Since Diesel’s former creative director Wilbert Das opened the doors to Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa eight years ago, he has transformed the sleepy town of Trancoso, Brazil, into the ultimate bohemian-chic getaway. The Bahian village, located on the southeastern coast of the Atlantic, has supermodels like Alessandra Ambrosio and Naomi Campbell flocking to its beaches, and it serves as a second home to CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who couldn’t resist its idyllic beauty. Das and his partner have a knack for restoring old villas and apartments in areas of the world they would often visit during Das’s two-decade career at Diesel, including a house in Monte Carlo that dates back to the 1800s and several Craftsman dwellings along the canals of Venice Beach. Once the couple decided that a former 14th-century fisherman’s casa in Trancoso would be their next project, one vacation home gradually grew into 11 well-appointed casas, with one-of-a-kind furnishings and fixtures made entirely by hand by local craftsmen. “Once the hotel had reached 11 casas, we said, ‘That’s it. This is as big as a boutique hotel should be,’” says Das. “But having formed a lot of trust and rapport with the locals, we were open to new ways to extend our collaboration, and creating a décor collection was the perfect outlet to continue the story.”
The collection, which Das describes as “rustic modern, with a sustainable soul,” consists of everything from the hand-dyed pillows and blankets spotted on the couches in the Rainforest lounge to the wooden gamela sinks and wicker swings that outfit the private casas. All items can be customized to fit the size and style of your home, but Das is swift to mention that the level of craftsmanship requires patience. “The creation process is totally by hand,” he says. “And there are other factors that impact our collaborators, such as the weather, seasonal fishing, or even a new birth in the family. However, I think in a world where it’s common for people to receive just about everything they buy in 24 hours, it’s special to have patience for something with authentic origins—it’s a luxury worth the wait.”
If you can't make it to Brazil, Uxua Casa’s Home Collection can also be purchased online at uxuacasa.com.
