Extraordinary artisans and brands

Catarina Portas, the founder of A Vida Portuguesa, is a former journalist. She has always believed objects can tell extraordinary and revealing stories about a people and their particular taste, about a society and its context, and about history – which is, after all, a common identity. The shops were born out of her desire to create an inventory of industrial brands and extraordinary craftspeople whose know-how has survived the passage of time, to highlight the quality of Portuguese manufacturing and to showcase Portugal in a surprising light. This shop in Rua Anchieta was the first to open in 2007, in the heart of the Chiado neighborhood. Occupying the extraordinary space of the old warehouse and perfume factory David & David, it has kept the beautiful cabinets and jars of powder the factory left behind, proving that it is possible to open new stores while fully preserving historic interiors.