JAK x Huarte

JAK and designer HUARTE have created a special limited edition of 18 pairs of unique JAK shoes to be worn during the presentation of HUARTE’s FW23 collection at Portugal Fashion in March 2023. “The shoes were only worn for 10 minutes. After that, they weren’t in perfect condition for sale, but we didn’t want to waste them”.

Under the creative direction of Isabel Henriques da Silva (Creative Director of JAK) and Victor Huarte (Creative Director of HUARTE), these shoes have been brought back to life by replacing the soles and customising them in the iconic colours of HUARTE’s FW23 collection. In addition, each pair comes with a serial number and a unique gift accessory: a tote bag handmade by Victor HUARTE from leftover fabrics.

At a time when environmental awareness is central, the concept of upcycling takes on a new meaning. Reusing a pair of shoes goes beyond simple refurbishing, as it involves a commitment to sustainability, conserving resources and reducing the environmental footprint.

“The idea was to give these trainers a new purpose. We took advantage of the necessary transformations to reinterpret this mini-capsule and tried to bring it closer to my FW23 collection, always conveying the sustainability policy that is transversal to HUARTE and JAK”, says Victor Huarte.

“Reusing a pair of shoes isn’t just about giving them a second chance, it’s a powerful statement about our commitment to sustainability. We know that upcycling is the present and the future, it allows us to minimise waste and have a positive impact on the environment. In this partnership, we changed the soles and replaced the worn parts, using the base that had already been produced, optimising resources and raw materials”, admits Isabel Henriques da Silva.

This limited edition has just been launched and is available in the online stores of JAK and HUARTE. All proceeds will go to the PAIS21 Association, an association of people with trisomy 21, their families and civil society that, since 2008, has been disseminating information and news about trisomy 21 and fighting for the individuality and decision-making power of each of these people.

Luís Carvalho and ESC: a successful partnership

To celebrate a decade-long career, the Portuguese designer Luís Carvalho has just announced a partnership with footwear brand ESC. Born out of a desire to create something bold and timeless, the challenge was to create a pair of shoes able to represent the celebration of Luís Carvalho’s 10-year career. This is how the unisex “Party Loafer” came about.

“It has been a pleasure to develop this partnership with ESC, to materialise 10 years of Luís Carvalho in a pair of shoes, combining the classic and the sporty that symbolise the brand’s DNA”, says Luís Carvalho.

The black model made of leather with a lacquer finish and white bronze details is available at ESC shops in Lisbon, Porto, Funchal, Vizela, Luís Carvalho Studio and esc---store.com.

Luís Carvalho was born in Vizela in 1987 and graduated in Fashion and Textile Design from the Castelo Branco Polytechnical Institute. He has participated in several fashion competitions in Portugal and abroad, winning the prize for best male coordinate at Acrobactic 2011. In 2013, he created his own brand and the challenges multiplied. That same year, he presented his first collection at ModaLisboa and since then has been a constant presence at Lisbon Fashion Week.

Lachoix x Burel

A unisex collection, a burel loafer and a brand five years old. Sounds like loose ends… but what if we told you that these are the ingredients for a successful partnership?

Five years ago, Fátima Carvalho founded Lachoix, a women’s footwear brand focused on flat, elegant and comfortable styles. Now, to celebrate its first five years in business, the brand is launching its first unisex collection. But this is no ordinary collection – it has been created in partnership with the Portuguese brand Burel Factory, yet another example of innovation and tradition.

The two brands have teamed up to reinvent the loafer, the iconic shoe of the footwear brand. With a leather sole and cowhide lining, the new Lachoix x Burel loafer relies on this Portuguese handmade fabric, once again reflecting the brand’s commitment to sustainability. Burel is “resistant, natural, recyclable and biodegradable”.