Located in the most fashionable district of Lisbon where beauty and history combine, we’re spilling the beans on the launch of our new vegan shoe shop.
Drumroll, please…. we’re so excited to announce that just a few weeks ago on a bustling sunny Saturday (June 5th) we opened our second Nae Vegan Shoes bricks and mortar store!
We had a chat with Paula and Alex, our founders, about how the launch has been going. They said the opening few weeks have been “hard work” but they are “proud” they managed to open the store on the date they “had in mind from the beginning”.
“Opening a store brings many challenges and deadlines that sometimes seem difficult to meet,” they said.
“We want more proximity with our customers and that is only possible if we have physical stores. Giving our customers the chance to touch and try the shoes has always been part of our goals. For that reason, we opened the first physical store and now the second store.”
Whether you’re looking for vegan sandals or vegan sneakers, inside our store we have a pair of shoes to suit everyone from our latest SS21 collection to unbeatable longstanding bestsellers.
Let’s talk about Chiado
The new store is located in Chiado - Lisbon’s most elegant neighborhood – and we have never felt more at home. Anyone who is anyone meets in Chiado for shopping and coffee and it’s a hugely popular tourist destination with much sight-seeing to be had.
The square and its surrounding streets are full of bookshops (including the world’s oldest), theatres, museums, and cafes, including A Brasileira, one of Lisbon’s oldest and most famous cafés. Renowned writers and artists such as the iconic poet Fernando Pessoa used to find inspiration here.
When asked why our founders chose the prominent location, they said “We chose Chiado because it’s a neighborhood full of history, beautiful spaces, light, and a very diversified local trade. We want to make our contribution to local businesses, share the story of this wonderful neighborhood, and also tell our own history. A Portuguese story too, since we are made in Portugal.”
Chiado has a lively, non-stop cosmopolitan ambiance due to many international brands being situated here. The neighborhood is often referred to as the fashionable shopping destination of Lisbon - what better place to open a new, sustainable fashion focused store?
Just to top it off, our Nae store is a 5-minute walk from the famous Church ‘Convento de Carmo’, one of Lisbon’s most gorgeous architectural spots. The roof of the Church collapsed in an earthquake in 1755 and was never rebuilt unlike most of the surrounding area, making it a unique sight-to-behold.
Chiado is also next to Bairro Alto, a cool and alternative area popular for nights out and its bohemian atmosphere. Since we have elegant, versatile shoes for women and fit for every occasionshoes for men, we think we will fit in well here.
Check out the five pairs of vegan shoes you should be wearing this summer here.
A first look at our new store
From the outside, it holds the history of the neighborhood, artistically covered in mosaic tiles with feature outlined viewing windows. We look like we belong here, because we do.
Inside the store we have an essential and minimalist design, reflecting our SS21 collection and the message behind this: we believe less is more, we want to make life simpler, more practical, and more sustainable.
When we asked if Paula and Alex felt opening a new store at such an uncertain time was a risk, they replied “Yes, but the feeling of supporting our local business is much greater than the fear that the pandemic has brought us. We keep the positive spirit and the hope that normalcy will return soon.”
Speaking about the future of Nae, they said “We want this new store to reflect everything good we manufacture in Portugal. At the same time, we want to continue spreading our message and values. Our purpose is to show that it is possible to create diversified shoes from vegan, ecological and sustainable materials.”
Nae Vegan Shoes are an ode to simplicity, offering ethical footwear made from Piñatex, organic cotton, cork, recycled PET, and vegan leather. Our vegan shoes combine sustainability with comfort and elegance.
P.S. We will soon start to launch our AW21 shoe series (but shh this is top secret!).
Visiting us
Our new store on Largo Trindade Coelho, Chiado, will be open from 11am-2pm and 3pm-8pm from Monday to Saturday (closed on Sundays and bank holidays). Get ready to physically shop all things vegan shoes, now in two stunning locations in Lisbon! For more information, please check out our website here.
We cannot wait for you to come and pay us a visit!
Have a beautiful day,
The Nae Team
