Meeting the Makers. Porto.

Last week we spent a few days in Porto, visiting the people who make our clothes and seeing the processes that bring Universal Works to life.

We spent time at five of the factories we work with, from outerwear specialists to shirt makers, and from jersey fabrics to knitwear. We checked in on things in the pipeline for next winter, new samples being finished for our next summer collection, and to see how the makers are getting on, which we do each season with a visit like this.

When it comes to these factories, things really are a family affair. From Bruno’s family-owned business, to Carlos at one of our shirt suppliers who tells us they have people that have been there for decades, as well as multiple generations of staff. At another, we work with Ana, whose mum (also called Ana) owns the businesses.

We are proud to have worked with these factories for many years now—so long that every time we visit, we feel like part of the family too (especially when they bring out the plates of pastel de nata and brigadeiro).

We always stop by our stockists wherever we are in the world, this time heading to The BeCode Street. We also took the opportunity to say hello to our pals at La Paz.