BRAND BOOK 2021
MANIFESTO CAROLINA MACHADO embosses the lifestyle, vision and values of founder, Carolina Machado. Our collections offer contemporary, elegant and timeless pieces, inspired by the contrast between feminine and masculine lines. Balancing the softness of the garments with the hardness given by raw finishes, resulting in a line of unique, classic, and luxury feel design. CAROLINA MACHADO aims to promote a balanced, mindful and creative contemporary lifestyle. We are committed on transparency values and it is dedicated on working with local artisans and seamstresses, providing local jobs and opportunities, as well as giving back to the community. Our fabrics are sourced from Italy and the brand is designed and ethically produced in Porto, Portugal. Our brand has been featured on VOGUE ITALY, VOGUE PORTUGAL, THE ZOE REPORT and many more. Join us www.carolina-machado.com
B R A N D VA L U E S TRANSPARENCY We want to be as open and honest with our customers as possible, whether it is about our sustainable practices or the conditions of our workers. We want to build a loyal and trustworthy relationship with our customers.
ELEGANCE A sense of formality, grace and femininity is always present in our collections. We believe there’s beauty in being gentle, kind, confident and open-minded. We want to celebrate, inspire every woman and empower them trough their wardrobe.
RESPONSIBILITY We work on small productions and made-toorder basis, to avoid textile waste, and we upcycle fabrics from previous collections. There’s always room for improvement, and we’re always looking for new ways of optimizing our production process. We value craftsmanship in design and we want to create meaningful fashion. We also believe we have a social responsibility to the community, and we are looking forward to promote and contribute for social awareness campaigns.
INCLUSIVITY CAROLINA MACHADO is made by women and for women. We aim to be as inclusive as possible, we offer custom-sizing by email for all of our clients, and we try to be diverse with our models. We want all women to feel welcome and there should be no limits in what you can wear.
SUSTAINABILITY We want our clients to purchase with meaning and know every aspect behind it. Sustainability is a path; a road of constant improvement and all efforts made are appreciated. As a fashion brand, we are committed to be a part of the solution, to be as green as possible and to respect the people and the environment.
MEET THE DESIGNER Born and raised in Leiria, Portugal, Carolina’s passion for arts and fashion flourished from a very early age. In 2012, she moved to Porto and began to study Fashion Design at ESAD University. She debuted her graduate collection at the Sangue Novo platform of ModaLisboa - Lisbon Fashion Week. In 2016 she officially launched her own ready to wear womenswear brand CAROLINA MACHADO, where she currently works, besides her freelancing work. Later in 2017 she integrated the official calendar of ModaLisboa, through the LAB platform, where she presents every season a new collection on the runway. Carolina believes that fashion can be a solution, she defends an ethical way of work, with respect to all parts involved. She’s passionate in what she does, her inspirations come from daily living, art, culture and traveling. She’s an advocate for a balanced lifestyle, wellness and selfcare. CAROLINA MACHADO represents her, and her desire to inspire other woman.
BEHIND CAROLINA MACHADO ETHICAL Fast fashion is not the solution, we believe in a slower paced industry, where these values are respected: sustainability, traceability and transparency. As a fashion brand we have the responsibility of teaching our customers better ways. We launch two collections per year, and we only work with small productions and made-toorder, to avoid textile waste and dead stock. We also reutilize patterns and fabric leftovers from previous collections to make new ones.
ATELIER For us the social impact is as important as the sustainable impact, we have established a relationship with our supply chain, and we know each and every one. We work with three different small ateliers in Porto, and we visit them on a regular basis, we know every seamstress behind our clothing, and we ensure their work conditions and standards are met. Working with local artisans and small scale productions allows us to minimize transportation and reduce our carbon footprint.
ENVIRONMENT We are committed to sustainability in all different aspects of the business. We keep our communication to our customers digital and via e-mail to reduce paper waste. All of our packaging, from mailers to thank you cards is biodegradable and recyclable. We also offer climate compensated shipping for each order.
MATERIALS Starting a brand from scratch is no easy task, and we have used synthetic fabrics (such as polyester) as they were more affordable. We want to improve continuously, and we are reducing our usage of such fibers, and we try our best to pick more sustainable materials such as cotton, wool and lyocell. We are committed to be a polyester-free brand in the nearest future.
CUSTOMER PROFILE The CAROLINA MACHADO woman is elegant, confident, aware and open-minded. She is passionate about what she does, she knows what she wants, and she’s not afraid to pursue her dreams. She looks after herself, and she likes to make a statement as much as keeping it low key. Our customers are interested in design and fashion, they care about their lifestyle and well-being, and they like to invest in one-ofa-kind products, food, socializing, art and home. They appreciate detail, authenticity and diversity in their wardrobe. They are conscious over their shopping habits, and they prefer quality over quantity.