MADE IN PORTUGAL FROM YARN TO GARMENT

Portugal has one of the strongest presences in this edition of Première Vision Pluriel, with 30 companies exhibiting a complete and unique offer, covering different products, from yarns to fabrics and apparel, but having in common the art of doing-well that major fashion names do not forego. 

Unavoidable in every season, denim reveals all its splendor in the new proposals of Troficolor, ready to answer to client’s most secret desires, «from extremely delicate and light weights, whether in denim or dye ready, until medium weights, so important for trousers and jackets», says marketing responsible Flávio Dias. In an absolute première for spring-summer 2015, the company offers light versions of 5oz and with a linen blend in the range Denim Red Selvedge, together with printed denim and jacquards, the line Special Edition, with linen covered with silicone and Indigo knits with new blends, including silk and linen.

In knits, far away of being the poor relative of fabrics, A. Sampaio & Filhos, LMA, Lurdes Sampaio and NGS Malhas offer a vast array of solutions with the most advanced finishing and structures, perfect to satisfy the most demanding customers. «Our collection is quite wide, since it includes three product ranges: fashion (ready to Wear), environmental sustainable products (Pure Life) and sport knits with high performance (Sport/Active)», explains João Mendes, A. Sampaio & Filhos’ administrator. In the spotlight for next year’s warm season, the company proposes blends with silk, linen and other natural fibres, bonded linen knits, organic cotton blends with linen and recycled cotton and also extra-fine laminated and second layer elastic knits.   

Fabric producers Arco Têxteis, Adalberto Estampados, Lemar, Riopele, Somelos Tecidos, Teviz, Living Colours and TMG show light collections, in cotton or noble blends, where summery colours, whether in plain, printed or yarn dyed versions, are ideal to seduce even the most sophisticated visitor of Première Vision. «Being the biggest international trade fair at the moment, there is the possibility of doing business with any market in the world», underlines Arco Têxteis salesman, Carlos Bacelar. And at the woolen fabrics specialists Albano Morgado, Fitecom, Paulo de Oliveira, Tessimax and Penteadora, the compositions with natural and fresh raw materials give the motto for a fashion that assumes itself as joyful and relaxed, but no less innovative in designs and structures. 

Gierlings Velpor, on the other side, already thinking on autumn-winter 2015/2016, shows a collections that «reveals, above all, new ideas in digital printing in velvet and synthetic furs and a new offer of velvet jacquards for apparel, namely women jackets», unveils João Teixeira Duarte, commercial manager at the specialist in velvets and synthetic furs.

Also a season ahead, Tearfil Textile Yarns promises to revolutionize the yarn sector at Expofil. «Our proposal to winter 2015 is defined in a warm colours game with audacious contrasts, where textures and crepe touches in blends of noble fibres such as fine wools and cashmere are differentiating key elements», unveils the commercial responsible Marla Gonçalves, who considers the Parisian salon «the ideal showcase» to present the collections, allowing «the direct contact with designers, decision makers and users».   

“Made in Portugal” apparel  is also well represented at Première Vision, inside Knitwear Solutions area, dedicated to flatbed knit articles, where A. Ferreira & Filhos and Orfama have as goal follow up the contacts already made in previous editions. «The collection we’re presenting is about “innovation”, challenging the functionality patterns with innovative jacquard structures and differentiated visual finishing. The models were made with ultra-fine wool yarns and cashmere blends to privilege touch, which is increasingly a differentiation factor in the purchase», says António Cunha, Orfama’s sales area manager.

At Zoom, dedicated to medium and high market apparel, home textiles and fashion accessories sub-contracting in from the Euromed Zone, Madagascar and Mauritius, the Portuguese apparel manufacturing industry is represented by A.J. Gonçalves, Collove, Dielmar, Intecol, Goucam, Miguesana/JVP, Picos, Raith and Squarcione. Specialized in men and women apparel, Goucam proposes to potential clients two different solutions: «formal, with classic suits and overcoats for men and another one completely unstructured, with leather details», says commercial manager Henrique Gândara. 

In the tights sector, on the other side, Collove, which has as «main goal get new clients», enhances «digital printing» as novelty among its new proposals, refers manager Mónica Morais, while Intecol, which has «good expectations» to «open new markets», unveils Célia Macedo, enhances its competences in the production of «tights for everyday use, privileging softness and comfort», as well as the capacity to develop «fashion products according to the most recent trends in colours and patterns, such as sublimated tights», adds the administrator.   

The participation of these Portuguese companies at Première Vision Pluriel, which takes place February 18th - 20th, 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 65 international actions planned for 2014, which cover the entire textile and fashion chain, divided by four continents – Europe, Asia, Africa and America – with a total investment of EUR 9 million.