Portuguese footwear at international fashion weeks

In May, the fashion world's most famous red carpet takes place at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York, where top international celebrities showcase spectacular creations by renowned or highly promising designers. And to walk the red carpet at this year's Met Gala, Colombian singer Maluma wore Portuguese shoes : patent-leather loafers by Carlos Santos. The focus on made-in- Portugal footwear was pioneered by fashion designer Willy Chavarria and repeated in June at Paris Men's Fashion Week . "Willy Chavarria specifically wanted the same shoes he wore to the gala with Maluma, but in white patent leather," Paulo Gonçalves , spokesperson for the Portuguese Association of Footwear, Components, Leather Goods and Leather Substitutes Manufacturers (APICCAPS), explained to Observador. "It turned out not to be that way, because when he saw the potential of our factories, he wanted it in several colors. We made it in black, burgundy, white, and nude for the Paris show."

Presence at international fashion events is one of the strategies to boost the sector , despite the recent factory closures in Oliveira dos Azeméis and Guimarães. "We naturally regret the companies that had to close due to difficulties, but we also believe this doesn't warrant widespread social alarm because, in fact, the sector consists of 1,400 companies employing over 40,000 workers, and these, fortunately, are relatively stable," notes the APICCAPS spokesperson. "Our international markets, those that are most important to us, namely the United States, Germany, and France, continue to show very modest economic performance and are facing significant difficulties. If our customers are experiencing a negative period, it naturally affects our companies. What I can say is that, in the first half of the year, the footwear sector grew and created jobs. This, of course, doesn't prevent some companies from going through a difficult period," says Paulo Gonçalves, who emphasizes that the association is working to maintain the growth trend: "We are concluding the largest investment cycle in our history. We believe in the future of the sector."

In 2024, Portugal produced 80 million pairs of shoes, 90% of which were exported, generating a turnover of €1.724 billion. The goal is to become an international benchmark in the development of sustainable solutions over the next decade, with a planned investment of €600 million in the sector by 2030, focusing on sustainability, automation, and digitalization. To intensify this international strategy, more than 80 Portuguese companies are participating in several events in Milan throughout September, such as the 100th edition of MICAM, the largest international footwear fair, which kicks off this Sunday, September 7th . "In an international context marked by great uncertainty, we remain strongly committed to gradually returning to international markets," emphasizes Luís Onofre , president of APICCAPS.

Chavarria is one of the international names that already entrusts the Portuguese industry with a component of its fashion week presentations , part of a strategy to strengthen national production. "Willy is at the forefront of joining one of the major international luxury houses, so what we want is for them to look at Portugal and see it as an alternative," says Paulo. "In Portugal, in the footwear sector in particular, there is expertise, tradition, and technology. And, for this reason, some of the most famous international brands in the sector make their shoes in Portugal . Likewise, we have been increasingly investing in our own brands. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for us to partner with designers, whether Portuguese or international. We work very regularly with Portuguese designers, whether at Portugal Fashion or ModaLisboa, and recently we have begun to do the same with international designers as well."

This was the case with the partnership with Patrick McDowell in 2023, for London Fashion Week. The designer, who is on the Forbes 30 under 30 list in the art and culture category and won this year's Elizabeth II Award for British Design, brought shoes from Reve de Flo, a company from Oliveira de Azeméis, to the runway . "I always look for the best craftsmanship and I was delighted to explore the best of the Portuguese market by developing footwear styles that reflected this season's dance theme," the fashion designer said at the time. McDowell has dressed celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Keira Knightley and received public praise from Anna Wintour for his designs that combine luxury and sustainability.

British designer Bianca Saunders (who dressed Nick Jonas at the last Met Gala ) then teamed up with Portuguese company Valuni to launch a footwear collection, which was presented at Paris Men's Fashion Week in June 2024. "Valuni's commitment to quality and accumulated expertise align perfectly with the brand's values. Valuni's extensive experience has been fundamental in bringing our vision to life. They are a leading partner for footwear production," Saunders said at the time. A partnership that Paulo Gonçalves of APICCAPS considers a "fortune of fate." "When we started working with Bianca Saunders , we were far from knowing that she would be named Designer of the Year in England , that she would be very successful at the Met Gala, or that she would move on to Paris Fashion Week."

However, the road to the catwalk is long. "We have communications agencies in several countries, with showrooms in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Madrid, and London. And, from that perspective, through our agencies, we're working to connect our brands with some of these international designers," explains the APICCAPS spokesperson. To win over the US market , the approach was "out of the box," confesses Paulo Gonçalves, who explains the choice of a jewelry designer. " Presley Oldham had received the Young Designer of the Year award and benefited from a mentoring program from American Vogue for three years. Every month, he had meetings with a group of consultants, one of whom was named Anna Wintour."

As a jewelry designer, Oldham wouldn't normally be featured at New York Fashion Week, but he had the opportunity to present a collection in September 2024 as a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist. He showcased his creations paired with custom clothing and Portuguese shoes. The match was with designer Fátima Oliveira of Mariano Shoes. "Pairing jewelry with shoes wasn't exactly an easy thing to do, but because we have the knowledge and tradition, we were able to do it."

In February 2025, Mariano Shoes returned to New York for Patricio Campillo , a Mexican-born designer who was a semifinalist for the 2024 LVMH Prize and who claims to want to create a 'Mexican Loewe.' Calçado Penha, from Guimarães, also attended New York Fashion Week for Daniella Kallmeyer , who in 2024 partnered with Barbie for a custom collection celebrating LGBTQIA+ pride (the designer is openly queer). In September, Campillo and Kallmeyer will be joined by Libertine , by Los Angeles-based Johnson Hartig, and Teophilio , by New York designer Edvin Thompson. "We'll reach the end of the year with between 10 and 12 shows featuring Portuguese footwear abroad ," confirms Paulo Gonçalves.

According to Paulo Gonçalves, the approach of international brands and designers is aimed at showcasing the quality of Portuguese industry. "When they want to come work with us, one of the first invitations I extend is to come to Portugal and visit our factories . Almost every decision is made here. We select three or four factories, the designers visit them, and based on that, they find what, from their perspective, is the most suitable solution," explains the spokesperson for APICCAPS, which has around 500 member companies . "We strive to create a suitable match between designers and companies based on their proposals and the companies' receptiveness."

Proposals are analyzed on a case-by-case basis, but so far, international partnerships have focused on shoes made exclusively for runway shows . "Designers, especially clothing designers, often have some ideas about the path they want to take to create a shoe. But then, technically, they encounter many difficulties. And we have companies with 100 years of history , fourth-generation. So designers are gradually realizing the technical capacity to combine their inspirations and ideas with the knowledge of many years of experience." However, the main goal is still to create shoes that can be marketed under the name of international brands. "We've had shows by North American designers whose shoes were from a Portuguese company; they wanted those shoes just for that purpose, and we did it. But that's not what we wanted. It's a complete disconnect."

In addition to showcasing Portuguese footwear at major international events and promoting the national industry, the strategy also involves selecting emerging designers . "We believe some of these designers are so interesting and promising that they could, sooner or later, join major international houses," says Paulo Gonçalves, citing as an example Dior's new creative director, Jonathan Anderson, who already produced pieces in Portugal for his eponymous brand before taking the position at the French house . "He's been working with Portugal for many years because he was a new designer, and we had Portuguese companies, in this case even in the leather goods industry, who believed in him. They financially supported his project, and this is a connection. This is something that will last a lifetime."

Alongside the fashion shows, the association has partnerships with international fashion schools , such as the recent one with the London College of Fashion. "We held a design competition called Portuguese Shoes, involving the entire school. The winner was invited to come to Portugal and developed their first collection, which will be presented at London Fashion Week in September. By the end of the year, we'll do the same in New York with FIT (the Fashion Institute of Technology)." APICCAPS hopes to bring visibility to the sector by attending international fashion weeks. "More than the brand name, ABC, the designation always stands for Portuguese footwear . And for us, it makes sense."

Portugal exports around 70 million pairs of shoes every year, worth €1.9 billion, according to APICCAPS data. Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Spain are the main markets among a total of 170 countries across five continents . The country has the second-highest average footwear export price in the world, behind only Italy, positioning itself as an alternative to the luxury market. "All top-tier international brands already make shoes in Portugal. Just like they do in Spain and Italy. We have the know-how, but we also have the technology and are investing more than other countries. Even so, we are still a long way from Italy, unfortunately. Therefore, we must continue this work," says the association's spokesperson.

The first half of 2025 may already show results. In the first six months of the year, 36 million pairs of shoes were exported, valued at 843 million euros, representing a 5.4% increase in quantity and 3.7% in value compared to the same period the previous year. This growth could be further enhanced by closer ties with designers across the Atlantic. "The North American market is a priority for Portuguese footwear," says Luís Onofre, who points to the varying tariffs on products imported into the US (products from Brazil are taxed at 50%, those from China at 30%, those from India at 50%, and those from Mexico at 25%). "This could be an opportunity to strengthen our presence in the US , where demand for premium, sustainable, and historic products is growing."

Meanwhile, Paulo Gonçalves also wants Portugal to gain ground in a market dominated by Asian countries , such as China. "Every year, 24 billion shoes are manufactured internationally. 88% of these shoes are made in Asia, which is equivalent to saying that 9 out of 10 people buy Asian products. We consider this reasonable; it's not sustainable. There is an alternative. That alternative is Portugal." To this end, the APICCAPS spokesperson says the association is making "the largest investment ever " under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). Two projects are already under development: BioShoes4All, with a €70 million investment focused on supporting a partnership between 50 companies and 20 research institutions developing new sustainability solutions for the sector, including material recycling and the reuse of products such as rice husks and olive pits; FAIST, which has a 50 million euro investment, focuses on automation and digitalization, focusing on efficiency and profitability. "We started three years ago. By the end of this year, in the area of ​​robotics, automation, and sustainability, we're investing 120 million euros , with support from the PRR. But more than half of this money comes from companies, because they believe this is the way forward, they believe in our industry. Now, if we have the technology, we have the know-how, and we're committed to finding new clients and new markets, then we'll look for them, whether at trade shows, other professional events, or through this connection with new designers."