The group has entered into partnerships to establish exclusive spaces in stores in five North American cities, Las Vegas (Nevada), Chicago (Illinois), Denver (Colorado), Scottsdale (Arizona) and Montclair (New Jersey), and intends to open five more in 2021, Pedro Gouveia, responsible for the brands in the United States, told Lusa.

“It is a firmer step in the internationalisation process,” Pedro Gouveia said. “Now, our customers have a place where they can go and have content, people who represent the brand and access to the whole experience”.

The investment in these five stores, where the brands have their own spaces and dedicated people, should generate a turnover of around half a million dollars in 2021, said the official.

“We had very courageous partners, who at this time when retail is not easy for anyone, have taken this step with us,” he said, mentioning CAI Designs, Élan Collections and Modclair.

“Investing in physical stores at a time when they are in confinement and cutting investment was a difficult obstacle to overcome and on 7 December physical stores are in full operation”.

The operation of direct entry into the North American market takes place after years of working indirectly, with representations, consignments and availability of design pieces in the online galleries 1stDibs, Lightology and Lumens.

“This investment, whether in stores, in NYC and LA offices, represents the fundamental step in the internationalisation of the brand in the USA”, said Pedro Gouveia, “now directly, starting to interact with the market from the country itself, moving our operations definitively for the territory “.

Some negotiations for the next openings are already in the final stage and may open in January 2021.

“Our goal is to put Portuguese design in the world and spread what are our qualities and our footprint”, described Pedro Gouveia.

All pieces, decoration and lighting, are produced in Portugal with Portuguese artisan techniques, something that is very attractive to North American customers.

“We have our production and the possibility of customizing any piece, we have managed to make the client’s dream true, always adapted to our mid-century style and always respecting our codes and languages”, described Pedro Gouveia.
Being luxury items, with a price level that is not usual in the Portuguese panorama, the United States represents the most valuable market for brands.

“A large part of our future growth lies in the possibility of the customer having a piece that can be unique in the world”.

Pedro Gouveia explained that customers are divided into residential (60 percent) and hospitality and real estate projects (40 percent), with the Marriott and Hilton chains among commercial customers.

Pedro Gouveia also highlighted the importance of the Portuguese-American communities, which are vehicles for promoting the Portugal brand and seek to support Portuguese brands in the United States.

“I believe that this operation is a matter of ‘awareness’, of brand positioning”, he considered.

DelightFULL designs luxury lamps and lighting pieces in a mid-century style. Essential Home offers pieces of furniture with historical and cinematographic references from the 1930-1960 period.