Branco and Preto is a furniture company set up in 1952 by forward-thinking architects Miguel Forte, Jacob Ruchti, Plinio Groce, Roberto Aflalo, Carlos Millan and Che Y Hwa. After completing their Master of Architecture at The Mackenzie School of Engineering in the 1940s, the fresh graduates realised they needed furniture suited to the architectural style they intended to practice. No sooner said than done, they rallied as one behind Aflalo, who led them to open up a store selling selected pieces of modern design furniture.