Preta Nascimento Showroom (Brazil)

10 July 2018

This unusual location in São Paulo brings together the best of “Made in Brazil” summer fashion from top new talent, emerging brands and promising designers across a space of almost 7000 square feet. Behind this concept is Preta Nascimento.

Preta Nascimento, a fashion enthusiast who, in an exclusive interview for Intima Group, tells us everything about this space that showcases the creative diversity of the swim sector in Brazil – a place where heavenly beaches are not hard to come by.

How did the Preta Nascimento Showroom journey begin?
I have always been involved in the fashion world, and started my career as a model, on the catwalks of Paris and Milan. Being passionate about fashion, I wanted to stay in the industry after modelling, and so I pursued a route that took me into marketing and launching luxury, high-end brands. I was then responsible for the introduction of a concept showroom to represent new brands including Rosa Chà, a popular beachwear brand in Brazil for which I was also Sales Director. In 1990 I took off on my own fashion adventure, creating the Preta Nascimento Showroom!

How would you describe Preta Nascimento Showroom in terms of concept, design and atmosphere?
Preta Nascimento Showroom is located in a super-modern two-story house. The owner chose a very contemporary design, with curved, white metallic structures, white walls and graphite-colored columns that work beautifully with the glass tables, leather stools and glass display shelves suspended on steel cables. As for the floor, you can expect to find stone, wood boards or Portuguese-style tiles to add variety. Although the location is very spacious, there is an intimate atmosphere, with a bar area that adds a charming touch. The staircase – designed in an equally modern style – leads to the upstairs area, where we have a conference room, my office, a kitchen and a nice garden – perfect for lunch! The large façade of the house shows off the must-buys of the season in its windows.

What are your strongest points?
Showcasing the spirit of new “Made in Brazil” creatives by launching, supporting and prioritizing new brands. We put a lot of thought into choosing our brands. We also provide a great post-sale service and can guarantee the exclusivity of our range. Not to mention that São Paulo is a huge city with a very busy traffic system, so when clients can find all they need under one roof, it’s a godsend!

Tell us about your offer and your brand range.
We offer many product categories, such as ready-to-wear, lingerie, beachwear, and also a selection of accessories such as hats, jewelry, bags and shoes, all in a high-end price bracket. We have around 12-15 brands, depending on the season, since our summer range is more expansive.

How is the selection organized?
Every product category has its own space, and each brand its own corner. The ready-to-wear brands are on the right, close to the wall, whilst the accessories are displayed in the center and brighten the atmosphere. The beachwear brands are displayed in the main corridor, bathed in natural light thanks to the large glass windows in the ceiling. Finally, we also have a special room, beside the two fitting rooms, which is home to the lifestyle brand and men’s underwear Meniax by Lucas Magalhães.

What criteria do you use to choose your brands?
They must be innovative and offer a designer collection with an original style. Those are the most important criteria a brand needs to meet to be displayed in our showroom.

Which brands are most successful and why?That can be quite variable, because we change our brands regularly, depending on the length of their contract. This year, though, in Brazil it was Bia Guirão Resort with their fantastic hand-embroidered kaftans that has been most successful.

What is the profile of your clients?
We sell to professionals but also to select final consumers. Our client base is therefore made up of multi-brand boutique owners, wholesalers and, on the consumer level, artists and personalities from the fashion world.

Do you use events or other marketing initiatives in your store?
Yes, all the time. I invite guests every month to meet over a cocktail, or whenever we launch new brands.

Are you planning to expand your product/brand offer?
I’m planning to finish off my swimwear offer with a wide range of cosmetics brands.