In New York, Portuguese footwear was featured in a series of exclusive collaborations with Campillo, Daniela Kallmeyer, and Libertine, who partnered with Mariano, J.J. Heitor, and Helena Mar, respectively. In Paris, it joined forces with Willy Chavarria once again, collaborating with Luís Onofre and Mariano Shoes. Also in Paris, Portuguese footwear was showcased by the duo Ernest W. Baker.  In Milan, Miguel Vieira showcased the best of Portuguese footwear as part of Portugal Fashion. 

By collaborating with these designers, the Portuguese footwear industry aims to strengthen its commitment to integrating technical excellence, craftsmanship, and domestic production capabilities directly into the creative process. At the same time, the Portuguese Footwear Association (APICCAPS) is supporting the development of product categories that would not otherwise move forward, by ensuring access to specialised know-how, technical resources, and production scale. 

These partnerships go beyond traditional sponsorship, providing support from the initial design stage through to achieving commercial viability and long-term success.

According to Paulo Gonçalves, Executive Director of APICCAPS, they “reflect our commitment to supporting designers with outstanding production expertise, while also showcasing the depth and versatility of Portuguese footwear”. In addition, “the materials used in the collections were developed under the BioShoes4all project, reinforcing APICCAPS’ commitment to innovation, research and the development of new materials”. 

In the second half of the year, Portuguese footwear is also expected to be present at London Fashion Week, in partnership with the London College of Fashion.