The Follow Affair

It's amazing to awake up and see your country fashion representatives conquering an amazing prize. Marques’Almeida is a London based womenswear brand started by Portuguese designers Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida. They met while still fashion school in Portugal before both acquiring experience separately, Marta in Vivienne Westwood and Paulo at Preen. Later they met again during their MA at Central Saint Martins and it was during this years that they decided to come together as designers and create their own brand. Marques'Almeida launched in 2011, and already have been awarded the NEWGEN sponsorship  from the British Fashion Council/Topshop and have shown all their collections after SS 2013 on schedule at LFW. You already saw Rihanna and FKA Twigs wearing some pieces from this brand, thanks to their more urban style. Yesterday they won the LVMH prize for young designers, earning 300 000 euros and a year of counseling from the executives of the largest group of luxury b...

As a Portuguese, I proudly defend what my country has to offer when it comes to fashion and it's fantastic when I read articles about the Portugal fashion industry gaining importance in the world. I'm talking about a Forbes article I read recently talking about how Portuguese fashion designers, starting to have influence in the fashion industry. Portugal Fashion that happens in Lisbon and Porto, it's our own fashion week. This year back in March, we celebrated 20 years, and it's about time that fashion puts eyes on what we have, on what we can contribute to this industry. As one of the leaders when it comes to exporting textile and leather goods thanks to our high qualities, Portugal should attract more investors and more fashion industry lovers. Portuguese designers resort mainly to national producers and goods, for example cork, it's fantastic what we can do with cork, accessories, clothes, the way we can shape it's unique, and that should be shared wit...