Mati is a Portuguese brand inspired by Greece. Fashion handmade accessories with semiprecious stones, pendants with blue eyes, Buddha's figurines and gilded silver wire, all coming from the imagination of Maria Bruno da Costa resulting in delicate and tasteful pieces to be used on any occasion.
How comes the idea of mati?
Maria Bruno da Costa: I lived in Greece from 2006 to 2010. As you know this country has a great tradition in terms of jewelry, there are even large Greek names in jewelry design at the international level. They are very strong in this area, In Greece every door is jewelry. I always worked in banking, but stopped for personal reasons during 4 years and when I came back I thought to try and make jewelry for some of my friends. I like art, photography, to create and therefore brought some pieces that I designed, and I rode it and had some success. That was two years ago, though I was connected to a fashion site, which required a lot of time on me and it was difficult to coordinate with my personal life and then I thought: why not start with this small business? And so the restarted was about four months ago. It's recent.
How do you choose the pieces to make necklaces, or bangles?
MBC: I choose the pieces to my liking, I have some that are sent to me and others that are assembled and all are the result of the creation process. There is a great connection with fashion and new trends. I always try to do a little differently, which is not easy these days with this huge globalization, but I always try to give to the pieces a very personal touch.
The pieces continue to come from Greece?
MBC: I bring all merchandise from Greece, although some stones are from various regions of the world. They have large wholesale vendors who offer this type of stones to manufacture and retail.
Who is the woman mati?
MBC: First let me tell you that means mati is eye, or look in Greek, that was inspired by the blue eye which removes the evil eye is a symbol both Greek and Turkish. The mati woman is someone whose age is around 30 to 45 years of age, is women with some buying power, because the jewels are in gilded silver and semiprecious stones. It's a modern woman who likes what is slightly different. It is a bit fashion, hippie chic this is the image that I want to convey and I have gained a foothold in market terms.
I noticed that the collections are limited, is it not?
MBC: This is still a relatively small business; the pieces are all handmade and limited to my own production capacity. The jewels are few in number and in some cases almost unique, because I think we also have to mark the difference and I do not intend to do mass production. Therefore, I choose to do it this way and also always like to do different things, repetition tires me. Moreover, people appreciate having exclusive jewels, not equal each other.
Of all the models that you created are some pieces more special?
MBC: Yes, the necklaces with the Buddha's and the pieces of silver gilt with the blue eyes. The last one of them, I have them in several sizes. These are the models that have come out more.
What is the next step for mati?
MBC: I'm in the process of growth. I am sailing in some stores and directly to individuals. My goal is to grow in number of commercial spaces and start expanding my necklaces with certain calm, because I have a limited production capacity. At this time also I will be in Angola. Now in the coming months, with the summer collection, I'll put my pieces in three stores, which in my view identify with the brand. I do not usually choose any kind of space, I think that times are not easy and everything has to be done very slowly.
Tell me a little of the new collection, which of the new trends you used for this spring-summer?
MBC: This summer will be marked by lots of color, not so much in clothing, in jewelry yes. I will continue with the same line, necklaces with small parts, not large and within that trend, I make jewels where the color abounds. The wires will be more colorful, there will be a little macramé mixed with silver and precious stones. The tones range from blue, green to orange, is to give a little joy to the pieces and who wears them.
There will be a piece or set of pieces that will always remain as emblematic of the brand?
MBC: Yes, the pending eyes, whether rounder, cross, or applied in silver will always be present in the collections. That is the hallmark of mati I intend to keep.
Notei que as colecções são limitadas, é isso?
MBC: Isto ainda é um negócio relativamente pequeno, as peças são todas feitas a mão e limitadas a minha própria capacidade de produção. As joias são em número reduzido e nalguns casos praticamente únicas, porque penso que também tenho de marcar pela diferença e não pretendo fazer uma produção em massa. Portanto, opto por faze-lo desta forma e também gosto de fazer sempre coisas diferentes, a repetição cansa-me. Por outro lado, as pessoas apreciam ter peças exclusivas, não iguais as outras.
De todos os modelos que criou hoje alguma peça mais especial?
MBC: Sim, os colares com os budas e as peças em prata dourada com o olho azul. Os últimos, tenho-os em vários feitios. São os modelos que mais tem saído.
Qual é o próximo passo para mati?
MBC: Eu estou em processo de crescimento. Vendo para algumas lojas e directamente a particulares. O meu objectivo é crescer em número de espaços comerciais e começar a expandir os meus colares com uma certa calma, porque tenho uma capacidade de produção limitada. Neste momento também vou estar em Angola. Agora nos próximos meses, já com a colecção de verão, vou colocar as minhas peças em três lojas que, a meu ver, se identificam com a marca. Não opto por norma em coloca-las em qualquer espaço, acho que os tempos não são fáceis e tudo tem de ser feito com muito calma.
Fale-me um pouco da nova colecção, o que utilizou das novas tendências para esta primavera-verão?
MBC: Este verão vai ser marcado por muita cor, não tanto no vestuário, nas joias sim. Vou continuar com a mesma linha, colares com peça pequenas, não grandes e dentro dessa tendência, vou fazer peças onde abunda a cor. Os fios serão mais coloridos, haverá um pouco de macramé misturado com a prata e as pedras preciosas. Os tons vão desde o azul, verde até o cor de laranja, é para dar um pouco de alegria as peças e a quem as usa.
Haverá uma peça ou conjuntos de peças que irá sempre manter como emblemáticas da marca?
MBC: Sim, os pendentes com os olhos, quer sejam mais redondos, em cruz, ou aplicados a prata estarão sempre presentes nas colecções. Essa é a imagem de marca da mati que pretendo manter.
