Portugal Fashion's long-awaited return to New York Fashion Week will take place on 12 and 13 September This campaign reinforces the project s international itinerary strategy Thus completing Portugal Fashion's presence at the main fashion weeks in the world: Paris, Milan, London and now New York Designers Katty Xiomara and Miguel Vieira will be on the catwalk at NYFW, presenting their proposals for the next warm season. Miguel Vieira will be making his début at the event The fashion shows will take place at Pier 59 Studios, located on 18 th Street & Westside Highway The last time Portugal Fashion took a fashion show to the American capital of the fashion industry was 15 years ago New York Fashion Week takes place between 8 and 15 September At the beginning of this new season, Portugal Fashion's fashion show itinerary will be getting a new boost. The Portuguese fashion project will return to New York Fashion Week (NYFW) after an interval of more than a decade. The Big Apple will be playing host to the production of the fashion shows by Katty Xiomara and Miguel Vieira, where the national proposals for spring-summer 2017 will begin to come to life. The Portuguese-Venezuelan designer will be the first to showcase her proposals at 7 pm local time on 12 September, at Pier 59 Studios (Studio A). The following day, at 5 pm local time and in the same place, but this time in Studio C, it will be the turn of Miguel Vieira's creations to take to the catwalk. Portugal Fashion thus completes its international circuit with the inclusion of New York in its fashion show itinerary, assuring its regular presence at all the main fashion weeks in the world. The emblematic US city will be followed by London, Milan and Paris on the project's international calendar. This is a long-awaited return to the fashion week about to take place in New York. Portugal Fashion has packed its bags in preparation for crossing the Atlantic and being a success in what is considered to be one of the biggest and most important markets in the world fashion industry. This trip will practically be in a straight line, as the latitude of the city that never sleeps is almost the same as the latitude of
Porto, where the designers who will be on the catwalk at New York Fashion Week will be leaving from. But, truth be told, both Katty Xiomara and Miguel Vieira are no newcomers to these international trips. In fact, Katty Xiomara made her début on the catwalk at NYFW in 2013. In addition to this market, there have been other international forays in Katty Xiomara's career, namely fashion shows at Paris Fashion Week, and also in Madrid. In turn, Miguel Vieira's label has been very well-received in the USA. The Miguel Vieira Júnior line has been on sale there since 2011, and it is in this segment that his name has been gaining more projection in the country. In fact, one of the children of the Kardashian clan was recently photographed wearing a Miguel Vieira t-shirt. The news was widely reported by national media. It should also be noted that the designer from São João da Madeira was one of the people who accompanied the pioneering internationalisation of Portugal Fashion, taking part in the first fashion shows that were held at São Paulo Fashion Week. In recent years, with support from the project, he also had presentations on the catwalks in Istanbul, Barcelona, Madrid, Paris and Maputo and, most recently, he was present at the last two Milan Fashion Weeks. Also of note are two other forays in the history of Miguel Vieira's international fashion shows: at Uruguay Fashion Week, by invitation of the government of the South American country, and Lodz, during Fashion Week Poland. Its return to New York represents the coming of age of Portugal Fashion international Going back to the beginning of the new millennium, New York was one of the first international market destinations to be focused on by Portugal Fashion. In fact, it was in 2000 that the project produced its first fashion show in the city, after making its international début at São Paulo Fashion Week in 1999. At the time, the group of designers and labels that took part in the first fashion shows in New York in September 2000 and in February 2011 was made up of Ana Salazar, Anabela Baldaque, João Tomé/Francisco Pontes, Luís Buchinho, Alves/Gonçalves, Bruno Belloni, Inspiro and Maconde. Since then, Portuguese designers have been on several international catwalks: Paris, London, Milan, Madrid, Vienna, Maputo and Rome. It is clearly a reason for celebration and a feeling of duty done to return to one of the epicentres of the fashion world, dictating market trends with strong marketing potential. In New York, we feel the true appeal of the American dream, a place where anything is possible if you work hard and are determined to succeed. And the Portugal Fashion project and the designers and labels we support have these qualities in spades. This year, with the inclusion
of New York on the international itinerary, we will be achieving another strategic objective: presence on the main fashion circuits in the world. From now on, there will be new challenges for the project, whether through consolidation of our visits to these markets or through expansion to new countries in the Middle East and Asia, said João Rafael Koehler, president of ANJE National Association of Young Entrepreneurs, the promoter organisation of Portugal Fashion. Spring-summer 2017 with maritime and territorial inspiration The collection Katty Xiomara has prepared for next summer is based on the theme of the Agulhas Current. As the designer explained, her inspiration came from the Portuguese maritime discoveries, at a time when this current was particularly feared by the 15 th century navigators as it caused huge waves and winter storms at places where the adventurers of the sea who were heading to the Orient usually passed on their voyage along the coast of Africa. Thus, the coordinates are developed according to aesthetics that use the blacks and blues of the deep, the vibrant shades of the reefs and the illuminated greys and pinks of sand. Imaginary figures are another source of inspiration, such as the grandiose octopus and the exuberant betta fish represented in mega patterns made on watercolour bases. Lace, reinterpreting fishing nets, and lurex, reflecting the glitter of the water and sand, are the main materials used. The nautical spirit also predominates, personified in the classic combination of red, white and blue. Volumes and overlays are also explored, with all of the details thus flowing into a collection with a sweetened touch of the urban, where nostalgia is approached with a fresh sense of modernity. As for Miguel Vieira, his collection absorbs the territoriality of the African continent. Out of Africa was the theme chosen and Karen Blixen was his muse: a sophisticated colonial woman who falls in love with Africa, its people and its customs. In fact, the classic book by the author serves as an epigraph for the new designs by the Portuguese designer. Tribal patterns stand out in the garments in a shade of gold that recalls the sunset, and natural patterns almost like a camouflaged animal. Nevertheless, the design is modern and the lines are straight, almost austere, but reinforced by elements of neoclassic inspiration that soften the silhouette, giving it a more feminine touch and a sometimes almost romantic elegance. Basically, a mixture of styles safari, tribal, minimalist that Miguel Vieira transports to a metropolitan scenario.
Portugal Fashion 2015-2017 a project under the auspices of ANJE National Association of Young Entrepreneurs, in partnership with ATP Textile and Apparel Association of Portugal is funded by Portugal 2020, under Compete 2020 Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation, with European Union funds of European Regional Development Fund. For more information, contact: Portugal Fashion Press Office Rafael Alves Rocha phone: 22 0108000 91 9408071 email: rafaelrocha@anje.pt
Agulhas Current - Summer 2017 In the 15th century Portugal stands out as a great maritime power. Experienced navigators returned the odds of the sea to their own advantage. The Agulhas Current were feared by their giant waves and winter storms. It was one of the usual passage places for the sea adventurers on their way to the East/Orient passing along the African Coast. The new SS17 collection adopts the name of this Current, and looking at the sea aesthetics surrounding; his creatures and their seafarers. The colors and motifs are born on the seabed and emerge to the surface. The black and blue from the depths of the sea, vibrant tones from the coral reefs and the bright gray and pink from the sands. Spongy jerseys imply the thick skin of the powerful predators of the oceans. Watercolor base mega patterns of creatures such as the great Octopus and the lush beauty of the fighting fish. Light lace reinterprets fishing nets. The Iurex reflects the brightness of the waters and sands. The nautical spirit is revealed by the classic combination - blue, white and red - laid in plaid patterns and stripes, embroidery and laser cutouts. The wavy volumes with different densities; ruffles that recreate the fish tails and godet that represent the tentacles of coconut octopus. Marine details, transparencies and overlays. From this combination of ideas emerges a spontaneous bond between sophistication and simplicity, with a sweet touch of urbanity, where nostalgia is approached with a fresh sense of modernity.