A Stone’s Throw
Interview with Armando Cabral
Words by Eni Subair
Armando Cabral’s connection to Fort Greene was instant when he moved to Brooklyn nine years ago. From designing footwear to modeling for Theory, the connection has only deepened since.
Cabral has a schedule so demanding that it might make some flinch, but he does it all in style, often wearing minimalist Theory gear, including the sneakers he made with the brand back in 2016. There’s his eponymous footwear brand that honors his Guinea-Bissau roots with woven fabric, two decades of modeling under his belt, and creative projects such as a recent collaboration with furniture brand USM in which he created a limited-edition homeware line—think a custom bookshelf, bed, and lounge chair inspired by the art of living.
And while the 44-year-old’s work may take him to far-flung corners of the globe—such as Lisbon for a recent exhibition at the Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology—it’s the community-driven spots outside his doorstep that continue to fascinate. “If you’re looking for the perfect neighborhood in Brooklyn, where you have creative residents and restaurants, it’s exactly where I am,” he says with zero hesitation. No two days are the same: Cabral might visit Fort Greene Park for the farmers’ market on a Saturday morning to source fresh tomatoes—“it isn’t Central Park-sized, but it’s perfect,” he says—then head toward Dumbo for the scenic waterfront. Or make his way to Brooklyn Heights Promenade, where he likes to marvel at the sunset.
Before settling in Brooklyn, Cabral spent his formative years in Portugal, then London where he studied business administration at Metropolitan University, but his move to New York in 2006 solidified the city as his home base—and marked the birth of his own label three years later. Today he finds creative drive close to home, perusing the Brooklyn Museum.
He cites influential Black artists from the ’60s, pausing to reflect on the impact of Malian photographer Seydou Keïta’s work. “It’s incredible,” he says, palpably excited. His enthusiasm is as much about the journey as it is the destination. He often finds himself pausing to people-watch from a random stoop in Brooklyn, observing the world go by. “I love to observe how people walk, dress, and express themselves, that’s where my inspiration comes from.”
Photography: Clement Pascal
Fashion: Nathan Klein