The latest Coterie edition happened between February 11th and 13th, in New York. A group of 16 Brazilian brands showed their collections to buyers attending the North American clothing trade show and made a total of more than USD 700K in sales at the event. Projections for the next 12 months hit USD 2 million. 

The companies had the support from Texbrasil (Brazilian Fashion Textile Industry Internationalization Program) and Fashion Label Brasil programs – both carried out through a partnership between Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments) with Abit (Brazilian Association of Textiles and Apparel) and ABEST (Brazilian Fashion Designers Association), respectively. 

Texbrasil supported ampersand, Andreza Chagas, Cholet, Haes, Joulik, Juliana Sanmartin, Maria Pavan, PatBo, RAISSA and Skazi, while Chor, Gissa Bicalho, Iorane, Lavish, Ryzi and SERPUI are Fashion Label Brasil members. 

One of the exhibiting brands, gaúcha (someone from the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul) Maria Pavan, celebrated all the deals signed during the 2020 first edition of the trade show, which took place during the North American winter season. “This was our first attendance in the event during the winter edition, and we dealt well above our goal”, says Mariana Pavan, the company’s commercial director. 

Pavan explains that the attendance at Coterie is essential for Maria Pavan’s export strategy. “This is where we supply customers in the USA and where we open doors to new business, as the trade show is visited by buyers from all over the world. Today, almost 70% of our exports are to the USA ”, comments the commercial director.

With 20 new customers acquired at the event, Pavan explains that the introduced collection is the same as in Brazil, with minor adjustments. “The pieces are the same, only a few details changed. We understand that some things, like necklines and some lengths, have to be adapted to the American customers taste”, she concludes.

 “The numbers in this edition of Coterie show that Brazilian brands are on the radar of American buyers. Today, Brazil represents 0.02% of clothing imports in the country, which means that we have a lot of room to grow ”, believes Lilian Kaddissi, Texbrasil executive manager.

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Reproduction: Vogue Brasil 

Brazilian jewelry designer Ana Khouri defends sustainable jewelry manufacturing from a long time, in theory and in practice: for years, the designer based in New York has used responsible gold from Fairmined, an assurance label that certifies gold from empowered responsible artisanal and small-scale mining organizations. It transforms mining into an active force for good, ensuring social development and environmental protection, providing everyone with a source of gold to be proud of.

Now the jewelry designer turns her modus operandi into a true Manifesto, a title she gave to an art installation at the Frieze Art Fair Los Angeles between February 14th and 16th. 

At the event that brings together the Who’s Who of international design, art and luxury industries, Khouri debuts a collection of four rings, named Maia, made of gold, emerald, diamonds and sapphires, and inspired by the shape of a coil. ” While creating this piece, I’ve thought of the coil as a symbol of connection. The correlation of giving, receiving and recycling”, explained the designer, who also launched the manifesto with a public reading to celebrate the debut and the movement.

It is worth remembering that, in addition to jewelry, Khouri encourages sustainable fashion practices with Projeto Ovo, a hub that features donated clothing and accessories items and allows NGOs and philanthropic institutions to have direct access to the proceeds from the sale of the collected items.