I'm back, girls! After a few weeks away from the blog, here I am again for another chat 🤩.
Today is a very special day for me: it's been 34 years since I became a mother. I was a young 16-year-old teenager who suddenly had to grow up. Believe me, it was the best mistake of my life ❤️.
Today is my eldest son's birthday. His name is Eduardo Filipe — Eduardo in honor of his grandfather, my dear father, who loved him so much and was, without a doubt, a significant figure in his childhood. I was 16, my mother was 36, my father was 40… What a young family! It wasn't easy, but I wouldn't change a thing.
Many people talk, but the probability of reaching 50 years old and experiencing everything I have experienced is not within everyone's reach.
It sounds scary, but the baggage I carry is so vast and so rich that it makes me a completely fulfilled person.
So many advantages to being a young mother: we have the opportunity to see our children grow up with their grandparents, we have the opportunity to see our children become parents and be a young grandmother, being able to travel and follow their growth is divine.
I am 50 years old and I have already lived and had experiences that someone my age will never have.
Children grown = more freedom to go out, date more, have adventures with my granddaughters and play all together like teenagers 😂. I am happy. That was the advantage of having to grow up early. I also know what I want and what makes sense — or not — at this point in my life. Happy Birthday, son!
Eduardo is not just my son. Eduardo is our all-round responsible person here in the company's back office: human resources, marketing, online... he does a bit of everything! Like everyone here, we are versatile. He's on almost every front putting out fires. He was, without a doubt, a great asset to Carla Valente. Happy Birthday, Eduardo Valente 🫶🎉❤️ and thank you!
Changing the subject: the Weekly Statement — our termination of the partnership with the FRACOMINA brand!
It's incredible how a simple post reached almost 50,000 views and over 30% non-followers.
Really, in this world of fashion, there are many people concerned with seeing other people's lives!
FRACOMINA is a premium brand and has been part of our history for over 20 years. A history that the current owners of the brand didn't even know they would one day work with… and we already had it in store.
I was 29 when I started selling the brand, along with City Jeans, Bus, Maluka, Núcleo, Nakuro, etc. It was in the early 2000s, where jeans were the strong point — my goodness, I sold so many denim trousers!
FRACOMINA was known for its trousers with many embellishments and sparkles. It was also the least accessible brand to everyone, which made it stand out.
All of us, in our early thirties, where our bodies help us wear everything and have several choices, sold the smaller sizes — they were always the first to sell out.
Over the years, the brand also grew into other types of pieces.
And, although many trousers are still sold, today that is no longer the brand's DNA, but rather more romantic and feminine pieces, always wonderful and different.
With the arrival of the pandemic, everything changed. I'm speaking for myself here in the store.
For over 2 years, this kind of beautiful and romantic clothing was put aside.
Nobody went to parties, nobody went to work, and other factors too...
We had to reinvent ourselves, adapt to the moment we were going through.
And it was a brand that was stagnant, or moved at a cruising speed.
Super fans waited for opportunities to buy more affordably, as it was clothing they still loved, but no longer wore as much.
What I mean by this is that, in the meantime, other brands started to make more sense and stand out more in store, both in sales and style — like VDR, like Lola Casademunt — brands that made all the difference after the pandemic.
With a more mature clientele, who had already left their thirties some time ago, it was already difficult, for most of my customers, to combine sizes.
The body changes, age comes, post-Covid comes, menopause... and that style no longer adapts. Do you understand what I mean?
FRACOMINA, on the online site, was a success.
In store, for my current customer base, it was slow… very slow.
Sometimes, representatives don't have the sensitivity to understand that the problem is not the brand — in fact, there is no problem.
Simply, circumstances have changed.
And the loyal customer base no longer made sense to keep a brand in store just because, just to look good.
Do you understand?
Then, the pressure from the representative, constantly with a less pleasant attitude, ended up dictating the end of this partnership.
There were times when I pretended not to understand the message he was trying to convey to me in a politically correct way, but with tremendous bad taste.
Trying to diminish a lifetime's work — a life he was not part of from the beginning.
The whole team has always been fantastic — with the exception of one person.
Since this person was the "boss" and our empathy for each other had been notorious for some time, I felt it no longer made sense to work with someone who, however politically correct they tried to be, was unpleasant.
And since — thank God — I am at a stage in my life where I know my worth, I would never tolerate any more disrespect, even if camouflaged by kind words.
Like someone who speaks well while speaking ill and pretends I don't understand… me, a Virgo, who feels things in the air…
I'm already catching on. Pretending everything is fine…
It's just a brand, people. A brand that, in my store, no longer made sense.
I think I should clarify better for you. After all, it's 21 years of history.
And it was so beautiful and romantic.
Thank you, FRACOMINA — and all your staff, especially the saleswoman and Susana, who were always impeccable with me.
Imperial, Dixie, and Please are back.
I love, love, love them. I'm very happy.
Fashion, image, new arrivals all year round.
It has everything: romanticism, fashion, design and is very commercial. It's back because it makes a lot of sense.
Fast fashion with weekly new arrivals: an undeniable added value.
That's how it is. Everything is cyclical. Some go, others come, in the fashion world.
And as fashion itself dictates: we have to wear what best suits and flatters us!
I hope you like it — or are as happy as I am ❤️.
Today we're posting the first video of Lola Casademunt's new collection.
I tried to make a different video, I hope you like it.
The sales continue, so stay tuned for another week of opportunities!
Thank you for being there.
I apologize to anyone more sensitive to my sincerity — but this is my blog, my page, where I am myself, unfiltered, without makeup, just politically correct.
I will never stop being who I am to fit into a place just to look good ❤️.
Check out our website www.carlavalente.pt — it already has all the new arrivals and the super VDR sales that just started with -50%.
Take the opportunity to buy your favorite pieces with various payment methods.
One of them is Klarna, where you can pay in easy installments, even during sales!
Now I'm going to take a saltwater bath, the beach is great and I've been here for 2 hours writing the blog 😜.
When it comes from the soul, it takes much longer ❤️.
A kiss to your hearts 💕
With love,
Carla Valente
