Pedro Rebelo de Sousa
Ramalho e Manuela Eanes
Pedro António Costa
Chairman of Grupo Loja das Meias
He is the grandson of the founder of Loja das Meias, a brand boasting over 100 years, whose history merges with that of Lisbon. He developed a keen interest in the family business from an early age, before helping the company reach a level of luxury, sophistication and tradition. Pedro António Costa refers to faith, which presupposes union, optimism, hope and joy, as one of the great secrets to success. Pedro Miguel, Manuela and Marina are his three children, also involved in the project. A union that has cemented Loja das Meias as a benchmark in the luxury segment in Portugal and abroad.
How does a company over a hundred years old manage to remain a family business?
Like everything else in life, you just have to want it; you need to join forces, be willing to sacrifice, but essentially, have faith in the project. Without faith, in any project, the exhaustion just isn’t worth it. And to have this faith, there must be union, optimism, hope and joy in what you do. And that’s why the company has survived. There have been harder times and easier times, but it has survived and, may I even say, outstandingly. We have never been lacking in faith, and never will. That is the secret.
It’s no longer socks and stockings bringing customers to Loja das Meias. What are they actually coming to you for?
Loja das Meias, now more than a hundred years old, started going by that name (the Sock Shop in English) because at that time it sold socks, corsets and shirts. Time has passed and customers want other things. This is also one of the secrets behind the success of Loja das Meias: meeting the needs of our customers. And our customers want design, quality and fashion. Fashion means a lot, but basically it’s what stirs customers’ egos, so that they feel happier. And fashion is what Loja das Meias has and will continue to have.
«We have never been lacking in faith, and never will. That is the secret»
In 2016, you moved into number 254, on the Avenida da Liberdade. How has having a store in this iconic address of the capital panned out?
Seeing as our premise is customer satisfaction, many of them asked why we didn’t we go to Avenida da Liberdade. Our suppliers, such as Christian Dior, Céline, Pucci, etc., said the same, because that was where the foreign public was. Basically it had to do with looking at what is happening in major cities, such as Rome, Madrid, Paris, London: there are iconic streets on which major brands can be found. And that’s why we went to Avenida da Liberdade. It is a very beautiful store and we have had great results.
What is the customer profile for each store?
The profile of our customers is not, in fact, the same in each of our stores. But there is a common characteristic: everyone is looking for what Loja das Meias represents: fashion, quality, elegance. Amoreiras customers are more ‘shopping centre’ style. The Cascais store is beautiful, and has enjoyed the greatest success. The Avenida store has many foreign customers, but also many Portuguese. Customers look for what Loja das Meias has fought to ensure. Formerly there were two seasons, now there are four, or six. Fashion is increasingly complicated, but also increasingly beautiful.
