BÉHEN
Joana Duarte is the Founder and Designer of BÉHEN. She studied in London at Kingston University, following her undergraduate degree at the Faculty of Architecture. She deepened her interest in ethical production and working with artisan communities, which led her to India for an internship with a Fair Trade brand, a member of the WFTO. The Designer returned to Portugal, to the stories and embroidery of her family that inspired the creation of BÉHEN. This marked the beginning of her mission to protect Portuguese Heritage.
In March 2020, BÉHEN made its debut at ModaLisboa. In 2021, Joana won the 1st prize in the AWE Female Entrepreneurship Award, presented by the U.S. Embassy. In 2022, she received the Golden Globe for Fashion Personality of the Year. She continues to pursue sustained work in the empowerment of artisans, ancestral techniques and communities, while investing in the intersection of tradition and technological innovation to ensure the longevity of this craft knowledge.
