Addressing this issue, only recently added on the accessories. Why now?
PP: I started about two years ago with the bags. In trendy Madera, I had a few accessories. Now they are even more personalized, because I have my sister who designs them and Ricardo Silo devise all the plastic part of the hair, not only will make hairstyles, but also created original props with many beautiful details. He is an artist, as well as a hairdresser gives me immense pleasure to work with him because we speak the same language, we are much attuned. We always must be evolving in our work, always wanting more. I have also necklaces.
Why not shoes?
PP: I would love it. I had it not been a mother in such an early age in my twenties, would have gone to Italy to do an internship in footwear and create standards for fabric, because I think it's wonderful. These were my two dreams. It is now very difficult to manage everything, every year I have taken a step different and maybe I'll get there. I always want to improve and supplement the collections in a personalized way. Then people who are working with me will also help to create this complementary area of work. They are motivated, we are all brainstorming and we topped off this way.
Who is the woman of Madera? Do you an evolution in their style?
PP: Yes, I always saw the woman Madeira in a particular way. We see women dressed up in Lisbon when they go out at night. Here we differ because we like to do it for the day-to-day basis. At least the range of clients that are close to me. Why? We live in a small island, there is a need to be authentic and be well. Normally, in the parties we see the same people and them like to innovate, to show something different. The way we dress helps to make us unique, beautiful and different, to feel good. There is such a demand, to buy a custom piece and I notice that there is such pleasure to show something different. Women also wear clothes for each other that happen a lot, I feel this concern.
Going back in time, you typically do not follow trends, the past year you presented a collection inspired by Africa?
PP: I'm always attentive to fashion trends, I draw on in small details. In the collection Yangu Afrik, which translated is my Africa, people got the impression that I had been there. That country, but no. I think it was the National Geographic magazines that my mom signed that inspired me! (Laughs). I always read them. According to her, I was very lively and would not stop. It's my universe of memories to which I refer; it's all in my head. The transposition of these colors was in my subconscious. I've never been in Africa. This is all inside. It's a detail that caught my attention. A tissue. A fallen leaf. They are little notes that I find along the way I wake up those memories and then transpose them to a piece, which rises to another and suddenly I have a collection. I think it's very important to always be aware of everything that is happening in the world to feel close and not so isolated. But I always come to make an interpretation of what is important to me, my taste, to what is harmonious and to be true to myself. I do not like to take anything, just because it's a trend. I have to have a consistency with what I feel and the flowing at that time. It really helps.
The meshes of this collection are extremely rich and elaborate. Do not you have had trouble finding someone who meets your level of demand?
PP: It's true. There is a great deal of work in them, because when we enter a yarn store, we see a thread, which is just that. I have to choose and combine textures. Into the very fabric I am creating, the people who will do that have to speak the same language, so we have to be well tuned. I have to create and build each pattern in a perforated paper and then transferred to the machine. They are like a game of Battleship; we have to draw points for each of the boxes. In the beginning I had difficulties in finding people, who were willing to make this work, then a lady came to me, she is fantastic, she had the desire to do differently. She was tired of doing all the old things, traditional and wanted more challenges. At first it was hard when we tried a different approach, then got the pace and wanted to do more and better and give and now I tell her as a joke she knew more than she thought. (Laughs).
The option of doing knitting was not a strange element for your customers? This is a semi-tropical climate that does not even have a real winter.
PP: That's why I choose softer thread, some are beautiful, but I cannot use them because they are only suitable for climates like Siberia. (Laughs) What do I do? I try to use thicker threads for vests. For the coast I combine a wool thinner with a warmer, I do stripes on the clothes, despite having all those colors, after wearing it is very light. Have all those textures, for all those, but turns out to be cooler than expected. It is obvious that our climate is milder than in the rest of the country, I have a funny story of a clients that will use it with warm weather, "needs" to suffer just because she like it so much. (Laughs) We laughed and that happened to me. I have clients that travel and take the opportunity to use the meshes. However I try to pay attention to it. This year I found great yarn, soft, that are made for use with a shirt inside, a pair of jeans and we're wearing only the knitting, because it has a lot of strength in terms of image and makes you feel good about it.
What represented Portugal Fashion for you in terms of career?
PP: I noticed above all about the respect of people for me. Before PF they liked the work but did not look at me that way. It's weird, but being there gives another value because you must be very good to be there. The work we did was the same, but is built into the national context and with a range of professionals in the same area, that light it me up. In terms of personal experience was great. I had contact with the great names of Portuguese fashion, I could talk, exchange contacts and realize that was the point in my career where I stood and what I felt about the work of others. Why not continue in PF? The first reason relates to the cost. We are the ones who bear all and are very high amounts of money. Leave here with a huge collection and a place to stay; all this implies a significant financial investment. Then I needed to have someone who would continue my work there. I've had for a year, the pieces in the showroom, but had huge monthly costs. The magazines that used clothes for fashion productions go there, but my goal was not to make various sizes of the same clothe, my work is individual, unique and cannot do that show. It is very difficult for me. My collection was also on Muda in Porto, but could not compete on price with other designers, because they can make the collections in factories, my pieces are from my studio and could not compete with these values. All this came to my follow-up condition. Then there was a situation in PF, which put me off, the director of Anje at the time told me that he would present the collection in Lisbon in conjunction with a group of designers, it is obvious that I liked the idea of being in the city where I studied and started to have a very precise idea for the collection. Two weeks before the event, he tells me that everything was canceled and would be on Gaia in a tent next to the Corte Ingles. I thought that if I dedicated this time, it was a disrespectful to move everything in the last minute and I felt that this was not my goal. I told them that this new option will not dignify such an event and the work of all involved, not in a tent. I maintained this position and thought I had exhausted my time in Portugal Fashion and other opportunities would arise. It was a turning point.
What did you think of Madeira fashion was a very punctual event.
PP: It was. When it started I thought it was great, because there was an interaction with national fashion designers and for us was fantastic because twice a year we showed what we do best. If not, things die, does not make sense to create. It was an experience of 3 years, who suddenly stopped. The project got lost, I am sorry, but then I thought I could not stop. So I decided I'm going to shake things up, get sponsorship and display my collection every year. In the last two years was in the House of Light, Luisa Garrido, responsible for the space, was always amazing to me and everyone in general. This year, I notice that has been increasingly easy to create this type of event, because people know me and recognize my commitment and the team that works with me.
What will be the future of patrician Pinto?
PP: I always say let me live in the moment, if you do with all the will, with all the dedication and the full force, something good will happen. Do not project. I have my dreams. I liked to participate in a Lisbon Fashion and Sao Paulo or Paris Fashion Week. I like to dream big. Every day is a surprise and I live that way.
