Discover how Laurel is promoting “Know how to do Portuguese” of Luxury

A Associação Laurel é uma entidade sem fins lucrativos que se dedica a promover as Marcas Portuguesas de Luxo

Empowering Portuguese Excellence is the commitment of the Laurel Association: give visibility and strength to Portuguese Excellence, with the motto being “Know how to do Portuguese”

CONTEXT

After its launch in October 2021, the constituent bodies of Laurel – Portuguese Association of Brands of Excellence are ready to show the world what Portuguese Brands are capable of doing.

It was with great pleasure that Joana Beirão, founder of Portugal Faz Bem, was received at the facilities of the Laurel Association in Lisbon, at the invitation of its General Secretary Francisco Carvalheira, and before the vacation period of both. After a good mutual introduction conversation, We wanted to know and share more about this new organization. We therefore proposed an interview, that after being kindly granted, we transcribe in full, so you can stay up to date with everything about this Portuguese Association.

The images we share were provided by the Association.

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to interview

What is Laurel?, who founded it, when and why did it have this name?

Laurel is a non-profit association, with the purpose of defending and promoting Portuguese Luxury and Excellence Brands, with the motto “Knowing how to do Portuguese”.

Laurel was incorporated in November 2019 with eleven founding brands. Due to the pandemic, we were forced to postpone its formal launch, what happened to 14 of October of 2021 at the Ritz Hotel in Lisbon, with the presence of eighty-five Portuguese brands. We are still very young, but we are very proud of the work we are doing for the international projection of Portuguese brands.

 

 

As Marcas Fundadoras são Amorim Luxury, Atelier Francisco Torres, Holds perfumes, Piglet & Brother, Maria João Bahia, Rcf Pi, Renew, Sogrape, Mr Lawyers, Good views, Widow Lamego and the nome vem dos Romanos. In Latin, in which the Laurel Wreath signified victory and excellence.

What space in the Portuguese market does Laurel occupy?? And internationally?

Laurel comes to fill an empty space, in order to give strength to what Portuguese Brands do and represent, at national and international level.

 

 

How many brands does Laurel represent?, and what is the aggregation criteria?

Today we have forty Portuguese brands with us as Associated Brands, two Ambassadors, five honorary members, and six Institutional Entities.

The first and most important requirement is that it is a Portuguese brand and has Portugal and Portuguese know-how at its core.. Naturally, There is subsequently an analysis of the way the brand is worked on and developed, validate whether the techniques and processes used in manufacturing respect our guidelines regarding sustainability, either from a more ecological perspective, either within the scope of social inclusion, aspects that we consider essential. And it is very important to feel that companies have in their DNA the desire to transmit to new generations the motivation that leads them to perpetuate what their country has to offer.. What we produce is an integral part of our national identity and it is very important that we do not forget this.

 

What is your common denominator?

Being based on excellence and knowing how to do Portuguese, and the importance of the Artificer.

Como caracterizam as marcas portuguesas, taking into account its quality and innovation, and what is the uniqueness of Portuguese brands in a global context?

Above all its uniqueness. Portugal is the country in Europe with the oldest borders. We have existed as a nation for practically nine hundred years. We have always roamed the seas looking for everything and nothing. We were the precursors of globalization on a planetary scale. We have been to every place on this planet of ours and this has become our, the experience as an absolutely unique people. Hence our motto. Know how to do Portuguese. In a world where everything is increasingly similar, where the difference seems to disappear in plain sight, what is Portuguese continues to be Portuguese. It is our specificity that defines us. Our brands are Portuguese and produce Portuguese products. And this is increasingly rare.

 

 

A Laurel partilhou que quer fazer mais pelas marcas portuguesas. What strategy did you create to stand out from other representations??

A luxury brand takes time to create, to be accepted and recognized. Based on these very important points, we feel that we have to create a new mentality, enjoying who we are today, a country that produces very high quality, and start a new path that leads to changing the reality of today’s “factory & export", for a “brand” tomorrow & internationalize".

It is a medium and long term process, that requires courage, and that involves changing mentalities, investment capacity and consistent production.

 

 

What is the impact of this association on the business of the brands that are represented??

O internationalization support, of a program, which we affectionately call Infante D Program. Henrique, based on a well-defined strategy to take our Brands beyond borders. We were recently admitted to the THAT'S IT , one toassociation that encompasses associations similar to Laurel in Europe, where the 600 biggest and most prestigious European brands. Today it is a fact that our Associates already have the same level of visibility as the biggest and most prestigious European brands., such as the Rolls Royce, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Brioni, National Prado Museum, Hotel Diplomat.

We believe that with our work we can create a new vision and attitude for Portuguese Brands in Portugal, creating greater value from our work, a development closely linked to the interior of the country and people with physical disabilities.

 

 

Portugal Faz Bem is a new portal. How do you see this new project and how it can be useful to Laurel?

First of all, we congratulate you, because all actions that represent defending, promote and develop Portuguese know-how, are very important, because if we don't do this we will lose our culture, our identity. Together I believe that 1+1=3.

 

Who are the association’s strategists, and how they organize themselves to raise the voice of the brands they represent?

We have a Board of Directors and an Advisory Board. We belong to the Board of THAT'S IT what opens doors that would have been unthinkable two years ago. Today Portugal is on the radar of European Luxury and Excellence.