São Paulo – Sta. Ephigênia, a women’s clothing brand based in Rio de Janeiro, has exported its dresses to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. According to Luciano Canale, designer and brand owner, the sale was made approximately a year ago, as the company participated in the fashion showroom at Grupo Hotel, in São Paulo. The products shipped were dresses.
Sta. Ephigênia owns two brands: Sta. Ephigênia por Luciano Canale, for party wear, including made to fit garment, and Sta. Ephigênia Coleção Prêt-à-porter, for sophisticated women’s attire for events. The collections of both brands are signed by Canale, a designer with a degree in Fashion from the Chemical and Textile Industry Technology Centre (Cetiqt, in the Portuguese acronym) of the National Service for Industrial Apprenticeship (Senai) in Rio de Janeiro.
He explains that aside from the sale made to Dubai, the company exports to Angola, Germany and Portugal. Foreign sales are mostly comprised of summer collection items. According to the designer, however, exports account for a very small share of Sta. Ephigênia’s production. “About 8% to 10%. It is not much, but it’s a start,” he says.
Canale wants to export more, but claims that he is focusing on increasing his sales in Brazil right now. The idea is to increase the number of points of sale that carry his products. At present, there are 68. “There are some locations in North Brazil that we want to work on,” he says. After that, it’s on to foreign countries, including the Emirates. “The market has potential and matches our style of clothing, which is more sophisticated. It is a country that must be explored,” explains the designer.
Sta. Ephigênia was established in 1995 by Canale and by designer Marco Maia. Up until Marco passed away, in 2007, the two were in charge of creation for Sta. Ephigênia’s two brands. Maia and Canale met while working together at a company in the sector, at which Canale was a designer and Maia was the image coordinator. It was there that they decided to set up their own enterprise.
Now, Sta Ephigênia is known for its very feminine items, with a touch of sensuality and lots of sophistication. The laid back character of the city of Rio, according to Canale, also comes through in the clothing, providing them with a sprinkle of good humour. The latest collection launched by Sta. Ephigênia, for the next spring-summer season, is themed after “West-East.” Inspiration, according to Canale, came from the Pacific Ocean, the Java Island and Jacarta.
The company manufactures 4,000 items per collection and attends events such as Fashion Business, in Rio de Janeiro, and the showroom at Grupo Hotel, in São Paulo. Roughly 70% of the manufacturing work is outsourced, but Sta. Ephigênia also has its own factory, in the neighbourhood of de Copacabana, as well as a ready-to-wear store and atelier in the neighbourhood of Leblon. Future plans include establishing a younger, lower-cost brand. “But that is for the future,” says Canale.
Service:
Sta. Ephigênia
Site: www.staephigenia.com.br
Telephone: (+55 21) 2540 5198
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
