Fabric Hunting in Lovely Lisboa

We recently traveled to Lisboa and spent one wonderful there.
We stayed in Alfama, and toured the city everyday enjoying its light, its wonderful food, specially fish, seafood and seafood rice, its beer, its peoples... it was a wonderful wonderful holiday. I hope we can go back sometime soon.
One of the things we enjoyed most was the authenticity of the place. The characteristic and typical food, drinks, traditions, products were Portuguese all around and they were proud of it. In this globalized world that is difficult to find. Some places are so alike- with the same chain clothing, gadgetting, food stores- that travel has no point anymore. Not with Lisboa. If you want to drink Ginjinha you must go to Lisboa!
During our stay there I discovered two fabric stores, both in the same street nearing Rossio, Rua Áurea.

The first one is in the very Rosio square. It has loads of remnants and cheap fabric, but I missed good, quality fabric, only some silks, denims and viscoses. I could not buy anything. They had SALDOS, discounted sales, and prices were very good, though. I spotted a very nice black cotton sateen, but it was gone when I went back there to buy it.

The last day I discovered another shop, and that was a different matter. Ouro texteis was a cave of wonders. Only the summer patterned cotton collection was amazing, but they had everything one can wish, plus a very well supplied haberdashary downstairs. They told me 70-80% was made in Portugal and prices were excellent. I bought four pieces of fabric, and wished I had more space in my suitcase, but from Lisboa we were traveling to Czeckia for a festival and we only carried hand luggage, so I managed to put those four fabrics inside but that was it. You will see them in my future projects!

We loved our holiday in Lisboa, specially because it still resists globalization and retains its characteristi authenticity. In Rua da Conceição, for example, there still are a bunch of retrosarias (haberdashery shops) with that falvour from the past. They are gorgeous. In that very street I encountered another fabric shop, but I was not in the mood that morning!