Belo Horizonte – He smiles more openly on speaking about two subjects: fashion in his state and his Arab origins. Michel Aburachid, whose father was Lebanese, heads the Minas Gerais Garment Union and has always lived in a world of needles and thread, as he was born into a family of entrepreneurs in the area. Today, apart from running his own company, Marcel Philippe, which makes uniforms, he works on helping the sector grow in the state. And he is one of the promoters of enterprises like the Minas Trend Preview, an event organized by the Federation of Industries of the State of Minas Gerais (Fiemg), a partner organisation, whose objective it is to anticipate the fashion tendencies for the following season. The current edition, which ends on the 28th, in Belo Horizonte, shows what will be in the windows in the 2012/2013 spring-summer season. In the following interview, granted at the fair, Aburachid speaks about garment production, business, creativity and partnership with the Arabs.
ANBA – What is the importance to Brazil of fashion from Minas?
Michel Aburachid – We have 7,000 garment manufacturers in Minas Gerais. Together, these companies employ 200,000 people, mostly women. In 2011, we had revenues of R$ 1.4 billion. It was a difficult year for the Brazilian textile industry. Notwithstanding, in the state we grew 2% over 2010. The companies here are very high quality, with international projection. That is not to mention the several production hubs spread throughout the state, like the nightgown hub in Muriaé, with 500 companies, lingerie in Juruaia (160 companies), children’s fashion in Passos (350 companies), Jacutinga and Monte Sião, with knit, São João Nepomuceno, with jeans (60 companies) and Divinópolis, of several products (300 companies).
What are the differentials in the state’s production of garments?
Our main differential is creativity. We develop well-made fashion that pleases. We have refinement, luxury and are capable of producing different items, embroidered, elaborate, with different modelling. Establishing a garment producer is easy, what is hard is standing out. We faced many difficulties, like the growing competition with China and current exchange rates, which are not favourable to exports. It is not all a bed of roses, but we head on as our work is different.
To what countries do exports from Minas Gerais go?
To over 20 countries in markets like Europe, the Middle East, the United States and Canada. In the Arab world, we sell mainly to Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates. We export little, but the idea is to gain space abroad in coming years.
Is the Arab world included in the export growth plan?
Certainly. What is lacking is closer relations with the Arabs. We must bring buyers from the countries here, to learn about our production, participate in events like Minas Trade Preview. My father was Lebanese and all relatives who come from Lebanon to visit us are enchanted with our fashion. We are going to work in this respect from now on.
Does your history in the fashion world come from your family?
Yes, my father, Felipe Aburachid, came to Brazil from Lebanon in 1914 and, after spending some time in Juiz de Fora and Rio de Janeiro, set up camp in Belo Horizonte, where he opened a garment producer. The company name was "O Gigante Aburachid" (The Giant Aburachid), and there was a shop to sell factory products. He made clothes in general, for both genders. And he pioneered in the production of printed shirts with short sleeves, for men, at a time in which they only wore white models, with long sleeves. My father was a very dynamic man who died at 90 years of age, and he would wear white trousers and printed shirts every day.
So it was impossible to escape the sector?
It was! I even graduated in law, and I now have other businesses, but I did not manage to stay out of the sector. It is no wonder that I have been the Sindivest [textile union] president in Minas Gerais for nine years. I was born amidst it all.
*Translated by Mark Ament
