São Paulo – Starting in 2010, the windows of large boutique stores in the Middle East are going to showcase dresses and tunics by designer André Ungaratto, printed with the image of Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda. The designer’s summer collection is a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the artist, who is also known by Arab women. “They loved the printed garments,” said Ungaratto, who has just returned from Dubai.
The Arab market is one of the leading foreign targets for the designer, who already exports to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. After participating in fashion fair Who’s Next & Premiere Classe, held in Dubai this month, Ungaratto also signed sales deals with storeowners from Oman and Bahrain. “I am really enjoying working with the Middle East. I have many steady clients,” he claimed.
According to him, the Who’s Next fair, which is traditionally held in Paris and started taking place in Dubai this year, is the world’s best event for the fashion industry. Arab storeowners were already purchasing from the Brazilian designer in the Paris editions. “I design part of my collection with Eastern women in mind,” stated Ungaratto, who develops longer, less revealing dresses with longer sleeves.
To the event, Ungaratto took dresses, skirts, tunics and blouses made from plain fabrics with finishing in tricot, crochet and embroidery. According to him, the collection is very colourful, and “looks like Brazil.” The prints were hand-drawn and then digitalized. The 1,500 items purchased during the event are going to be shipped to the Arab countries in January.
The stores in the Arab world that sell clothing by the Brazilian designer include Ginger &Lace, Sauce, Al Jaber, and Azalea, in Dubai; S Style, in Kuwait, and Nawal, in Saudi Arabia.
The result of the fair was so positive to Ungaratto that he has already earmarked his space for the next year’s edition. Aside from events in Paris and Dubai, the designer also participates in fairs in London.
Maternal gift
André Ungaratto’s skill for designing and manufacturing garments came from his mother, who according to him was one of the best fashion designers in the city of Serra Negra, in the interior of the state of São Paulo, where the artist’s atelier is located. Presently, around 50% of his output is shipped to foreign countries such as France, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Luxemburg, among others.
Contact
André Ungaratto
Tel. +55 19 3892-1335
Email: andreungaratto@andreungaratto.com
Site: www.andreungaratto.com
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
