Santa Catarina, winner of the main national and international design awards, including two Best In Show at EXPO REVESTIR, learning and challenges are constant: "In my creative process, I always try to add layers, sophisticate techniques and compositions", explains the designer, who gave an exclusive interview for the series Designers do Brasil}

By Simões Neto

Of all the contemporary Brazilian designers, Jader Almeida is perhaps the most mysterious and unpredictable in the way he makes design. The versatility of his lines and technical thinking, the type of product that will come, the comfort and choice of materials, the textures and tones: there is always great anticipation for his launches and everyone wants to know what will come out of his ideas and drawing boards.

The pieces are true invitations to adventures that involve experiences without return, which encompass coziness, elegance, aesthetics and undeniable quality. Who has never fallen in love with furniture designed by him? As journalist Mara Gama writes on the designer's official website, "Jader Almeida's pieces are known in layers": "Each one can be savoured slowly. Taken as pure form, projeto in search of beauty, his design is striking, with fine, fluid lines, soft curves, rounded intersections, delicate balances on the edge of physics and repeating geometric themes", details the journalist.

"If you get closer to the finished piece, you see the effect it has on the surrounding space, the harmony between the components, the colour palette, the elegant combination of materials. When you get a little closer, what strikes you is the welcoming invitation to the touch of hands and body, the generosity of the lines that announce comfort. If you get even closer, you will see the engineering of the finishes. They are perfect constructive details, in a challenging equation in which the thickness of each component sustains as much weight as possible to maintain its slender form, preserving as much lightness as possible," Mara says.

For EXPO REVESTIR's special edition Designers of Brazil, Jader spoke about the impact of the pandemic on his creation, his childhood references and the preparations for celebrating twenty years of trajectory in 2024. Check it out!

EXPO REVESTIR: What was your childhood like? Did the references from that time impact, in any way, your way of making design?  

Jader Almeida: My childhood was very stimulating. I grew up in a small city (Videira, Santa Catarina), but with a lot of structure and many options in terms of culture, courses and tasks. From an early age, sports, civic and artistic activities were present in my routine. Today I am convinced that all this had an impact on my repertoire and on the way I think and interpret the world.

EPRV: In 2014 you launched the book "Jader Almeida: the timelessness of design", written by Adélia Borges, which celebrated 10 years of your career. In 2024 it will be twenty years of trajectory. Any projeto in sight to commemorate this iconic date?

JA: Absolutely. We will do a publication of the twenty years. And as expected it will be much richer and multidisciplinary.

EPRV: From Santa Catarina to São Paulo and to the main Brazilian capitals. Then your pieces have already been in Milan, New York, Paris, Tokyo, Australia, Spain, Switzerland, and New Zealand. Where does Jader Almeida still want to go?

JA: Everything has always happened in an "organic" way. That is, of course there are always plans, ambitions and projections. However, as we are a cohesive and very committed team, transcending borders happened naturally. Currently, we no longer think about where to reach, but rather, how to maintain, stay true to a style, innovate and keep the commitment to innovation, creativity and the durable nature of our products.

EPRV: From 2008 to 2016 you have won several awards. Which has impacted you the most and what is the most awarded work?  

JA: Awards are certainly stimulating. Especially at the beginning of a career, they are a kind of seal of approval that boosts and in a way gives you more security and visibility. There are countless products with various awards.

EPRV: From the first piece you created to the most recent one, how do you evaluate the evolution of your work? What have you learned over the years?

JA: The learning and the challenge are constant. From my point of view and in my creative process, I always try to add layers, sophisticate techniques and compositions. However, when analysing a timeline it is quickly noticeable that there is a language and a coherence in all the products.

EPRV: Creativity is always surprising. When it comes to Jader Almeida it comes and goes or is it constant? Is there or has there ever been a creative block?

JA: I wouldn't say blockage, but of course there are moments that seem to flow better. Currently, I can identify that a series of factors influence creativity. So, in moments of creation I try to leave aside everything that hinders the creative fix.

EPRV: You work with various materials. Of all of them, which is the most delicious to work with, the most unpredictable and the most laborious, the one that has taken away your sleep?

JA: There are specific challenges in each subject. I believe that in the beginning, when you are testing is the moment that demands redoubled attention. After a while, when you achieve something acceptable, you understand the nuances of each raw material and this is very gratifying. I usually say that I don't exactly have a predilection, but there is an inclination towards natural materials. The biggest challenge, for me, is not necessarily in the material, but in the composition between the materials, in the compatibilization and in the result of this "mixture".

EPRV: One of your brand strategies is to be present in the main design festivals around the world. And I remember that the last time I met you in Milan, for example, you were tired from the intense work, but happy with the result. What is your assessment of these journeys which consist, besides the travel, of assembly, disassembly and the presentation of your work to the visitors there in person?

JA: The balance is clear: the baggage, the accumulation of experiences, the encounters and the infinite possibilities that all this provides. So, all the effort is valid and the "fatigue" is fleeting. From all these experiences, the learning is added up and constitutes the ability to make choices over time.

EPRV: You are highly detailed and demanding. No trace of defect gets past Jader's lynx eyes and that extends to everything: from the products to the installations around your works. How do you personally deal with this level of demand and anxiety to make sure everything turns out perfectly?

JA: I confess that today, with maturity, it is easier to equalize the various factors of the process. But, always, the biggest challenge is to make people, timing etc. compatible. However, in the end, everyone understands and feels the pleasure of a job well done and so, as I said, they add experiences and enrich the repertoire.

EPRV: What is your routine like? From waking up to going to sleep, does your life revolve around work or do you set aside some time for leisure?

JA: I really like what I do. Our profession provides many moments when work and leisure are the same and the routine becomes pleasurable. Of course there are less pleasurable days. However, this is all part of the equation.

EPRV: Has this pandemic moment we've been through impacted you in any way?

JA: Not only did it impact but it changed a lot of things. This moment was very enlightening in various aspects ranging from personal organisation to a reflection about life.

EPRV: In your most productive phases, how many projects have you bullied at one time?  

JA: There are always many simultaneous projects. Today, for example, I have challenging jobs that range from building architecture projects, interiors, shops, software implementation, marketing compatibilities, products, expansion, etc.

EPRV: What is the most striking feature of your work that makes people look and recognise: this is Jader Almeida.

JA: Elegance.

EPRV: And what does the future hold for us in the creation of Jader Almeida? Any spoilers for us?

JA: "hospitality" experiences, new product portfolios...