News Tag: fashion week

Portugal Fashion Week has successfully completed its 50th edition.
The event, which took place March 16-19th 2022 in Porto’s Alfândega location, right by the river, did an excellent job in combining young designers, established ones, including both trade and consumers, and offered novel insights and experiences.

Portugal Fashion’s director Mónica Neto promised “a great, great edition” and one could tell that this open-minded, energetic organizer’s team carefully crafted an event with the aim to position Portuguese fashion further on the international calendar.

The format presented a showroom for buyers and press, almost 40 runway shows as well as panel talks. Emerging designers from Portugal and those with Portuguese connections were presented alongside, surprisingly, African once. Through a partnership between ANJE (National Association of Young Entrepreneurs) and CANEX (Creative African Nexus) 20 designers with African roots showed their work on catwalks and in the showroom to promote the African textile and clothing industry.

The Bloom platform presented young fashion designers alongside renowned Portuguese labels, all of them displaying their latest A/W 22/23 creations throughout clothing, footwear, and accessories. Known designers included David Catalán, who previously showed on Milan’s official calendar, Ernest W. Baker, Pé de Chumbo and Susana Bettencourt, all no foreigners to international trade fairs. Shows which especially stood out were NOPIN, DAVII and HUARTE . NOPIN, a sustainable brand, presenting the collection for the first time at Portugal Fashion Week, creates playful womenswear using geometric forms and textures to stand out. DAVII reminds of Rick Owens’ designs: futuristic goddesses walked past in an eerie setting wrapped in silky, flowing fabrics. Bloom’s young designer Victor Huarte presented his menswear collection HUARTE, which was perceived especially well with the international audience. Preppy streetwear in Americana style was mainly dipped in the current trend color green.
However, the event also reminded that Portugal is a hub for the footwear industry with Luís Onofre’s collection, whose footwear creations spark creativity alongside other commercial names like Fly London.

Alongside multiple networking events, the event also aligned with the opening of the exhibition “Portugal Pop. Fashion in Portuguese. 1970-2020” at Casa do Design. If one hasn’t grasped it during the shows, latest at this exhibition Portugal’s fashion craftsmanship was highlighted. This should come as no surprise, as it is one of Europe’s prime destinations for textile production.

Whilst Portugal is still finding its place on the European fashion map, the country with endless beaches and high quality of life offers a sparkling fashion scene that is rich in creativity and innovation. Full with young visionary people, there is a lot to be expected in the next years and one can already look forward to the Spring/Summer event. For all buyers a top tip is to find a rare truffle to complement a store’s selection.