What may seem like a simple piece of decorated cloth is actually the epitome of a fertile culture that has a million stories to tell, all born of its rich and colorful history.

This is why traditional Portuguese handmade embroidery, one of the most unique fabrics in the world, has become a great collector’s item over the years. At first glance, these pieces of Portuguese embroidery may seem very simple, but they will only appear so to the untrained eye. For history connoisseurs, art lovers and culture advocates, these embroidered fabrics represent thousands of years of a nation’s exotic and historical development process.

Portuguese embroideries, like any other form of art, are inspired by the events and social components that prevail in their place of origin. For Portuguese embroiderers, that place is Portugal, or Viana do Castelo to be exact, a sleepy town that has chronicled the culture of Portugal through its world-renowned handicrafts.

Located in the north of Portugal, Viana Do Castelo is a quiet city with a population of just 90,000 people. Having been founded in 1253, Viana Do Castelo became one of the country’s main ports in the 16th century. As a port, the city was a busy center for trade. Merchants from all over Portugal flocked to Viana do Castelo to exchange their wares. The people of Viana had few goods to trade for themselves, being a quiet town that depended on fishing as its main industry. Therefore, its inhabitants have developed a variety of craft skills, one of which is embroidery.

Over the years, Viana Do Castelo became the main supplier of Portuguese embroidery. The designs of their decorated fabrics are truly unique:

– These Portuguese embroideries had little of the embellishments that adorn the embroideries of other countries. Beads, pearls, sequins and metals are rarely found in the decorated fabrics of Portugal. Instead, what stands out is the sophisticated simplicity of its designs. The elaborate work on each piece of Portuguese embroidery is truly a sight to behold.

– As mentioned above, Portuguese embroideries are handmade. No two designs will ever be alike. What you will have is guaranteed to be unique.

– Portuguese embroidery never changed through time. Those sold today employ the same creative processes as those sold in the 16th century. Portuguese embroideries are truly time capsules of culture.