We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Estúdio Galho / Movew ("EG/M").
Estudio Galho, based in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil, has stood out in the market since 2018, designing furniture and accessories that elevate design as a form of national cultural expression. Rooted in Brazilian identity, the studio transforms concepts into pieces that tell stories, honoring traditions while embracing contemporary perspectives. Through design, Galho reinforces culture as an essential element of everyday life.
Estúdio Galho / Movew Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Estúdio Galho / Movew.
Estúdio Galho / Movew Design - Genipabu Buffet
Designer Interview of Estúdio Galho / Movew:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
EG/M : Our journey began during our time in college, in the Industrial Design program at the Federal University of Campina Grande, where we were classmates. We believe there’s a certain similarity among all those inclined toward the creative field—an attentive and unique way of seeing the world. It wasn’t any different with the designers at our studio. We've always shared a love for drawing, the joy of exercising creativity, and a curiosity about the objects and surroundings around us. Although, in our youth, we didn’t have a clear understanding of exactly what we wanted to be, our profiles, as previously mentioned, naturally led us to Product Design.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
EG/M : Estúdio Galho was founded in 2018 in João Pessoa, the capital of Paraíba, by two partners and designers, Klivisson Campelo and Edson Martone, both passionate about design in all its dimensions. The studio’s mission is to highlight and celebrate Brazilian cultural richness. Minimalist and authentic design, combined with a focus on the semantic dimension of objects and their interaction with users, is deeply rooted in our product DNA. The creative process prioritizes conceptual maturation, resembling natural evolution that branches, sprouts, blossoms, and bears fruit, resulting in products that embody simplicity, beauty, and the awakening of memories.
DI: What is "design" for you?
EG/M : To us, design is experience transforming observation into form, sensation into function, and meaning into every detail. It is creating with purpose, connecting people, materials, and stories through objects.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
EG/M : We like to create products that go beyond function, that evoke emotions and emotional memories, that touch people in a sensitive and symbolic way.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
EG/M : We couldn’t name just one. Generally, we’d say the products we developed at the beginning of the studio are our favorites, as they had a longer journey from concept to reality, some even developed while we were still in college. One example is the Badok lamp, which features a formal representation of the slingshot used by children in their childhood, evoking an emotional memory of simple yet striking experiences.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
EG/M : It was Burrego, a stand/magazine rack/bar that pays tribute to the donkey, an animal of great importance in the daily life and history of the sertanejo (inhabitants of Brazil’s countryside). The piece carries a symbolic translation, connecting tradition and contemporary functionality.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
EG/M : We like natural materials like wood, leather, and stone, which carry unique stories and textures. We also value technologies that dialogue with craftsmanship, such as CNC combined with manual woodworking.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
EG/M : When we are in contact with nature or close to water. These moments of reconnection help us refresh our ideas and activate our creative gaze.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
EG/M : The poetic translation of the reference and the psychological and emotional aspects of the object. We always ask: what can we extract from the inspiration to generate real meaning in the product?
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
EG/M : We feel pleasure, joy, excitement, and a certain dose of creative anxiety, the kind that drives and thrills.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
EG/M : A joy that is hard to describe, especially when we see our products in people’s homes, creating experiences, memories, and emotional connections.
DI: What makes a design successful?
EG/M : When it harmoniously combines form, function, semantics, aesthetics, and sustainability, and touches people.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
EG/M : The experience it provides and the degree of innovation in how it communicates or solves something.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
EG/M : It is our responsibility to design products that engage with industry in a conscious and sustainable way, proposing durable solutions that respect the environment and enhance people’s quality of life.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
EG/M : We are moving toward a design increasingly integrated with technology, but also more sensitive and connected to sustainability and emotions.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
EG/M : At ISaloni in 2025, with a side table called Seringueira, a sensitive and poetic tribute to the rubber tree native to the Amazon, which embodies not only the strength of nature but also the memory of an essential chapter in Brazil’s economic and cultural history. It was exhibited at the Brazil stand through the major Brazilian Furniture/Design Brasil + Indústria project, promoted by @abimovel, in partnership with @apexbrasil.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
EG/M : Our inspiration comes from Brazilian identity, nature, culture, and ancestry. We fuel our creativity by collecting visual, tactile, olfactory, and emotional memories, which we transform into physical form.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
EG/M : Our style is contemporary-affective and subtly representative of Brazilian culture. We avoid the obvious or folkloric. It was born from our methodology: a sensitive translation of references and emotions into the physical world.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
EG/M : We live in João Pessoa (PB), in northeastern Brazil. Brazil’s cultural heritage is essential to what we do. Its natural and cultural diversity directly influences us, creating an aesthetic rich in narratives. Brazilian design is expanding, but it still needs to be recognized as a vital part of company culture.
DI: How do you work with companies?
EG/M : We work by licensing products. We develop authorial pieces with their own identity and then establish partnerships with companies interested in producing, distributing and commercialising these products. We believe that this model favours the valorisation of design, allowing the object to maintain its creative essence while adapting to the production and commercial needs of the industry.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
EG/M : It is essential to include the designer throughout the process, valuing their input and creative vision. A designer sees beyond the surface and contributes with differentiation, innovation, and purpose.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
EG/M : Our process is based on listening, observation, research, and experimentation. We map references, build narratives, sketch by hand, model in 3D, and create prototypes until we reach the final result.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
EG/M : Juice Salif by Philippe Starck, The 9093 kettle by Michael Graves (Alessi), Eiffel by Charles and Ray Eames, iPod Shuffle Red Edition, and some of our own products.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
EG/M : The routine at Estúdio Galho involves a collaborative dynamic between two designers, marked by constant exchanges and focus on refining ideas. The day usually starts with an informal conversation about visual and conceptual references individually collected, followed by a joint analysis to identify relevant creative paths. Then, we dedicate time to adapting and improving already-generated concepts, seeking more precise and aligned solutions for the project’s purpose. Communication with partners and industry is also a key part of our day, ensuring design decisions align with technical possibilities and shared values. We also prepare presentation materials, caring for narrative, visual clarity, and aesthetic coherence to communicate proposals sensitively and strategically.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
EG/M : Be curious, persistent, and sensitive. Create objects that deliver experiences, evoke memories, and create connections. Design doesn’t need to be just beautiful and functional, it can also move people.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
EG/M : The positive is the opportunity to create with purpose and generate impact. The negative is often the undervaluation of creative work and the challenge of making the industry understand the value of design.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
EG/M : Don’t design only with your eyes. Use your heart as well.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
EG/M : Sensitivity, listening, synthesis ability, visual communication, and cultural repertoire.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
EG/M : Pencil, paper, 3D software (such as Rhino and Keyshot), visual references, books, and, above all, life experiences that feed our Brazilian soul.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
EG/M : Yes, it takes time. We're always designing, mentally or physically, but we divide the year into blocks, two months per semester are intensely dedicated to bringing projects to life.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
EG/M : It depends. It can take from a week to a year, depending on the concept’s maturation and the product’s complexity.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
EG/M : “What is design?” We keep asking because we believe it is always evolving.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
EG/M : The current moment, with our Design Studio, where we can experience both sides, as manufacturers and licensors. This has brought us maturity and a very refreshing path in terms of experience across both fronts.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
EG/M : Movew, Mestre Artesão, Desygn Móveis, Corbelli, ArteObjetos, Linee, Cabanna, Lovato, Vimme, Dibrianza, Asa Estofados, Karams, Toro Bianco, Alma, Tapetah, Tora Brasil, Marê Mobiliário, House Garden, Meridiano, Legfatto, Maná, among others.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
EG/M : The kind that doesn’t just think about function but aims to awaken an additional experience.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
EG/M : We want to increasingly consolidate Estúdio Galho as a reference in Brazilian design, as well as expand national and international partnerships, exploring new languages, processes, and materials.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
EG/M : Both options are part of our process. We develop our own designs, but teamwork is essential throughout development, from conceptualisation to completion. The exchange of ideas, views and experiences strengthens each project.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
EG/M : Yes, but it’s still confidential. We’ll have news soon!
DI: How can people contact you?
EG/M : Through our Instagram: @estudiogalho Or via email: contato@estudiogalho.com.br
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
EG/M : Just to thank you for initiatives that promote design so broadly and meaningfully. They strengthen the field and encourage us to keep creating with purpose.