The Museum of Modern Art's Design Store has been running regionally-sourced collections in their retails shops and online. Currently they've got an excellent array of products from Korea, and next up they'll be bringing work from Brazil.
During a visit to New York last week, I attended a preview of the Brazilian collection, which was absolutely as vibrant and beautiful as you'd expect from a country known for brilliant color and breathtaking natural habitats. I wanted to buy a few of the items on the spot, but I'll be eagerly awaiting their May release.
The collection focuses on locally sourced materials—many of them environmentally-minded—like coconut, eucalyptus, and Brazilian white clay. The objects range in scale from small jewelry and vases to stools and even a large lounge chair designed by the Campana Brothers. A short preview of the collection follows (or you can view it as a slideshow by clicking in the upper right corner of this post), and you'll be able to see the rest on the MoMA site soon.
Mocho Stool, by Sergio Rodrigues, 1954
Bambu Stacking Vases, by Kimi Nii, 2003
Corallo Chair, by Humberto and Fernando Campana, 2004
Corallo Bag, by Humberto and Fernando Campana, 2008
Wooden Block Robot, by Alberto Pretel, 2008
Chalkboard Bud Vase, by Ricardo Saint-Clair, 2005
White Clay Candleholders, by Svanja Kalteich, 2008