MARIA BONITA

Launched in 2025 during the items' participation in SParte and subsequently the pendant launched at Design Week 2026, the MARIA BONITA collection was designed by our creative director Mariana Amaral and is a tribute to her Northeastern roots, the sertão (backlands), and the warrior woman, with light fixtures that reflect the strength and resilience of the Northeastern people, using noble materials and elements that evoke popular culture and Brazil's artisanal origins.
Inspired by the iconic Maria Bonita, the first female "cangaceira" (bandit) and a symbol of resistance and bravery in the Brazilian Sertão, the collection's main highlight is the floor/totem lighting, which combines metal, brass, and colored blown glass. It embodies tradition, history, and meaning, exalting a female figure who transgressed norms, playing a role previously unheard of for a woman in the Brazilian backlands.
For the first time, we used colored blown glass in this type of lighting, exploring shades ranging from orange to amber, brown, and pink, reflecting the vibrant palette of the Sertão's sky and landscape throughout the day. With an extensive LED light strip running through the piece, the striking and warm illumination highlights the colors of the glass, reminiscent of the heat and intensity of the Northeastern sun.
Another striking element of the piece is the brass details, accessories that represent jewels and gold nuggets – an allusion to Maria Bonita and Lampião's cangaceiros' search for gold.
Maria Bonita was the wife and companion of one of the most feared men in the history of the Sertão, but she played a prominent role not only as a lover but also as a feminine personality, embodying diverse roles, a reality still lived by many women today.

Regardless of her bravery and courage, she did not abandon her femininity. During the research for the lighting design, we discovered Maria Bonita's passion for bows and jewelry, embroidered sheets, and the transformation she brought to the gang's appearance: vain, she designed and styled clothes, incorporating brooches, bracelets, necklaces, embroidered scarves, and adornments into the outfits of both men and women. Her entry into the gang paved the way for other women to explore the sertão, something unprecedented and unthinkable until then. Strong, aggressive, feminine... villain or an unromanticized version of a female "Robin Hood," she was the wife and companion of one of the most feared men in the history of the sertão, but she stood out as a feminine personality.

At the top of the lighting, a special detail: a "jewel" in the shape of an inverted crescent moon with a 5-pointed star and suns, referring to the iconic cangaço hat, reinforcing the collection's concept.
One of the main launches of the items at SP-arte 2025, MARIA BONITA reaffirms the brand's commitment to translating and remembering Brazilian culture into original and innovative pieces.
More than just luminous, the pieces in the collection are collector's items, a blend of art, poetry, and design.

The MARIA BONITA pendant was subsequently launched during SP Design Week 2026.

MARIA BONITA pendant
design by Mariana Amaral
the magic of blown glass
the light that enchants and transforms the environment with the art of blowing artistic handcrafted glass made without molds or forms, elevating the luminaire to the status of a work of art.
The pendant arrives to serve customers who desire something timeless and sophisticated.
At SP-arte, we presented the version in pearly white glass and
"jewels" in polished brass. Captivating.

The MARIA BONITA collection was a finalist for the IF DESIGN AWARD 2026.