personal trainers

AND f inally

PORTUGAL COULD RUN RINGS AROUND SUSTAINABLE SHOE BRANDS. THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY HERE WILL INVEST €140 MILLION OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO BECOME “ THE INTERNATIONAL REFERENCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS”. TRAINERS IN PARTICULAR ARE HAVING A REAL MOMENT

Words: PIPPA O'KEEFE

THIS FOOTWEAR powernation is youthful, modern, forwardfacing and one that unites the best in craft and tradition, cuttingedge technology and a heightened sense of design and creativity.

China currently accounts for over 60% of total footwear production worldwide, so it’s a pretty welcome change to see ‘made in Portugal’.

Continuing our bid to rid fast fashion, this month we are exploring Portuguese trainer brands (another Algarvian Autumnal wardrobe staple).

Portuguese responsibly-made kicks come in a variety of silhouettes, colours, and materials – here are the brands that will get your feet, and your style sense, up and running:

1. DIVERGE Founded by a group of friends, Diverge delivers original, handmade and customizable trainers. They also get a big green tick for being B Corp certified. Nothing says unique footwear like wearing something custom made. The Smiles / €220 diverge-sneakers.com

2. AMBITIOUS Ambitious by name, ambitious by nature, this is a fashion-forward brand, evolved out of a family business based on the values of quality, tradition and manufacturing excellence. These retro runners celebrate the heritage of the Olympic Games and are made using vegan certified and recycled materials. And nothing turns heads like a pop of colour!

RHOME W Retro Runner / €159 ambitious-brand.com

3. 0X ESC Esc packs a punch as a small brand with big attitude. They favour slow fashion instead of fast fashion and all their footwear is sustainably produced. They design their shoes to look exclusive and make a statement. These chunky men’s trainers do just that!

Alrick Sneakers / €69 esc---store.com

4. NEW.VE Consciously designed, created and produced in Portugal, New.ve is a company that focuses on using components that, in some way, are eco friendly and alternative to materials from animal origin. These super comfortable unisex trainers are ideal for everyday wear.

Arctic Beach Sand / €129 newve.pt

5. SANJO Sanjo are the cool kids on the block. They make trainers for both adults and children and their kicks are 100% produced in Portugal, with a focus on quality, comfort and exclusivity, and have been doing so for over 85 years. Sanjo Kids V100 / €69.50 sanjo.pt

6. ALGORI Algori is a brand born and raised in the northern region of Portugal and inspired by retro urban and sporty vibes. These 90s-inspired gender-neutral trainers have been created with a strict ethical code, making sure that raw materials have the least environmental impact possible, and that the people who work with them are fairly treated.

Boston Soul Blue Sneaker / €140 algoribrand.com

7. APPLE OF EDEN Apple of Eden is the trendy brainchild of its Portuguese and German founders.

The movers and shakers from Hamburg combine their extensive experience in the shoe business and their unfailing feel for trends, colours, and styles with traditional Portuguese production knowhow to produce a range with real personality. These metallic trainers add chic to jeans or a dress. Sansa Metallic Gold / €199.95 appleofedenshoes.com

8. GLADZ Gladz is a 100% animal-friendly shoe line, inspired by the evolution of the feminist movement and the revolutionary figure of Simone de Beauvoir, thus the brand responds to the desires for affirmation, sophistication and distinction of the contemporary woman. These white cotton trainers are timeless and feminine, a new-season must-have.

Core Vegan Sneakers / €198 gladz.pt

See pages 41–42 for the benefits of running, plus lots of tips distinguishes itself from all the other workforce shoe collections by matching the latest fashion trends with the most innovative technology of comfort and safety. These Portuguese-made trainers are built to last with eco-design methodologies. Work smarter not harder, you might say.

X-101 / €162 toworkfor.pt

Cloud is a brand rooted in the desire to evoke freedom, lightness and playfulness. Their shoes are designed to be so comfortable that they are like walking on clouds! These Vanessa women’s shoes zip up so are ideal for the lazy lacers. Vanessa / €156 cloud-footwear.com

Friendly Fire is a footwear brand that values quality, exclusivity and detail in each product. They set out to create shoes that invite women to express their personalities and have since evolved to give children that same opportunity. These young ladies’ shoes certainly have charm.