A naturalidade com que fala connosco enquanto manuseia os tecidos com uma destreza incrível, em movimentos bem definidos e suaves, realça os anos de experiência deste alfaiate de quarta geração que, com apenas 10 anos, vinha da escola para aprender o ofício com o avô, a quem seguiu as pegadas. Mais tarde estudou na Academia de Corte Maguidal, na Rua da Palma em Lisboa, onde aprofundou a arte e aprendeu as mais recentes técnicas de corte. O entusiasmo com que nos recebe e as histórias que nos conta envolvem-nos num universo com muito mais para descobrir do que aparentaria à primeira vista. À semelhança das suas mãos, também as suas histórias fluem freneticamente umas atrás das outras. Explica-nos com orgulho que naquele mesmo lugar nasceram os congressos nacionais de alfaiataria, apesar das dificuldades muitas vezes sentidas em reunir os alfaiates do país.
A sua casa emana um orgulho sentido e um respeito inegável pela arte. Não se trata apenas de um tecido mas antes de um símbolo, de um protocolo, de uma ética. “Já me recusei a fazer um fato! (…) Pagava-me o fato mas não a má propaganda!” acrescentando, logo de seguida, “e já mandei ir buscar um fato a casa”, (para que pudesse ser corrigido): “o cliente estava satisfeito mas eu não!”. No final diz-nos, com uma sinceridade espelhada nos olhos, “Gosto de vir à janela, logo de manhã, de fita ao pescoço. Que feliz eu sou em ser alfaiate!”.
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Alfaiataria Moderna - Largo da Misericórdia - Ponte da Barca
Tape-measure around his neck, the mannequin peeks through the window, proudly announcing the tailor’s shop of Manuel Armada Barbosa, better known as Néu. The entry room transpires years of study, filled with heavily used books. We can find everything with a mathematic logic: cutting techniques, drafts of all sorts of clothing, all that transforms tailoring almost into an exact science! In this house everything is bespoke and no detail is left on chance. With 60 years old, the needles, scissors, flat-iron and chalk play a part on Mr. Néu’s life for a long time now, who promptly tells us that he does not consider himself just a professional but an artist. Here a little bit of everything is made, and not only a pair of trousers or a suit, (...) “even a pair of underpants”, he says!
While talking with us he handles skillfully the cloth, with soft and well defined motions, enhancing thus the years of experience of this fourth generation tailor. He began very early with only 10 years of age. He used to come from school to learn the “mettier” with his grandfather, whose steps he followed. Later he studied at the Academia de Corte Maguidal, in Rua da Palma, Lisbon, where he learned more about his art and also about the most recent techniques of cutting. The enthusiasm with which he receives us and the stories that he tells, take us to a universe that has a lot more to discover than we may think at first. Like his hands, his stories come out frenetically one after another. He proudly explains us that, although it was difficult to assemble all the country’s tailors, it was in this very same place that the National Congress of Tailors was born.
His house exhales a sense of pride and undeniable respect for his art. It’s not just a cloth but a symbol, a protocol, an ethic. “I have already refused to make a suit (...). He was paying me the work, but not the bad publicity”. And he goes on: “And I have already sent for a suit at a client’s house.” (in order to be repaired) “The client was happy with it but I was not”. As we leave the room he looks at us with eyes full of sincerity and says: “I like to come by the window in the morning, with my tape-measure on my neck… and I say to myself: How happy I am to be a tailor! ”.
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Alfaiataria Moderna - Largo da Misericórdia - Ponte da Barca