Refinement with portuguese influence

It was founded in the U.S. by two Portuguese brothers and a group of friends. The clothing bespoken still not sold in Portugal, but is now available in the best stores around the world and some shirts out of a factory in Guimarães.
To the more knowledgeable can recall the British tradition of the eighteenth century, when it was common to send the gentlemen's clothing to suit you, with the right to register the name in the tissue, a sign of exclusivity and refinement. Bespoke means in reality, the act of creating a piece of clothing on request and according to the characteristics of the buyer. And this was precisely the inspiration of the brand of clothing and accessories for men born in the United States and results from the union of two Portuguese brothers and three Britons, also brothers of Egyptian descent: Paulo Gonçalves and Carlos, James, Sam and Liam Fayed.

It is necessary to go back a few years and chart paths to get to the point where the five are in Los Angeles and decided to move to fashion design. None of them had training in the area and met up by chance when Paulo Goncalves - who worked in advertising but played in a rock band - decided to place an ad to recruit a drummer. Sam Fayed, film student, answered the call.

He spent little time before the brothers met and discovered they shared the same enthusiasm for fashion. Then it was a matter of managing resources: Fayed, whose family acquired in the 1990s to Turnbull & Asser, one of the most traditional brands of hosiery and known around the world grew to know the intricacies of the textile industry. Carlos Gonçalves worked in finance and Paul knew better than anyone how to build a brand and claims to the general public.

Joined forces to address a gap in the market who recognized, from his own experience: male consumers, still young, did not have a brand that combines the quality of tradition with a modern twist and irreverence.

In 2008, bespoken was born in Los Angeles. In four years, much has changed: it was necessary to move the headquarters to New York, the city that never sleeps and always has an eye out for good deals. Along the way, Carlos decided to abandon the project because it did not want to give up life in California, but Paul remained, like the rest of the team. For him, it was a return. Until a few years ago, lived with his parents and brother on Long Island in New York state, where he is focusing a large Portuguese community, but when, after two decades in the U.S., parents have retired and returned to Portugal, and Paul Carlos went to live in Los Angeles.
The brand has added successes and is increasingly mentioned in magazines, accumulating points of sale worldwide. Already reached the famous Sacks Fifth Avenue, and are delighted, because after the concept was new and could not convince: "We are part Savile Row [a famous street of tailors in London], another part rocknroll 'underlines Paul himself,on the phone from New York.
Paul explains that nostalgia is not because of nationality that the products are made in Portugal
Paul makes sure that was not nostalgia that made lusa that had bespoken, and suppliers in England and Italy, in Guimarães a unit to produce for the brand. "It could have been easier to do business in Asia, but we are the quality and in Portugal it is an amazing job," acknowledges. The fabrics we use are Europeans and each shirt is crafted by 16 artisans, who put the name on a label that customers receive when purchasing. "We took the cut and silhouette very seriously," explains Paul. In England factory, for example, there assembly line. "These are people with great experience, who are in charge of the confection pieces. And we want to put them on the spotlight. "

Did that price, though above average (each shirt is around two hundred euros), is available to consumers below the brand goes, interested in making an investment and wear a shirt made purposely for them. Obsession
to detail is such that the brand website (www.bespokenclothiers.com), you can order a shirt as: just include the measurements, choose the default, the style of collar and cuffs.

The design is decided jointly, so unorthodox. "We define the orientation of all collection and your style," Paul assures. Since when is the materialization of the pieces, everyone has their area of expertise: Paul comes to marketing, the other shareholders divided by production areas.
The successful male line made them think of adventuring into a womenswear collection but, for now, are only in talks with a designer who is likely to have some intervention in creation for women. Still not sure as it is not safe that next season, starting sales at Portuguese stores. "Are you not provided" Paul explains, there was no hiding that already steps in this direction. And he has no doubts about the success of sales in Portugal. Lisbon, where he likes to come with some regularity, although the parents have retired to the Algarve, "is a city in transition, where there is growing interest in culture, whether in music or the arts. It is seen proud increasing individuality and, hence, in the form of dress.