Gilson Martins, Rio de Janeiro

What to buy here:

GILSON MARTINS’ BAG: Designer Gilson Martins started his career in 1982 making bags for hip labels such as Company, Shop 126, Fabricato and Cantão. But a casual encounter with curator Sheila Lerner on an airplane in 1990 gave him the encouragement to pursue a more ambitious route and turn his creations into works of art. Three years later he started producing his sculpture-bags for which he has become well-known. Since then his work has traveled far and wide, having landed on Paris’ Galeries Lafayette and the Deutsche Bank expo in Berlin and Munich during the World Cup in 2006. He’s also created a range called Lixo Nobre (‘noble trash’) that incorporates recycling and social responsibility into the design. Bold, funky and imaginative, Gilson Martins makes fantastic gifts for design lovers. He keeps three shops in Rio, this one is in Copacabana. On average, GM bags cost around $100, or more, although some smaller items cost around $50.