Aruba, Honduras, Mauritania, Nepal and Uzbekistan. These are just some of the new exports destinations for Portuguese footwear. As a matter of fact, while Europe is still a reference point, in the last decade, Portuguese shoes have reached 43 new countries: in this context, it must be highlighted the stunning growth registered by overseas markets (+177 compared to 2008, 14% of exports in 2018), including the USA, Canada, Russia and China as well as several other nations. These figures perfectly embody the international success currently experienced by the sector, a growth that goes hand in hand with the satisfying data concerning the number of active companies and job placement opportunities. www.apiccaps.pt
Ambitious, breaking Boundaries
X is the name of Ambitious’ new clothing line. As a matter of fact, the footwear brand from Guimarães has widened its action field thanks to a partnership with the Portuguese designer Patrick de Pádua: featuring an irreverent and strong personality, this maiden apparel collection has been developed and produced with premium materials, putting in the limelight the excellence of Portuguese craftsmanship and its creativity. The final result is a range of eye-catching, trendy creations, that perfectly fall into step with the needs and demands of contemporary, dynamic men.
An astounding growth
Equally positive the trends for the leather goods and saddlery sectors, the protagonists of APICCAPS’ new campaign “Portuguese Leather Goods” – a strategic initiative that aims at promoting the value of the knowhow of a great tradition that has succeeded in embracing modernity and its demands, featuring great growth potential. In a decade, overseas sales have tripled (+250% since 2010); moreover, emerging brands and upand- coming designers are starting to gain more and more recognition abroad, while younger people are increasingly investing in the sector. A rewarding result for the industry professionals.