The Architecture of Style
When It Became Real
For years, AFORMA was something we spoke about in passing, an idea that lingered between us but never took form. That changed last April. We were both between chapters in our careers when the timing finally opened. The company was registered, the first concepts took shape, and what had been talk for so long became something we could touch.
It began with jewelry, but from the start, AFORMA was never meant to stop there. We saw it as a place that could hold anything we wanted to explore, clothing, objects, printed matter, a space where our ideas could take any form.
A Life of Places
We’ve lived and worked in many cities, each leaving its own mark.
Portugal will always be home. Japan is where we feel most alive, walking through Tokyo’s side streets, slipping into tiny Kyoto shops, finding a ceramic bowl with the perfect glaze or a zine printed in limited copies.
These moments aren’t just memories; they shape how we see, what we make, and the way we move through the world.
The Things We Keep
We collect in a way that’s lived-in, not museum-like. Our home is filled with Murakami prints, Shepard Fairey works, James Jean illustrations, pieces by Felipe Pantone, Vils, and many others. There are Japanese kokeshi dolls lined up next to ceramics found in small workshops. Stacks of zines and books are piled in corners.
Some things cost little, others were hard-won, but each has stayed because it spoke to us, and kept speaking long after.
Two Ways of Seeing
Though we love many of the same things, we see differently. I’m drawn to colour, texture, the printed page, the legacy of Bauhaus, the shapes of Verner Panton, the mobiles of Calder, and the bold lines of Saul Bass. Alex gravitates toward form and energy, the rawness of Basquiat, the surrealism of Francis Bacon, and the playfulness of James Jarvis.
Sometimes our differences push us in opposite directions. That tension can be challenging, but it’s also where AFORMA finds its edge.
What Longevity Means to Us
We don’t buy with a spreadsheet in mind. I keep things because I’m deeply attached to them; I have pieces I’ve worn for over twenty years. Alex buys sparingly, choosing pieces he loves in the moment, wearing them until they can’t be worn anymore.
Our approaches are different, but they meet in the belief that the best things stay with you, not because they’re indestructible, but because they matter enough to keep. That’s what we want for AFORMA: pieces that will become part of someone’s life in their own way.
An Endless Playground
Knitwear and jewelry are only the opening notes. AFORMA will move into ceramics, tiles, eyewear, outerwear, and maybe a printed publication. We don’t see limits, only opportunities to follow ideas wherever they lead.
We want AFORMA to be a place people connect with in their own way. A sweater might remind one person of a city they love. A ceramic might live on another person’s desk for decades. The connection is personal; it should be different for everyone.
Built to Endure
AFORMA is the sum of the places we’ve been, the things we’ve kept, the details we notice, and the curiosity we can’t ignore.
We built it for ourselves first, to explore without borders, and we hope it becomes something you’ll carry forward in your own story. Because style isn’t about what’s new; it’s about what lasts.