Heritage Brazil: Tathiana Teixeira & Lilian Vianna’s Mission Of Sustainable Impact

One can journey through countless twists and turns seeking their elusive purpose. A conflux of experiences, intuitions, and a myriad of other elements often shape the path towards fulfillment. But for Tathiana Teixeira and Lilian Vianna, their purpose unfurled through their shared Brazilian heritage, binding them together in a transformative movement that includes the artisans of the Amazon.

With unwavering commitment to sustainability, they are building an empire. Amidst the lush Amazonian rainforest, where every tree stands as a sentinel of life, Teixeira and Vianna discovered their calling — a calling that transcended the conventional notions of luxury.

Their pursuit is noble: to protect and preserve the vibrant heritage that courses through the veins of these communities. From this heartfelt mission, an extraordinary venture, Heritage Brazil, was born. Without felling a single tree, the visionary duo embarked on a quest to provide exceptional housewares and accessories that could rival the grandest of offerings, all while leaving the forest untouched and communities fed. The result? A curation of ethereal creations, each imbued with the essence of centuries past and meticulously crafted to museum-worthy standards.

We embarked on a conversation about their quest — to learn about the designers, artisans, and products that are weaving a tapestry of salvation under the lush canopy of the Amazon.

Heritage Brazil is a showroom, but because the pieces are so intricately, thoughtfully, and stunningly designed, it can also be regarded as a gallery of sorts.

Tathiana Teixeira: We actually debated that a lot in the beginning to call ourselves a gallery or a showroom — I think that we’re both. We do carry objects of art-like pieces. Like, for instance, this Flor De Lótus by Sergio Matos is a $30,000 one-of-a-kind chair. It is made out of only reclaimed wood from the south of Brazil. He only uses trees that have fallen from storms or wood from demolition of old buildings. He’s wonderful and cares so much about the quality.

We also have two or three other companies that are manufacturers with warehouses in Miami but production is always from Brazil by artisans. Everybody has a certification for the wood.

Are you showcasing any traditional artists?

TT: We actually have one art show now with local artists.

Lilian Vianna: Because we love the local community and want to be inclusive. We find that is very important so we invite local artists to showcase.

TT: We have art openings where we invite the community, the press, and our friends to come and see the art when they visit our space. We do a lot of collaboration. The next one is with Sylvia Hommert, who is a local artist, and jewelry designer Susan Nieland, with James Lane Post.

What is the story with the space itself? It has a history and I see that you’ve kept some of the character, which is reminiscent of a SoHo loft from the ‘80s.

TT: My husband, Alex, found this space. It used to be an ice plant 100 years ago. It was a wreck actually and reminded me of the meat-packing district. It’s got that urban feeling on the outside but when people come in, they can’t believe how beautiful it is. We painted all the brick walls and floor white and it has 15-foot ceilings — everything is concrete. We started PLAIN-T here.

LV: Tathiana and I have known each other for a long time, maybe 20 or 25 years. We’re both from Brazil and she was always inviting me here to see the space just before the pandemic. When I arrived — oh my God! At this point, I was already representing some artists, like Sergio Matos, whom we carry here, and who is a very, very special interior designer in Brazil. I just thought the space was brilliant. We have such a privileged life in the Hamptons, why not bring these unique works to the East End? The rest is history.

TT: It all happened when we weren’t utilizing the space for our PLAIN-T tastings because of the pandemic.

LV: And that’s where the partnership began, because I came and I fell in love.

The space has such an industrial vibe, but the work is from the Brazilian Amazon. The paradox is not lost on us.

LV: Exactly. That’s what we love about it.

Most of the pieces, even the indigenous baskets and the Centopeia fruit basket, are very sculptural.

“Whenever I design a new product, my research always begins with some theme that is linked to Brazilian culture or identity” — Sergio Matos

TT: Yes and it’s especially true of Sergio Matos. The indigenous baskets are our bestseller.

How does the sale of pieces help the communities of the rainforest?

TT: In many ways — for example, the baskets. Sergio Matos, he is very down to earth, and his inspirations always come from Brazilian nature, and for that he goes to the Amazon a lot. He designed all the baskets and works with the indigenous women of the Amazon. They were making simple baskets and not making a lot of money. So he made a statement design for them and now they make 100 percent of the profit out of this beautiful design. He makes no profit from the baskets. This collection is from the community of Barcelos, using piassava and buriti fibers, which comes from native palm trees. The fibers are soaked in mud for four days to get that deep organic color. We’ve done maybe five shipments of them because they sell out.

LV: I’m going to the Amazon to do a project with the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. This project is to figure out how to provide social impact to the people that live there. You don’t want them to leave their communities and go to the big city, get lost, and be involved with drugs and other dangerous things. You want to them to remain in their communities, but that requires power and the money so they can stay there.

So it’s about preserving their culture, about protecting their future.

LV: Yes, exactly. Zagaia Foundation is for raising awareness of the environmental and economic issues of the Amazon region. Rozana Trilha has been doing this work for around 15 years where her mission is to create social impact projects so that indigenous people don’t move out of the Amazon. She’s my hero.

TT: In regards to sustainability, we are also utilizing a fish in Brazil called pirarucu. It’s scientifically called arapaima gigas and it’s one of the largest freshwater fishes in the world. This is the codfish of Brazil and it’s in the Amazon River. People in local communities and the indigenous people were commercially fishing it for food, but they were discarding the skin. It was also becoming endangered. We’ve partnered with a company that is helping them farm. We now have this soft pillow made from the skin, a byproduct of the fishing industry. This beautiful skin was being discarded and now with the pillows, they’re making more money, helping the locals and the indigenous people, because of this fish they were already consuming. The fish population grew around 400 percent, and is no longer endangered from overfishing.

LV: It’s an ecological leather.

TT: A lot of fashion designers are now using it for bags and shoes, and we are using it for the homeware, like the pillows and upholstery. Sergio Matos employs a lot of artisans. It’s not like a huge factory, but it’s some of the poorest areas of Brazil getting the work. It’s a way of giving back.

Tell us about the rugs.

LV: It’s a beautiful story.

TT: It’s from a small village in the north of Brazil, the poorest region, and Teresa de Melo, who is a doctor there, was working to help the community. She said, “I think these people need something to do. They need jobs.” She started a company, Trapos & Fiapos, by adapting old hammock looms into making the rugs, which are all done by hand. She gets the fibers for free from a region called Cattail and Buriti. They collect the cattail, they dry it, then handloom the rugs with cotton. She also gives each one of the artisans the ability to design and name their own rugs. Sometimes they’re a mother and daughter, or husband and wife. The community is now much healthier.

The first interior designer that came here into our showroom, she bought all 15 rugs that we had in stock!

Much of the furniture, baskets, and rugs at Heritage Brazil are museum quality.

Much of the furniture, baskets, and rugs at Heritage Brazil are museum quality. The Flor De Lótus by Sergio Matos most definitely. It’s a limited edition as he’s only making 50.

What’s coming up next for Heritage Brazil?

TT: The new edition of the LeBrock Studio design. Pieces are made from wood from the middle of the jungle. The way it works is when he gets an order, he has to first find wood that is in need of rescue. He has never cut down any tree in his life. When you purchase it, you also get a miniature of the piece. Both the piece and the miniature come with the inlaid 18-carat gold logo.

Lebrock Studio

Lebrock Studio

Lebrock Studio

Lebrock Studio

Lebrock Studio

Lebrock Studio

Lebrock Studio

Lebrock Studio

Lebrock Studio

LV: It is the ultimate — it is one of the most special and precious pieces that we have right now. His process is amazing. If it’s not rescued trees, he reclaims wood from demolished barns. Just the thought of cutting a tree down is devastating for him.

TT: Another exciting thing for us is the Hampton Designer Showhouse, where we’re going to have one living room designed by a Brazilian interior designer, all with Heritage Brazil pieces.

How exciting. What is the status of the Brazilian laws in regards to the preservation of the Amazon?

Brazilian laws are pretty strict. With many nations, 30 percent of the land owned cannot be developed. In Brazil, you have to preserve 70 percent, with only 30 percent that can be used. The issue is more drug trafficking and cartels, but the land itself can only be developed up to 30 percent.

To learn more about Heritage Brazil, visit heritagebrazil.com.

Ty Wenzel

Co-Publisher & Contributor

Ty Wenzel, a recent breast cancer survivor, started her career as a fashion coordinator for Bloomingdale’s followed by fashion editor for Cosmopolitan Magazine. She was also a writer for countless publications, including having published a memoir (St. Martin's Press) and written features for The New York Times. She is an award-winning writer and designer who covers lifestyle, real estate, architecture and interiors for James Lane Post. She previously worked as a writer and marketing director for The Independent. She has won multiple PCLI and NYPA awards for journalism, social media and design, including best website design and best magazine for James Lane Post, which she co-founded in 2020. Wenzel is also a co-founder of the meditation app for kids, DreamyKid, and the Hamptons social media agency, TWM Hamptons Social Media.