He began a career in fashion in 1992 in parallel with the costumes and set design for theater. Andrew Correia has created a name as a fashion designer that is synonymous of quality and great creativity coupled with extreme mastery of techniques and materials. Twenty years of a route that still reflects the best that is made in Portugal.
Looking back what you think of these twenty-year of career?
André Correia: I think Portugal has some limitations in this regard; there is some room for a certain forerunner of a career. I was privileged to even be looked at within a particular region, but as I am not located in a major city such as Lisbon or Porto is always more difficult to assert myself. I had the opportunity to be part of some events of Fashion, as Portugal Fashion and beyond, where I have made known some of my clothes. At that time I felt the warmth of a specialized press which gave some support, because they understand that it is not easy the effort that is made in Portugal. Our country is very peculiar; it is difficult to have the financial framework for and the inherent logistic quality that is needed. Once there was a time that I had to refrain because the investments were too large to be constantly in the center of Portugal.
In terms of Portugal Fashion how you categorize the experience? Given that the transport of the collections is a very strong constraint.
AC: Good, but it is really a very strong constraint. There was some support at the time for me to go as a brand in Portugal Fashion show. It was a great fight, but the sensitivity outside of these centers is reduced. The People with a little sensitive to this kind of events, and at a time when we are selling financial health, allowed a great progression in that aspect. Big companies do not always supported, or would have a side of patronage, had to get an exchange to be there. Another issue is that not been in the center causes as the result of showing a collection at an event of this magnitude would presumably allow us to manufacture and sell the clothes to the shop buyers, or find a variety of clientele. The way it worked in Madeira there is no room for this kind of projects, making a collection to be sold in six months is strange, there is a misrepresentation of the concepts from large centers, in this island is not worth it, because we have no industry. The other option was building the clothes on the continent, or I would have to move us out of Portugal for the production. Then what happened? The collection was in a showroom that would provide these clothes to fashion magazines editorials that were using depending on the season, this is all very nice, but behind there is a very large investment of the brand, so it is sometimes instead of a collection I had to do two or three to achieve the same dispersion of the product. When we are little is clear that all this has increased costs, because the fashion market is very strong, very aggressive and already has a well-defined structure to arrive on time to the public. What we do in Madeira is dealing with the general public, who wants clothes within a certain period, a period that has nothing to do with the seasons, but the occasions, it is ordered for special moments. So are several functions that clash.
The brand André Correia is what you dreamed of when you started? What you craved?
AC: I think I had small smattering of what I dreamed. Maybe stubbornly persisted in certain situations, I always had a principle of aesthetic values and quality. In this respect I achieved some successes and some peaks, of course, that when we are in a world of fashion in a market like this always have a few swings, I've had studios as more personal, as less, I had already fluctuations and other spaces along my whole career. Honestly what were my intentions in the beginning? I was moved by the dream. Then there was a realistic phase that had to do with the question of values in this field and always tried to respect mine aesthetic quality. Maybe I gave up too much when I was not required, in terms of technical quality, material, etc. Of course, these values were important to my conscience as a designer and of course, the customer would enjoy, like or could not, but I think the audience liked it if not they wouldn't not accept. The problem is that only a small fraction of that audience can get the clothes because they were imbued with technical quality and materials that made them above average in terms of price. Not everyone had access to this type of pieces. However, I have always had a positive feedback over time. I cannot say that I had a classic route.
I find it curious that addresses this issue, because although there is a lot of talk about other designers of the island, there is none of you. Why?
AC: Currently I do not make fuzz about it. For it was necessary to have a greater production and the way we have been "stitched" over these twenty years by the media has been shameful and not even worthy as I would have been. We are placed on the pages of magazines, certain publications, which do not even mention our names. Throughout these years, they began to have this sensitivity, but this was gradually causing some wear. I always try to say that if I have to appear at least with the dignity I deserve in whatever market. There was a time when it was important, is not the case at the present, what matters is that when you show up, it's quality. Another reason relates to the fact that I am not having an activity as sharp as before, I keep active, but I not the proportion that I had in the past. That required me to have other mechanisms to constantly be on the market, sometimes it is important to see, but above all consume.
This route also traced resulted of opting for other professionals paths, including set design in theater?
AC: The costumes and set design for theater in other areas were always parallel situations to what I was developing in fashion. So I did not interrupted one side for other, I was always open to a range of aesthetic horizons that challenged me and I could respond. I think I got to this point with another strength, which is normal, has to do with maturity.
But these choices result from the fascination with these arts? It is a challenge?
AC: Always. I think my work as a designer began in the costumes for the theater rather the area of fashion, then developed common interests, maybe there was a boundary for me. What interested me twenty years ago was the enchantment of building this trip, was in the theater, or fashion. And actually I was fortunate to be invited to work either in a situation or another. Along my route is clear that everything became more defined, the boundaries were clarify what was fashionable, what was for the scenery, the costumes and let's just say that the interventions were increasingly contextualized and that helped the relevance of my route. Now I'm doing a layout for a CD that will be released early in the year to come. Build a logo and a number of details, the result of a course that I concluded, that is a more graphical, a language that have many of values, and different technical interventions, now I just put my knowledge and "know-how" that were acquire over time for this work.
It is an eternal learning?
AC: Yes, it is wrong to say that we always achieve something. I am never satisfied with myself. In the area of fashion had to restrain an entire route I was having, because there came a time when neither my clients began to want my pieces because it was extremely costly. They enjoyed an Italian aesthetic, a Parisian handmade side, its implementation, its shape and there was a time that it was important to price and as a result there was a cost that had to be paid. It all suddenly became confrontational, it was necessary to curb a bit because there was an evolution of techniques, the more awareness I have of the wardrobe, finish, materials, accessories, everything has a consequence this will cost you later is drained only if we have a market that accepts you, or else we become removed from reality that is where we are. It is sometimes difficult to deal with these two weights, our aesthetics values that a society accepts or not.
Speaking of those values in feminine terms, women have changed over this route in terms of taste?
AC: Maybe I was and what changed the way I saw women. I think the choices are generational in terms of aesthetics. I try to be mindful of the social evolution and the generations. I think twenty years ago we had people, who maybe do not have as much opportunity to quickly acquire many materials and products, but gave greater importance to clothes and respected them. Currently, there is a more overwhelmed consumption, broader, less differentiated strangely, they're all uniform, which is not always beneficial, because if we put it on a scale of quality is average, does not let you have more references. This only happens if we travel and we are in contact with other realities. For example, we have a number of franchising that is dominated primarily by a textile group, which is indetex, and they are in any stores that dominate the commercial center of the country. The large market, people generally consume this type of product and in terms of fashion are a given a qualification. If we go to France or Italy the design is different because we are faced with a distinct products and finishes and then see the difference. When we stratified on a plateau with a few nuances and then let us conforming to this reality of consumption that are perfectly satisfy. Previously women had a lexicon of quality more evolved, there were more trips, contact with other realities and now we're pleased with that reality.
It also coincided with the disappearance of the great couturiers. The reality is that even these designers already make collections for these big generalist's brands.
AC; Why? The new generations want to consume. It is understood that there is a great brand behind it, which is diluted in thousands of pieces of each product. If the shirt is a hundred thousand times produced and distributed on a large scale we seem to buy something unique. Really that's right, this targeted fashion for this type of consumption or we're aware of this reality or else we are small designer and have a higher valence, as simple as it is, requires to be consistently good, with quality execution and with good aesthetic and at the same time we must be equal to, or greater than what already exist on the market.
So what is the future for fashion designers like you?
AC: I do not know there must be a lot of goodwill and some money.
Women no longer value this type of product?
AC: I think there's always a time when we can spend some amount to the most important and special occasions, for an ordinary consumption it does not make sense. Not worth compete with Zara, for example. It's a lost battle. This brand reflect a lifestyle, each of the corners of the shops with some attention show a particular style, more classic, more casual, are stratified and cover all kinds of women. The designers always have their space to feel represented; I do not know is whether it's worth the effort.
