À CAPUCHA!'S RESEARCH on design and CRAFTSMANSHIP has been first explored through our WORK WITH traditional Portuguese capes. OUR name comes from this century old garment, the "capucha", WHICH WAS AT THE origin OF the Portuguese expression: à capucha!, SYNONYMS WITH doing things “discreetly, modestly, quietly”.

The capucha is a traditional Portuguese cape made from traditional woollen felt called "burel", used by shepherds and farmers, and which simply rests on the head. This design allows for complete freedom of movement for rural work, while sheltering its wearer from the cold and protecting them from the rain.

To create our capuchas we work closely with local artisans in a constant exchange between design and production. We explore the technique of handwork in burel, trying to understand its potential and limits. This artisanal process gives us the freedom to test and iterate in an immediate way, which allows us to create unique pieces, or small runs, which are the result of a continuing tradition, combined with new formal proposals and concepts.

In developing these partnerships we strive to bring a new drive to traditional handicrafts without relegating them to obsoletion or subjecting them to impossible standards of production. At À Capucha! we don't work by seasons, but we always have a new outlook on the capucha based on small details, including colour, cut and finish. The novelties we introduce are intended to make a sustainable, functional and beautiful item that proudly takes its place in contemporary life.

OUR research

À CAPUCHA!'S INVESTIGATION ON DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING HAS BEEN FIRST AND PARTICULARLY EXPLORED THROUGH OUR COLLECTION OF TRADITIONAL PORTUGUESE CAPES. OUR NAME COMES FROM THIS CENTURY OLD GARMENT, THE CAPUCHA, WHOSE REPUTATION GAVE ORIGIN TO THE PORTUGUESE ORAL EXPRESSION: À CAPUCHA!, MEANING DOING THINGS “DISCREETLY, MODESTLY, QUIETLY”.

THE CAPUCHA IS A TRADITIONAL PORTUGUESE CAPE MADE FROM TRADITIONAL WOOLLEN FELT CALLED BUREL, USED BY SHEPHERDS AND FARMERS, AND WHICH SIMPLY RESTS ON THE HEAD. THIS DESIGN ALLOWS FOR COMPLETE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT FOR RURAL WORK, WHILE SHELTERING ITS WEARER FROM THE COLD AND PROTECTING THEM FROM THE RAIN.

TO CREATE OUR CAPUCHAS WE WORK CLOSELY WITH LOCAL ARTISANS IN A CONSTANT EXCHANGE BETWEEN DESIGN AND PRODUCTION. WE EXPLORE THE TECHNIQUE OF HANDWORK IN BUREL, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ITS POTENTIAL AND LIMITS. THIS ARTISANAL PROCESS GIVES US THE FREEDOM TO TEST AND ITERATE IN AN IMMEDIATE WAY, WHICH ALLOWS US TO CREATE UNIQUE PIECES, OR SMALL RUNS, WHICH ARE THE RESULT OF A CONTINUING TRADITION, COMBINED WITH NEW FORMAL PROPOSALS AND CONCEPTS.

IN DEVELOPING THESE PARTNERSHIPS WE STRIVE TO BRING A NEW DRIVE TO TRADITIONAL HANDICRAFTS WITHOUT RELEGATING THEM TO OBSOLETION OR SUBJECTING THEM TO IMPOSSIBLE STANDARDS OF PRODUCTION. AT À CAPUCHA! WE DON'T WORK BY SEASONS, BUT WE ALWAYS HAVE A NEW OUTLOOK ON THE CAPUCHA BASED ON SMALL DETAILS, INCLUDING COLOUR, CUT AND FINISH. THE NOVELTIES WE INTRODUCE ARE INTENDED TO MAKE A SUSTAINABLE, FUNCTIONAL AND BEAUTIFUL ITEM THAT PROUDLY TAKES ITS PLACE IN CONTEMPORARY LIFE.

OUR RESEARCH

PORTFOLIO

SHOP