Portugal Fashion typically includes a commercial exhibition space, BRAND UP, featuring fashion creations and lifestyle products. At the 46th event (12 to 14 March, at the Alfândega do Porto Congress Centre), BRAND UP will once again be operating not only as a showroom, but also as an urban market, in a hybrid model combining B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-customer). This means that, as happened in October, the approximately 80 national brands and designers attending BRAND UP will have the opportunity to sell their products directly to visitors to the event, as well as displaying and publicising them before expert audiences.
BRAND UP will be open at the same times as the fashion shows at the 46th Portugal Fashion are being held. In order to open the event up to the city and attract audiences less familiar with the world of fashion, admission is free and no invitation is required. To this end, the BRAND UP Sessions will also be returning. These involve a number of talks on topics of interest to the fashion sector, with speakers who are well-renowned in their areas. There will also be DJ sets and other fun moments, with a special live broadcast on RFM on 12 March.
The fashion director at Portugal Fashion, Mónica Neto, assures that the already confirmed brands at the event cover all aspects of the fashion sector (designer fashion, ready-to-wear, footwear, jewellery and accessories), as well as the lifestyle segment, and are “representative of the excellence and export potential of Made in Portugal”. “BRAND UP is therefore an excellent space for showing a broader public much of what is the best of national fashion and lifestyle”, she concluded.
“But it’s not a question of just attracting expert audiences, such as retailers or the normal consumers of fashionable products. It is, rather, a question of attracting new audiences to BRAND UP and reaching the maximum number of people, giving them the possibility to buy products on the spot. This is something which is extremely advantageous for the brands, not only commercially speaking, but also as a way of gaining customer loyalty. The urban market model is then the one that best strengthens the relationship between the brands and the visitors to BRAND UP”, according to Mónica Neto.
One of the main aims of BRAND UP is to make access to national fashion more democratic, namely designer creations, which are still relatively distant from the common consumer. This is why Portugal Fashion designers will be in the limelight at the next BRAND UP, which will have a kind of “island” for displaying and selling items made not only by big names in national fashion, but also by emerging talents.
Partnership with MAZE
Of note at this BRAND UP event is the partnership with MAZE, an Italian street culture events promoter that combines urban art, fashion, music, dance and extreme sports. Under the scope of this partnership, three brands will be chosen to be part of the MAZE space at BRAND UP. At the three-day event, brands will benefit from MAZE’s promotional and interactive dynamics. In the end, the promoter will choose a brand to be present at a MAZE showcase in Italy in June, based on their ability to interact with the public. The chosen brand will also have their own stand and access to the fashion show.
The support given to the event by many of the socio-professional associations in the fashion sector has contributed greatly to the diversity of BRAND UP products. Each one of them indicated a group of brands in the activity sectors they represent.
Therefore, apart from the brands invited by ANJE, BRAND UP also includes brands powered by ATP – Textile and Clothing Association of Portugal / Seletiva Moda Association (through the Fashion From Portugal project), ModaLisboa Association, APICCAPS – Portuguese Footwear, Components and Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association, AORP – Portuguese Jewellery and Watchmaking Association and ANIVEC – National Association of Clothing Manufacturers and Fashion / CENIT – Textile Intelligence Centre (through the MODAPORTUGAL initiative).
BRANDS @ BRANDUP
- 0.9 VIRUS – Filipe Ferreira
- AMBITIOUS – POWERED BY PORTUGUESE SHOES
- ANTIFLOP – POWERED BY FROM PORTUGAL
- ARIEIV
- Arte Nova Jewellery POWERED BY AORP
- BEHEN – POWERED BY MODA LISBOA
- Bleenk
- B488 BY LUIS BORGES
- Bolflex
- BUS
- BUZINA – POWERED BY MODA LISBOA
- Carla Pontes
- Carolina Sobral
- Concreto
- CRIADOR ESAD @ THE
- CRISTINA BARROS – POWERED BY FROM PORTUGAL
- DAVII
- David Catalan
- Entrudo
- Ergovisão
- Estelita Mendonça
- Eugénio Campos Jewels
- Evangelista
- FLY LONDON – POWERED BY PORTUGUESE SHOES
- FOURSOUL
- GLADZ – POWERED BY PORTUGUESE SHOES
- GRACE EDITION – POWERED BY FROM PORTUGAL
- Hugo Costa
- J MALAS
- J. REINALDO – POWERED BY PORTUGUESE SHOES
- JEF
- Joana Santos Contemporary Jewellery – POWERED BY AORP
- João Sousa
- JOSÉ SANTOS JOALHEIROS
- JUDY SANDERSON
- Kianda
- LILIANA PONA
- Luís Buchinho
- LUÍS ONOFRE – POWERED BY PORTUGUESE SHOES
- Maria By Fifty – POWERED BY MODA PORTUGAL
- MARIA MEIRA
- MARITA MORENO
- MAZE FESTIVAL
- Meam
- MISSES WHITE – POWERED BY FROM PORTUGAL
- MLV PORTUGUESE SHOES – POWERED BY PORTUGUESE SHOES
- MUSLEATHER – POWERED BY FROM PORTUGAL
- My Cute Pooch
- Nazareth Collection
- Nevoa
- NOBRAND – POWERED BY PORTUGUESE SHOES
- NOOGMI – POWERED BY FROM PORTUGAL
- NORMAL OR NOT – POWERED BY FROM PORTUGAL
- NORTADA – POWERED BY MODA PORTUGAL
- Nycole
- OPIAR – POWERED BY MODA LISBOA
- Papillon London Cosmetics for Men
- PAULA BLUEMCHEN – POWERED BY AORP
- Pé de Chumbo
- PURA TRIBE
- RITA SÁ
- RUFEL – POWERED BY PORTUGUESE SHOES
- Rufo
- SANJO – POWERED BY PORTUGUESE SHOES
- SENSIFY by Laila Sørensen – POWERED BY FROM PORTUGAL
- Sinopsis
- SKULK – POWERED BY FROM PORTUGAL
- Springkode
- Susana Bettencourt
- TEEOREMA
- Telyoh by Savana
- THE BARON’S CAGE – POWERED BY PORTUGUESE SHOES
- TORCATO SANTOS
- TROFICOLOR
- TROTINETE – POWERED BY FROM PORTUGAL
- UNFLOWER BRAND
- Venny’s
- VINTAGE FOR A CAUSE
- WEK
- Wonther – POWERED BY AORP
