Driven by design

: the ecosystem of portuguese creative-fashion brands

Abstract

The “Made in Portugal” label is in vogue. The recent entrepreneurial wave of local small independent brands, as well as the international prestige of the Portuguese textile industry have both contributed to its thriving. Notwithstanding, “Designed in Portugal” seems to be lagging in terms of its reach, notoriety, and value-added. Despite growing proof of the quality of Portuguese fashion-design, with brands such as Marques’Almeida recently receiving the prestigious LVMH prize, its national and international recognition still poses a challenge towards the growth and competitiveness of the Creative-Fashion sector, for which emerging talent could represent a solution.The aim of this exploratory study is to develop a comprehensive analysis of the actors and activities surrounding Portuguese Creative-Fashion Brands (CFBs), determining which challenges and opportunities they face to achieve success. To establish a clear framework of analysis, it proposes that an ecosystem perspective be applied over the Creative-Fashion industry. Moreover, through interviews with industry experts and young fashion brands, gathers relevant insights and draws conclusions.The findings revealed a profound polarization of the sector, propelled by insufficient cooperation between ecosystem actors. Furthermore, the challenges identified can be overcome if CFBs are able to seize the existing opportunities, on the condition of being backed by structural change at ecosystem-level.This dissertation provides newcomer brands and designers, or any other stakeholder in the industry, with an in-depth understanding of the Portuguese Creative-Fashion landscape, as well as delivering strategically valuable insights to help them navigate this otherwise unknown arena.

Date of Award	17 Oct 2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Pascal Morand (Supervisor)