On the Scene in Lisbon: Locals Talk About the Latest Trends in Their City

Handmade things have a long tradition in Lisbon. The Luvaria Ulisses store, for example, has been making bespoke gloves since 1925 – and at Caza das Vellas Loreto, the oldest candle store in the world, candles have been made by hand since 1789.  

I also want to support small local businesses with my store – and thus do my bit to preserve the soul of the Portuguese capital. 

In Kintu Studio, which I opened in the São Bento district of Lisbon in 2019, I sell fashion, jewelry, ceramics, and a wide variety of furnishings from over 60 different artisans from all over Portugal. Each product is accompanied by photos and profiles of the people who made it, because it’s important to me to tell their stories. This gives you a much more personal connection to what you are buying. My international customers also seem to like it. Many prefer to buy unique handmade items from me rather than the typical souvenirs found in Lisbon.

In general, I have the feeling that young people in particular are bored with the mass-produced goods of large furniture and fashion chains and buy unique pieces that nobody else owns. Also because it feels better to support a young label rather than an anonymous global corporation. 

This countermovement is particularly noticeable in my neighborhood of São Bento, where there are many small owner-managed stores. In my street, Rua Poiais de São Bento, for example, there is the record store Clube 33, whose owner Alexander knows every independent band, no matter how small, the Rosa Diniz Atelier, where you can choose the leather for your handbag yourself, and the second-hand store Tudo e Todos 31, where I have found the most incredible vintage furniture.

Store curator Sylwia Cylwik is originally from Poland and previously lived in Rio de Janeiro and Berlin. In 2019, she fulfilled her dream of owning her own store in Lisbon’s São Bento district. Her bestsellers are ceramic tarot cards.