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Fashion

APICCAPS: From Factory to Runway

April 13, 2026

There’s a version of fashion week that exists far from the front row, before the lights, the music, and the final looks come together. It’s in the factories, where shoes are built piece by piece, often in places dedicated to a single component. On a recent trip to Portugal with APICCAPS, that side of the industry came into focus.

What usually gets reduced to a small “made in Portugal” stamp turned out to be a much larger, highly organized operation. In some cases, entire factories are devoted to just one part of the shoe, like soles, which makes clear how much really goes into the making of a pair of shoes.

That context carried over into ModaLisboa, where alongside a full schedule of designer runway shows, APICCAPS presented Portuguese Soul, a performance that leaned into movement rather than a traditional format. Dancers wore the shoes as extensions of their bodies, emphasizing how footwear supports, shapes, and directs motion rather than just finishing a look. It was a simple idea, but effective. The shoes weren’t styled onto the performance, they drove it.

The presentation also tied back to the industry’s broader push around sustainability. Developed within the Bioshoes4all project, it pointed to a shift happening behind the scenes, a shift towards more responsible materials, reduced waste, and a more circular approach to production.

By Dylan Andrews

Seeing the factories and then watching that performance makes the “factory to runway” idea feel literal. It connects the technical side of production with the more visible, creative one, and makes you more aware of everything that goes into a shoe long before it ends up on a runway, or on your feet.

Following the trip, office caught up with Luis Onofre, APICCAPS president to learn more about to learn more about Portugal’s footwear industry and where it’s headed.

Portugal has become such a leader in footwear manufacturing, what does it offer that other countries don’t?

Portugal combines a strong tradition of excellence in footwear manufacturing with sustained, long-term investment. Over the past three years alone, the sector has invested more than €100 million in automation, sustainability, and robotics, particularly through initiatives such as Bioshoes4all and FAIST. This represents a powerful vote of confidence in the future. It clearly sets us apart and explains why we are increasingly sought after in international markets.

How would you describe the identity of Portuguese footwear today?

It is a forward-looking industry, defined by strong technical expertise and advanced technologies, combined with a contemporary design sensibility.

How important is it for you to keep production in Portugal versus moving elsewhere?

It is a matter of principle. It is entirely possible to produce excellent footwear in Europe, while respecting international standards in environmental and social responsibility, and still remain competitive in terms of pricing.

How has the local industry evolved in the last 5–10 years?

I believe the Portuguese footwear industry will continue to consolidate its position as a leading reference on the international stage.

Do you think consumers are becoming more interested in where things are made, not just how they look?

I have no doubt about it, particularly among younger generations. Consumers want to be well informed and to pay a fair price for what they buy.

Are there innovations in materials or processes you’re excited about right now?

For us, more than focusing solely on new materials, the priority is to optimise resources: avoiding waste, reducing the use of raw materials, and lowering water and energy consumption. Eco-design has become a guiding principle of our activity.

At the same time, we have been working closely with technology centres and universities to develop a new generation of products, including innovative leathers, biomaterials, and recycling solutions. In these areas in particular, Portugal is ahead of many of its competitors.

Seeing your factories and then the runway shows in Lisbon, how do you see the relationship between production and presentation?

Companies and designers are often seen as having different perspectives on the same business. Personally, I do not see it that way. In reality, companies bring deep technical expertise and manufacturing know-how, while designers contribute a fresh and creative vision of the market. Together, this forms a highly effective strategy.

That is why, over the past two years, we have partnered with several international designers such as Bianca Saunders, Kallmeyer, Patrício Campillo, Libertine, Theophillio and Willy Chavarria. This is a direction we are committed to continuing.

Fashion

Moto & Boho, The Western Couple

April 13, 2026

He was a motorcycle boy, she was a bohemian girl. What more can I say? They said see you later as they ride off on his Harley-Davidson into the setting sun in married matrimony, hearts warm, hair flowing, and eyes shielded in amber and turquoise shades. Vooglam debuts their own twist on Western archetypes in their Moto Boho collection, exploring three desert personalities: nomads, easy riders, and wanderers. The collection binds the rebellious, edgy grit of motorcycle culture with the free-spirited, dreamy, and romantic bohemian lifestyle. Photographer Ben Cope, captures this coupling in a vivid reenactment of the maverick soul this collection resembles. Cruising empty outstretched highways, trying to reach the core of sun like the end of a rainbow, converting abandoned gas stations into a kickback oasis, strumming rock guitars for an audience of boulders - the life one can only get in the wild wild West.

The collection offers frames that reflect the desert ambiance: dusty golds, vintage ambers, timeless tortoise shells, smoky tints, geographic configurations. Chain styles are also available so that rough riders don't have to worry about shades falling off by accelorating winds and so that flower childs can dance freely without their glasses flinging across the room. The campaign’s marriage of motorcycle and bohemian culture allow for a collection that intertwines their stark differences yet celebrates their undeniable similarities. It reflects the same contradictions found in the desert's own landscape: textured snakeskin slithering over soft sand, spiky cacti blooming colorful flower crowns, painted pastel skies backdroping rigid terrains. These contradictions are what make the desert such a unique biome. It is like mother nature's own testament that you are free to grow even in harsh conditions. Perhaps that is why the arid air inspires an uncontrollable freedom that manifests in both the damned masculine and divine femine.

While the theme of the Moto Boho collection is Western, the theme of Vooglam for the year is music. Moto Boho is the first installation, directing the course for the new brand image for the year to come. This campaign aligns music festivals with traveling, adjacent to the camper-van lifestyle of Coachella or Burning Man attendees.