A name that is a good omen: Suave embodies the concept completely dedicated to comfort and the style of women’s footwear. The brand was founded by the Calsuave footwear company in 1993, in the footwear-manufacturing district of northern Portugal, Guimarães: 28 years of business, which have seen it pass from producing just under 60 pairs of shoes per day to its present-day production of 3.500 pairs daily, in a facility of 8 thousand square metres, where they also produce their own soles, insoles and heels in many different injection materials combined, that supplies international markets with a quality product. We spoke of this with José Moura, sales director of the company, who we met up with this past July at the latest edition of Expo Riva Schuh, where the brand Suave presented its SS22 collection.

What are the features of the collection you presented at Expo Riva Schuh?

“The collection is decidedly focused on the colour and freshness of the proposals, with the intent of introducing a note of optimism in reaction to the pandemic. In particular, we invested in the development of three new lines with 200 different styles to meet the daily needs of the modern woman. Naturally, all this is in accordance with the values of our footwear: style without excess and comfort guaranteed by high quality materials, ergonomic lines, and devices for the well-being of the foot and a correct gait”.

What kind of customers does Suave have?

“We do business with wholesalers, retails, and e-commerce. For the management of different markets, we prefer to trust in local distributors, so we can fine-tune our ad hoc strategy for every market”.

To which countries do you distribute your footwear?

“Ours is a worldwide distribution: from New Zealand to Japan, to the USA: we are present in 30 different countries. This is possible thanks to our ability to develop ad hoc collections that reply to the tastes and needs of consumers in different markets. By relying on solid bases constructed in the past, we continue to win this challenge with each new season”.

What role did digitalisation play during the pandemic and what role will it have in the future of your company?

“During the healthcare emergency, 70% of our business was done through digital channels: we had video conferences with our customers and we relied on our company website, where our customers were able to view the collections and book their orders. In the future, the digital channel will continue to be important in providing support, even if, since the product type is obviously footwear, being able to see and touch it in-person is decisive”.

For how long have you been participating in Expo Riva Schuh and why did you decide to participate in the edition that marks the restart of the show?

“We have been coming to Riva del Garda for over 26 years, and as soon as the Italian government gave the greenlight on the organisation of trade fairs, allowing Expo Riva Schuh to holds its edition in July, we had no doubts: we had to be present so we could make the most of the opportunities offered by the return to in-person meetings. We started with low expectations, and maybe for this reason, we were more satisfied with the outcome of the show: we met up with our customers and we made new contacts”.

What do you believe will be the future of footwear?

“During the pandemic, comfort products were in high demand and we believe that this trend will increasingly be confirmed in the months to come and over the next few years: so, we look to the future with optimism”.