Paula Amorim (Porto, 53 years old) is part of the fifth generation of a saga of businessmen and one of the richest families in Portugal. The president and main shareholder of Galp, she surprised many when in 2019 she decided to explore a new avenue by opening her own clothing brand, Paula. Although it was not her first foray into the fashion universe, where since 2005 she has operated Fashion Clinic (a chain of luxury multi-brand stores) and controls the Gucci franchise in her country. “It was the natural next step after years in retail. I gave her my name to know that she was never going to give up,” she says in almost perfect Spanish with a Portuguese tone. He has just presented his new collection in a colorful space at El Corte Inglés at Serrano 47, where the clothing racks are superimposed with other pieces from this lifestyle brand such as ceramics, embroidered cushions or kitchenware on a table covered with flowers . It was the department store scouts themselves who contacted her because they wanted to sell her label: “They chose us. Last year we were in Madrid, with a pop up at Philocalist, they saw the collection and thought it would have a lot of potential in the Spanish market.”Two details of the space that has just opened its doors in El Corte Inglés at Serrano 47. Her heritage and her taste for fashion have led many media to baptize her as the Portuguese Marta Ortega. She likes the comparison. “It would be great if in 20 years the world sees me as the new Ortega, but as the founder of the luxury lifestyle in Portugal. I think Marta is making an excellent transition; it is not easy to succeed such a charismatic and extraordinary leader.” She knows what she's talking about, she took over from her father, Américo Amorim, who died in 2017. Together with him she worked in the family businesses for years, but her designation as her successor was not evident. . For a long time in the country there was speculation that her parent would choose a man: “Almost four decades separate me from my father. Although he was from a more traditional generation, he always instilled in me as an eldest daughter the value of hard work and leadership. I consider my relationship with him to be a constant test of endurance and a continuous evaluation to assume control of the family business, something he recognized as her desire. I spent many years as her vice president in the most prominent companies,” she says now. She is a reserved person and rarely gives interviews, which is why she is surprised that Paula (the brand) was the incentive that encouraged her to speak. “The world has changed a lot in the last 40 years. Today the possibilities and acceptance of a young woman are incomparable.” From her childhood she likes to remember the summers in the Algarve or the carrot tanning cream that she bought in Spain. She started working when she was 19: “I only have good memories,” she says, “the best thing was the luck of being next to my father. He was a person of action, with a very young and visionary spirit. Above all, a very hard-working man. As his eldest daughter I greatly admired him for what he had achieved and the legacy he had created. I really wanted to learn directly from him. I think I inherited the entrepreneurial spirit from him.”
An image of Paula's new campaign.
The colors of Portugal
'How to dress like a Portuguese girl' is a viral that has triumphed in recent months on TikTok. On the popular social network, users gaze enthralled at the ability to mix seemingly unconnected colors or prints. The result is cheerful, fresh and distinctive, like Paula's collection. Its designer, Ricardo Preto, proposes combinations of saturated colors, textures and artisanal details for the spring-summer season. “We have the conditions and the capacity to assemble a team with the best professionals, we know fashion, that is our mission,” continues Amorim, who has spent a lot of time dissecting the sector in his country. “In Portugal there is a lot of quality and a well-established textile industry, but above all it is sold for export. There are many international brands producing, but simple elements. We wanted to highlight certain techniques such as embroidery or applications that brands take to other geographies to produce.”
Several proposals from Paula's spring-summer collection. «This season, joy, lightness and champagne bubbles inspire each piece,» says Ricardo Preto, creative director. Unlike Spain, which lost productive fabric after globalization, the contained prices of Portuguese labor made it the neighboring country became strong as a workshop with the coveted 'made in Europe' seal. “In Portugal there are many workshops,” Amorim reflects, “but unlike Spain, there are no brands. Here you have a much greater power of visibility, due to the brands. We stayed with the industry, but the creative part has been left behind. It has never been a goal and Portuguese businessmen focused only on production, not so much on developing brands. That's why I thought we had a very good space here, a great opportunity. Investment is needed, but we want to make Paula a Portuguese brand with international visibility.” The artisanal details, one of the brand's strong points, are key in this project that seeks to make the Portuguese seal known to the world. “Appearing with a proposal like this is exciting and the artisans have received it with enthusiasm. It is something different and with growth potential.” What does not differ much between the Spanish and Portuguese situations is the lack of generational change. For this, Amorim also has a plan, to make manual work attractive to new generations: “We try to chart a path there and show that there is a future. Because the problem arises when you lose hope. No matter how much you love crafts, if you don't see a future for it, what are you going to do? If there are brands that can develop it, give it shape and growth, mentalities will change, it is important.” For now, she has the desire and, above all, the means to achieve it.
Detail of one of the firm's dresses.
