English Version | Stepping on the line

Along the way, he also blurs the line between his métier as a designer and his position as President of the Portuguese Association of Footwear, Components, Leather Articles and Their Substitutes (APICCAPS): “the functions are clearly linked, but they involve enormous time management skills”, he tells us about the balance between the two responsibilities. “It wouldn't be possible without teams that implement strategies and help me define priorities. Ideally, the day would have more hours…”, he admits, the smile felt between the words. In fact, even regarding the line, there is none: the bet is and has always been safe since he embraced the Presidency of APICCAPS, aka Portuguese Shoes, in 2017, after decades of proven experience in the footwear sector, supported by predecessor generations in the family business - talking about Luís Onofre is talking about excellent accessories (shoes, bags and more). He started the eponymous brand just at the turn of the millennium, but his grandfather had already started it in 1930; Onofre, the grandson, then tried to put the Portuguese-speaking business as the talk of the towns all over the world, without denying the birthplace that saw it emerge - both him and the business. “As an author, [made in Portugal] means identity and pride in something I call Home. I belong to the third generation of a family that has always been linked to footwear production and I feel that my Portuguese and family identity is visible in my work”, he clarifies. “My soles have the Portuguese shield and what surrounds me is a creative reference. My creativity is marked by this identity, which is first national and only then global. As a consumer, made in Portugal means confidence in an excellent product that is both technological and artisanal. We have a scale that sometimes compromises its global reach, but on the other hand gives us very unique wisdom.” He knows what he's talking about: he's on top of the production process (he has a factory in Oliveira de Azeméis) and has seen the exponential growth of the footwear industry from the front row, at the same time that his brand has contributed and benefited equally from this growth. It is not a coincidence: both enjoy a seal of superiority that is undeniable and that required some promotion to be perceived. But, as they say abroad, once you see it, you can't unsee it: “There is accumulated knowledge in the fashion sector in Portugal, passed down from generation to generation, which contributes to our products being in demand all over the world. The excellence of our products today is untouchable. It is precisely this heritage, not least because of the importance that these sectors have in the Portuguese economy, that we seek to value”, he highlights, explaining that this heritage is a differentiating factor in international markets. “Our most distinctive sign will be the quality of our products. For a sector like ours that exports more than 90% of its production, the approach has always been universal. If we take into account the fact that we provide shoes to 80 million people around the world, our concern is to develop highly differentiating footwear, with an avant-garde design. It is important to highlight that we work for the most important international brands. Still, national brands have sought to impose their creative vision and, thus, perceive a better future”, he concludes.

He leads by example: aware of the business structure necessary to build and successfully evolve the business, he doesn’t neglect the artistic side of a Luís Onofre who establishes himself as a fashion designer. The extra care in materials, the play of colors and game of volumes, the detail of a silhouette that is intended to be special, without ever undermining the quality of high heels that can last a lifetime (and in which a woman can last an entire day) reiterates Luís Onofre as, on the one hand, a business man, and, on the other, as the full artistic director of the brand he founded. “Seeing the shoe take shape, in prototype format, after the technical design and selection of materials is unique! Attributing a 3D dimension to something that was previously just an idea. The materials are also an inspiration. They are often the ones who determine the path”, he shares, with enthusiasm, about the creative process, the tone of an artist interspersed with the deep analytical knowledge of the market. He also knows that design is an important factor in making a name for himself, in driving purchases, but he doesn't do it without the human hand and head behind it. And, above all, without the effort, this renewable energy that never rests: getting further means continuing to walk. “The footwear industry has always been used to competing in an open market scenario, without any type of protection. To be relevant, it had to show strong arguments on the international competitive scene. Furthermore, very early on it revealed its ambition to be an international reference. Therefore, it invested like few others, looking for new markets, new customers. Then, we sought to have strong, ambitious, bold communication to, initially, arouse curiosity about our reality and, subsequently, create opportunities for our companies. The footwear industry never settled down. On the contrary, it always kept it at a fast pace”, he explains, showing that effort, and not secrecy, is the soul of the business. Oh, and balance, especially if we’re navigating this limbo between art and commerce. Onofre advocates this idea of ​​balance - of course, he has a foot on both sides, and still has his eyes on everything, while being Mr. President - and know better than anyone that the two parties work like yin and yang. “There has to be a balance, because there are limits to the conceptual abstraction of an object”, he adds. “When we create, we have to make the object useful. That function without which there is no form. Everyone knows that for me a shoe is more beautiful the higher the heel, but when I create it, I know it will be worn by a woman who has a real life in constant movement. I have to know how to set limits so that the shoe can keep up. My obligation as a designer is to find beauty and uniqueness in this commitment.” Especially because this alliance between form and function also sells shoes, an aspect that is sometimes easy to neglect, especially in a reality that highly applauds production. “Our sectors have historically been very concentrated in the area of ​​development and even production, often neglecting the commercial component. We let others appropriate our products, our creativity, and productive capacity. We have to be bolder, guarantee a higher share of the value chain.To achieve this, investing in your own brand must truly be a national goal. We have to take this step”, appeals the designer. Especially because made in Portugal enjoys good health and a good reputation, but, just as we should not rest in the shadow of its success, success is also not synonymous with perfection in the industry. It can be done better. We have to do better. “I would say that we were asleep for a long time, doubting our own potential. As a result, we ended up devaluing national identity and letting other pawns gain prominence. I think we have already started the process of rescuing our heritage. But it takes time. Too long. Therefore, we lack time and investment. Valuing our collective image should be one of our biggest priorities”, Luís Onofre makes the call to action.

Furthermore, no matter how well you play, the result is not guaranteed. The formula is never infallible, because the area is not immune to the elements inherent to capitalism, but it is important to have the room for maneuver and the flexibility to not only prevent it, but also be prepared to respond. “The footwear sector is not immune to economic cycles. Furthermore, having a highly exporting profile, it depends heavily on the evolution of international trade. The last few years have been particularly unstable. And, for this reason, we had to look for commercial alternatives, approach new geographies or reformat business models. This is a strategy that we will deepen, because the successes of the past do not constitute any guarantee for the future”, says the President of APICCAPS, adding that the Association “recently launched its new strategic document. We have the ambition to be a major international reference in the development of sustainable solutions. To achieve this, we are making the biggest investment of our time. Within the scope of the PRR, we created a working group, made up of universities, technology centers and companies and we are investing in a new generation of products. This is still the time of scientists. We clearly believe that leather continues to be the best raw material on the market, but within the scope of Bioshoes4all we will create 50 new products (biodegradable footwear, footwear with new properties, recyclable footwear, among others)”, he adds, showing that they are attentive to public demands and reiterating the idea that Portuguese Shoes doesn’t gets too comfortable. Another aspect that they do not want to neglect is the training and awareness of new generations. The European Commission estimates that, in 2030, Europe would need 500 thousand workers in the Fashion sector, a real problem that APICCAPS seeks to anticipate. For this reason, and because it believes in the national industry and its potential, Portuguese Shoes has promoted pedagogical actions in dozens of schools whose objective is to attract a “new generation of talent to our industry”. One that will certainly be necessary to continue following the path from here to abroad: the Portuguese footwear industry exports more than 90% of its production to 173 countries on all continents. An achievement that had to be made for the growth of the sector, but which in no way undermines the importance and pride in the national market: “in order for us to grow we had to scale the business and discover new geographies. But we never neglect our domestic market. Today, Portuguese footwear is present throughout our territory”, argues Onofre.

Luís is not just Onofre, the creator, and Onofre, the president. It is also Onofre, the Portuguese individual that knows the entire country well, even though his headquarters are in the North, and, therefore, speaks with the same framework about his favorite Portuguese things ​​as he does about the industry in which he operates: “One of the things that I like most about Portugal is the simplicity of the know-how. When I think of a good Alentejo wine or a Port wine, I know that we are still capable of returning to our origins and producing something unique and superlative, despite the global uniformity that surrounds us. These are products of extreme quality that we are not always able to properly value, perhaps for reasons of scale, but which captivate international eyes. If we think of brands like Boca do Lobo or Vista Alegre, we think of truly exceptional products that travel the world, but that never lose the essentiality that only exists in perfection. Add to this the idyllic diversity of the landscapes we have between Alentejo, Douro, Azores or Madeira, it is very difficult to choose favorites in Portugal”, he ponders, closing in the best way: “friendship is a Portuguese habit that I will not give up on. The Portuguese get together, there is always a group of Portuguese somewhere, because we like to cultivate closeness with our close friends. It is friends who help us move forward in life and in the world. There are few things as good, after a difficult day, as a dinner party with friends…”

Translated from the original in Vogue Portugal's "Portugal With Love" Issue, published June 2024. Full stories and credits in the print issue.