Brazilian underwear giant chooses Gaia to debut in Europe – Commerce

On May 12, 1888, at just 11 years old, Henrique Lupo, aboard the ship Buenos Aires, disembarked with his family in the port of Santos, Brazil.

When he reached 25 years of age, he decided to capitalize on what he learned from his father Teodoro, a watchmaker in Italy, by setting up a watch shop in the old Rua do Comércio, 78, currently 9 de Julho, Largo de Santa Cruz, in the center of Araraquara, in São Paulo.

Until, in March 1921, Henrique opened a factory making colorful and fun socks.

Lupo is today a giant clothing manufacturer, focused on underwear, sportswear and socks, with three industrial units in Brazil and thousands of stores spread across 27 countries, employing around 8,500 people and earning around 1.5 billion reais (278 million euros).

Celebrating 103 years of age, Lupo now arrives in Europe, having chosen Vila Nova de Gaia to open its first store on the Old Continent.

“With a century-old history, Lupo, the leading underwear brand in Brazil, has just arrived in Portugal and Europe with the opening of its first store in ArrábidaShopping”, reveals Sonae Sierra, owner of the shopping center, in a statement.

Socks, pajamas and underwear, sports and beachwear, are part of Lupo’s product portfolio for women, men and children.

Lupo’s first store in Europe also has “several slimming products, with emphasis on ‘Body Slim’, which is produced with the technological Emana thread, from Rhodia”, highlights the brand, explaining that “this thread has bioactive crystals that penetrate on the skin and stimulate microcirculation. Without seams, this slimming product, which reduces and shapes the waist, also reduces the signs of cellulite”, he says.

“ArrábidaShopping wants to guarantee a varied and excellent offer to all visitors and the arrival of this new brand, which chose us to debut in Portugal and Europe, reinforces this path and makes coming to the center an even greater visiting experience complete and with diverse options”, says Tomás Furtado, director of this shopping mall.