CRAFT WORK

Throughout Lisbon, Portuguese artisanship lives on through historic brands and inventive young designers

- CATARINA LOUREIRO

WITH MORE AND MORE travelers growing savvy to the charms of Portugal over the last decade—not to mention the many expats chasing the dream of a “golden visa”—Lisbon has never been more popular. And yet the capital remains steadfastly itself, convivial and easygoing but also unabashedly stylish. This is thanks to artistic vanguards both old and new. Long-standing national shops and markets have endured for centuries without losing their creative shine; in turn, they’re inspiring a new generation of forward-thinking artisans and designers who are fusing modern aesthetic principles with Portuguese heritage and reinvigorating historic spaces in the city while they’re at it. It’s never been easier to bring a piece of Lisbon home.

HERITAGE AT HOME

The lifestyle brand A Vida Portuguesa and the cultural association Portugal Manual opened Depozito in an old foundry on Rua Nova do Desterro to spotlight pottery, carpentry, basketry, and other local crafts. At the workshop and store Oficina Marques, in a former printing house in Bairro Alto, José Aparicio Gonçalves and Gezo Marques create wares like upcycled wood sculptures, hand-painted plates, and Iberian water vases. avidaportuguesa.​com; oficinamarques.pt