Portuguese footwear at London Fashion Week, presented by APICCAPS

After showing at New York Fashion Week (NYFW), Portuguese footwear now takes to the catwalks of London Fashion Week (LFW) in partnership with the London College of Fashion (LCF), unveiling the first made in Portugal collection by Portuguese Footwear Award (PFA) winner Annie Purdy, to be presented at the Portuguese Embassy in London on September 18.

According to the press release sent by APICCAPS – the Portuguese Footwear, Components and Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association, this collaboration with LCF, part of University of the Arts London (UAL), began in early 2025 with a masterclass on Portuguese footwear, as part of the Bioshoes4all project.

The Bioshoes4all project has enabled Portuguese footwear brands to team up with leading international designers to create exclusive collections which, since 2023, have been gracing the catwalks of New York, London and Paris for several seasons.

Aimed at master’s students, this awareness and knowledge-building session on the talent of Portuguese artisans and the industry landscape was led by Portuguese industry experts and award-winning designer Bianca Saunders, who has long been involved in Portuguese savoir-faire.

This was followed by the first edition of the PFA, designed to introduce future designers to production possibilities in Portugal, in which Annie Purdy won and went on to develop her first collection in Portugal, which has now been unveiled.

According to the young designer, a graduate of LCF-UAL: “The inspiration arose from the relationship between ‘craftsmanship’ and innovation, exploring how traditional skills can coexist with experimental and avant-garde design.”

“Access to in-depth knowledge of materials and high-quality manufacturing expertise allowed me to expand my concepts, knowing they could be realised with precision and durability,” she continued. “It gave me the freedom to experiment, without losing sight of feasibility and ‘craftsmanship’.”

“I learnt to consider a product’s longevity, function and life cycle from the outset,” she added in regards to her collaboration with APICCAPS. “From now on, I will continue to integrate these concerns into my practice, ensuring that my work always balances narrative, design integrity and sustainable responsibility.”