PORTUGAL IS TRENDY
Ten Portuguese exhibitors are in Paris showing their fashion collections to Spring/Summer 2014, with apparel and accessories’ proposals for men and women full of the creativity and glamour that characterize the design “made in Portugal”.
From designer’s labels to jeanswear, Portugal is at Who’s Next with proposals for next year’s warm season that follow the most recent international trends but that incorporate the personal aesthetics of the country’s designers.
Luís Buchinho, a regular in Paris Fashion Week’ off schedule, is at Who’s Next for the third time to unveil his new collection, composed, on 70%, «by dresses, either day-dresses and party-dresses», says the fashion designer. «Our expectations are extremely high. It is a trade fair with a huge business potential and with a diversity that is really interesting for us, especially for the promotion in markets such as the American, Asian and Arab», he highlights.
Buchinho will have the company of fashion designers Elisabeth Teixeira, with a romantic and feminine collection, and Juliana Cerdeira, who shows her designs under the brand Miau Frou Frou. «It’s a collection inspired in the textures and colours resulting of the corrosion provoked by acid rain in the tropical forest», explains Juliana Cerdeira. The fashion designer intends to explore a new market positioning, «leaving behind the concept of sales through Miau Frou Frou’s official store and moving to high-end multi-brand shops».
Womenswear is also well represented in this Portuguese presence supported by Associação Selectiva Moda, with brands Ana Sousa, Kalisson, Bagoraz and Meam by Ricardo Preto. The latter shows in Paris a collection made with silk, cotton and Tencel, where the colourful printings, which are already a brand’s characteristic, are enhanced. «We want to conquer new markets, specially Asian ones», says Maria do Carmo Mendes, managing partner of MeamStyle, the company that holds the brand.
Blackspider, on its side, is for the first time at Who’s Next, where it’s proposing summer looks for women and men. «We want to expose the brand on the international market», justifies the financial responsible, Marco Costa.
Jeanswear “made in Portugal” is represented to its highest level with Cheyenne and Tiffosi. The latter one is even debuting «an innovation in jeans absolutely unique in the market», announces Rui Silva, brand’s wholesale manager. «We are enhancing our jeans’ line, namely our washings and, particularly, our special fits for women», he adds.
And since a look is only complete with accessories, love.bags proposes in its première in this trade fair a collection that incorporates the Portuguese handmade know-how, with bags made with leather, wool and linen produced by local artisans. «The main goal is to, first of all, introduce the brand and, specially, a concept so deeply rooted in the traditions, culture and modernity of national products», says Cláudio Sousa, responsible for the brand’s presence in Paris.
The participation of these 10 Portuguese companies at Who’s Next, which takes place July 6th - 9th, is an initiative promoted by Associação Selectiva Moda with the support of European funds (Qren), under the project From Portugal. This project includes more than 60 international actions planned for 2013, which cover the entire textile and fashion chain, from yarns to fabrics, apparel, technical textiles, home textiles and decoration, divided by four continents: Europe, Asia, Africa and America.
