Founded in 1885, USM is a small metalwork and locksmith company. It was named after its founder, Ulrich Schärer, and the first letter of Münsingen, its birthplace. In the first decades of the twentieth century, USM began specializing in window frames. When Paul Schärer joined the company in 1961, he was committed to modernizing it, and he commissioned Swiss architect Fritz Haller to design a new factory and office building. In accordance with its customer’s philosophy, Fritz Haller came up with a modular steel construction system that facilitated different manufacturing processes and structural changes. In 1962, Haller and Schärer began to develop new furniture in line with the modularity and versatility of the new buildings. This innovative furniture was not built as individual pieces, but rather as modular units made of steel that could be adjusted to the current and future needs of the factory and office. The rest is history: USM units, both vintage and new, have become a fixture of cool culture. All they were missing was Armando Cabral’s magical touch to smooth them out and turn them into something more than just storage. The title of the collection, “NKYINKYIM”, is inspired by the Adinkra symbols of the Akan people of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, representing the winding path of progress and challenge. The headboard, the pair of armchairs and the bookcase are to die for.