PORTUGAL DRESSES PREMIÈRE VISION
Riopele is the author of the uniforms of the hostesses of Première Vision, whose fabrics and manufacture have the signature “made in Portugal”. Another example of the recognition of the add value of the Portuguese products, also replicated in the other 25 Portuguese exhibitors at Première Vision Pluriel under the aegis of Associação Selectiva Moda.
Riopele is the author of the uniforms of the hostesses of Première Vision, whose fabrics and manufacture have the signature “made in Portugal”. Another example of the recognition of the add value of the Portuguese products, also replicated in the other 25 Portuguese exhibitors at Première Vision Pluriel under the aegis of Associação Selectiva Moda.
«It was with an enormous pleasure that we had accepted this challenge», unveils Rita Fortes, Riopele’s market manager on the partnership Riopele/Bensimon in the creation of the uniforms of the hostesses of Première Vision that besides Paris, will also be used in the namesake shows in New York, Moscow and Shanghai. «The visibility won’t be only to Riopele, as the company that produced the fabric. It certainly is important and a sign of pride to the textile sector to leave the brand Portugal all over the world», she says.
With colours that reflect the trends developed by Première Vision for spring/summer 2014, the dresses, whose production was made by Riopele Fashion Solutions, a company of the group Riopele, were manufactured with cotton/elastane double fabrics. In fact, the structured fabrics are one of the bets of the Portuguese company for this edition of Première Vision in Paris, «with a range of products that varies from cotton/elastane to cupro and Tencel blends, without forgetting, obviously, the Çeramica polyster, which is the company’s core business», lists Rita Fortes.
Riopele has the company of another 19 Portuguese firms at Première Vision, all with the support of Associação Selectiva Moda, under the internationalization project financed by EU Funds (Qren). Besides A. Sampaio & Filhos, Adalberto Estampados, Albano Morgado, Arco Têxteis, Fitecom, Gierlings Velpor, Lemar, Living Colours, LMA, Lurdes Sampaio, Paulo de Oliveira, A Penteadora, Somelos, Tessimax, Teviz, TMG and Troficolor, the spotlight is on the première of two Portuguese exhibitors in the new area Knitwear Solutions: A. Ferreira & Filhos and Malhas Carjor.
«We were invited by the organization of Première Vision to show our collection of knitwear. However, we had to pass a test, where we presented 10 pieces», explains Noël Ferreira, administrator of A. Ferreira & Filhos, that considers the Parisian trade fair «a showcase of reference, and therefore being present is a factor that can potentially generate business».
For Spring/Summer 2014, the Portuguese companies propose light fabrics and bold colours, intrinsic characteristics to the warmer season of the year. At Teviz, for instance, highlights are «blends cotton/Lyocell, linen/Lyocell and 100% Lyocell and large-rapport squares, very colourful, with strong tones such as blue, orange, yellow and green-water», unveils Paulo Loureiro, sales manager of the specialist in shirting fabrics.
At Adalberto Estampados, «the new collection privileges the minimal prints, distinctive of the spirit of the Linea Porto that it’s being a best-seller», says Filipe Monteiro, export manager of the fashion division, referring to the new line for shirts and blouses composed by families of colours and printings with noble materials.
For those who are a season ahead, Gierlings Velpor offers a preview of the velvets and furs in fashion. «It’s a kind of anticipation of what will be the collection for autumn/winter 2014/2015», underlines João Teixeira Duarte, sales manager of Gierlings Velpor. The highlights of this specialist in three-dimensional structures belonging to Grupo Amorim are the digital printed velvets and jacquard velvets, the result of the technological revolution recently done by the company.
Also thinking about the cold season, but in yarns, Tearfil presents at Expofil «new fantasy yarns with fibres within our vast and eclectic portfolio. We also explore increasingly spinning techniques that differentiate the final product, whether it is the knit or the finished product», unveils Ricardo Lemos, administrator of the group António de Almeida & Filhos, the owner of the spinning company.
The Portuguese offer at Première Vision Pluriel is also extended to manufacture, with A.J. Gonçalves, Inarbel, JVP, Raith and Squarcione showing their potential and know-how at Zoom by Fatex. «The goal is to consolidate some existing clients and broaden our scope. We are an industrial company able to produce in private label any garment for children, men or women», concludes José Armindo Ferraz, Inarbel’s administrator.
The participation of the Portuguese companies at Première Vision Pluriel 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, home textiles and technical textiles, divided by four continents: Europe, Asia, Africa and America.
