1. What is SCAR-ID STORE?
SCAR-ID, founded in Porto in 2013 is and independent store-gallery, that communicates and sells a selection of products made by Portuguese designers based on exclusivity, innovation and identity, in the areas of fashion, accessories, jewellery, furniture and product design. Between a store and a gallery, scar-id presents a careful selection of small collections, limited editions and unique pieces of global design, all designed and made in Portugal.
2. To who? The Client that visits SCAR-ID is searching for a product or an idea that make him/her feel better, that adds something in the construction of its identity, fulfils its lifestyle and make him/her dream. It could be a piece of clothing or a necklace, a ceramic or furniture for his home, an interior project or an idea. SCAR-ID Client is savvy and updated about design, or a curious person looking to discover and learn. It is a Portuguese Client, but has been mainly international, that finds another line of Portuguese products with a global vision, that sometimes they were not aware about. There is no client-type, but the sum of all individual Clients.
3. What can
I find?
A selection of design products from emergent Portuguese creators, designed and
made in Portugal in the areas of fashion, accessories, jewellery, interiors or art.
Creativity, innovation, quality, design, contemporaneity and lifestyle. A
minimal scenario where the products and the brands are the players. A place to
buy that special piece for your identity or just a space to discover a new
product or a new idea.
4. Who manages scar-id store?
Sílvia and André. We are independent, moved by the interest of showing each day a better SCAR-ID. We are here daily, from day one, with the same motivation and responsibility to our clients.
5. Does the products changes?
Yes and no. Most of the pieces we sell are selected by its ageless character – can be used forever – that is why it is natural to find the same models in store for a long time. Each product has to result by some key factor: material quality, design quality, ageless, durability, creativity, innovation… On the other hand, we also invest in unique pieces or limited editions, so it is also natural that many products could suddenly disappear.
6. The brands you represent are always the same?
In the SCAR-ID´s 7 years we have worked with around 200 brands. Some, due to the coherence of its work are with us from days one. But we are always adding new interesting brands and products.
7. How do
you make your selection?
The research is the most interesting part. Finding new products and creators
that by any reason stands out in this already saturated global world. That is
too much going on, and our work is to filter, to select, to promote and
sometimes provoke, to find the best products to our Clients.
We have to like the product, otherwise, we won´t be able to present It to our
customers.
8. If I do
not know the brand who made a product, why buy it?
That is our job. To explain our Clients each product, through its brand and its
story, the challenges of the production, the concepts, the path of its authors,
and many other stories. The brands are always unknown until that special
moment, thar by any reason, became desirable by all. Our work is to help the
brands to reach that specific point. By buying from on one of the brands
present in SCAR-ID, our Client becomes part of this fantastic process.
9. Is
Portuguese design at the same level to the international players?
Absolutely. Here are two interesting questions. Firstly, is unquestionable that
the “made in Portugal” has already a great international reputation. A big
percentage of the best international brands are producing in Portugal and we
are no longer talking about costs, but quality. Secondly, we live in a global
world where information and inspiration could be the same in every part of the
world. So, the bases are the same for each national or international creator.
To be Portuguese or not is just a detail. We work with global brands, that, by
chance, design and made its products in Portugal
10. I´m
visiting Portugal, should I buy just because it is a Portuguese piece?
Certainly not. At SCAR-ID we encourage our Clients to buy a piece because of
its design, not its “nationality”. If we feel that a customer is looking for a “typical”
Portuguese product, we usually direct them to the right places.
11. Recently there has been buzz about Portuguese design. Is it getting fashionable?
We hope so. And we especially hope that SCAR-ID, which has been working since 2013 in this direction, has been one of its main influencers. There are brands and creators who started with us and today are worldwide recognized. Portuguese design is already on the right path, but there is still some work to be done. It is necessary to continue investing in emerging brands, providing them with consultancy and visibility in the media. It is necessary to make them reach more and more customers. We, at SCAR-ID, are here to help.
12. Why do
you sell Unique Pieces? And about Sizes?
The brands we represent mainly develop small collections, limited
editions and sometimes unique pieces. Whenever a piece is unique, we try to
select it by its capacity to be able to adapt to the largest number of bodies
due to its design, but sometimes this is not possible. We like to think that
there is always a unique piece for a unique customer. But gradually, we are trying
to provide more and more sizes.
13. Why do
you have pieces from other seasons in store?
At SCAR-ID we don’t believe that a piece goes “out of style” in 6 months, we
believe in the timelessness of design. We believe in the design, the products
and the creators. When we represent a designer, we like to show all the process. Furthermore,
due to the flow of international visitors, we do not want to deprive our
Clients of not knowing the work of a brand just because they did not visit us
in the right season.
14. Aren´t
the prices quite high?
Unfortunately, we have to agree. At SCAR-ID we work with what we understand to
be a fair price, where each player, from creation, to production, to transport,
among other actors, earns a fair value. The final price of a product, in any
area, has always to do with quantities and place of production. In our case,
where everything is designed and produced in Portugal, made in small quantities
(or many unique pieces) it is difficult to compete in terms of price. On the
other hand, the Customer who buys from SCAR-ID knows that he may encounter an
antagonistic product experience with the mass production. And that’s where we
like to differentiate ourselves.
15. Does SCAR-ID
makes sale?
Yes, sometimes. Although we prefer to operate with fixed prices (due to our concept
of timeless design), we are still in the so called “fashion industry”. In the
bottom of our website, it can be found a link for the “specials”, where our Clients
can find reduced prices, sale and promotions.
16. SCAR-ID has a store in Miguel Bombarda and another in Baixa, aren’t they too close?
From the experience we have, we ended up having different audiences in both places. On Rua do Rosário, customers come to visit us because they know the neighbourhood and know that they can find a certain interesting, alternative, creative, artistic environment. Downtown, we are visited above all by the more mainstream international public. Personally, we prefer to be here, on Rua do Rosário, where we have more time for each Client and the right neighbours to inspire us.
17. And online, how does it work?
The idea is that our online store could be an extension of our physical store, and vice versa, or rather, that it could be all the same reality. We have a chat on scar-id.com where we advise our Clients in real time on their purchases. We are often even on the phone doing this follow-up. By 2021, we’re all shopping online. At SCAR-ID, we want to take advantage of this dynamic and add some kind of personalized assistance – precisely the same assistance we have with our physical Clients.
18. If I don’t like a product, can I return or exchange it?
Yes, of course. If you buy a product that, for some reason, does not meet your expectations, you always have 14 days (from the day you receive it) to return or exchange it, as long as it comes in perfect conditions. In that case, if you prefer, you can send us an email or call and we’ll take care of everything quickly. In seven years of SCAR-ID we have had a very limited number of returns, which is very gratifying for us.
19. And how can I do a return or an exchange?
If by chance, the product that was sent by us is damaged or defective, we assume the costs of return, otherwise they are supported by the Client. As soon as we receive the product from the Customer’s side, we immediately refund the money through the same payment method.
20. Why should I trust SCAR-ID, a store I don’t know?
We have been here since 2013. We have a fixed address and we, the founders, are here, daily, following all the processes. Anything that might go less well, we are here to take responsibility for it.
21. So, how can I contact you?
Our email is info@scar-id.com. The store phone is 222033087 which you can use during opening hours. You can always find us at the SCAR-ID STORE on Rua do Rosário and sometimes at VICENT by SCAR-ID on Rua 31 de Janeiro, usually at the end of day, after closing.
Thank you