#CHANGEMAKERS: KINDA HOME
John Leitão, Kinda’s CEO, talks to ModaLisboa about Creativity, Time and Portuguese Talent.
The brands that support MODALISBOA METAPHYSICAL are, in essence, powerful engines of change. #CHANGEMAKERS are short interviews that give voice to those who work daily to build a solid, transparent, inclusive and sustainable future.
Kinda Home will also be our home: at MODALISBOA METAPHYSICAL, it is the brand responsible for decorating the FAST TALKS Amphitheater and the Press Room.
This is the first Lisboa Fashion Week of 2022 and, together, we want to start the year in a mood of change. What are the fundamental values that guide you today?
We have a very strong customer service culture. We are very strict with the quality of our services, controlling all the details of the process internally so that we can guarantee peace of mind and confidence. Making a purchase should be a pleasure and decorating is a process, not a science. Styles, colors and eras mix, and we highly value creativity and individuality.
Creativity is at the root of everything we do. What still needs to be created?
We need to develop highly efficient ways to reduce our footprint. In terms of creativity, the great fascination for those who watch is the surprise and, in this field, the possibilities are infinite, as is human genius. Everything has already been created just as everything is yet to be created.
We are running towards an era where the consumer is moved less for the product and more for the purpose. What steps are you taking in that direction?
There is a global cause that unites us and people demand to feel close to what they consume, in the sense of knowing its “history”. This proximity is achieved through the identification of values that we share and that we demand to see corresponded to. We only work with trusted partners, who respect all international standards, and fight, like us, every day to reduce their environmental impact. As an example, the case of one of our carpet suppliers that recently completed the process of feeding its factory exclusively with solar energy.
We have a team in the field, which regularly visits the entire network of suppliers to ensure the quality of our products as well as alignment with our criteria of quality, social and environmental responsibility. It is a daily work that we do, selecting the best sources according to our principles.
What continues to inspire you every day?
We live inspired by the pleasure of search and discovery. We visit factories and artisans across Portugal and the world to find the original, the beautiful and the timeless. We travel a lot and see so much, but this only brings us closer and increases our pride in our national production. What is done well in Portugal is done extraordinarily well, so we are very committed to promoting Portuguese products.
What do you believe to be the role of brands in building a more humane, transparent, ethical and inclusive future?
It is crucial to make a conscious selection of suppliers and materials. The change is in the hands of those who consume and brands are a fundamental part of the chain of responsibility. There is a pragmatic side that needs to be addressed and consumers need to have valid options that respond to their concerns. If there are options, there will be a greater sense of responsibility. It is a path you can’t make alone.
Community building is one of the greatest powers — and responsibilities — of a brand. How would you describe your community?
It is a community of people with personality, with access to culture and a lot of information, so they seek quality and originality over quantity. There is a sense of time at Kinda and this sense is central to decision-making, whether in the sense of social responsibility and sustainability or the “building” of a house.
And since Lisboa Fashion Week is part of that same community: if you only had three words to describe your relationship with ModaLisboa, what would they be?
Vibrant, creative and challenging.