In the story of Serip, perhaps things were a bit different. The dream may have started from
scratch, but it came from a great love that united two people, Mr. and Mrs. Pires.
Let’s begin, or should I say: once upon a time? Once upon a time, Mr. Pires, on a hot summer
afternoon, while leaving his work on Avenida Almirante Reis, spotted a beautiful woman
who immediately caught his attention. This woman, named Helena, was a dressmaker and
lived on the same avenue where Mr. Pires worked as a lathe operator in a lamp factory. In
those times, getting to know a woman wasn’t as simple as it is today. However, Mr. Pires was
patient.
Every day, he exchanged glances with Mrs. Helena, who knew his schedule by heart and
eagerly waited for him by the window. Time was a wise counselor and friend to Mr. Mario
Pires, and destiny took care of bringing Mr. and (now we can say) Mrs. Pires together. From
this love, along with three children, Ana, Ilda and Mário, a dream was born: Serip.
Serip wasn’t always known as Serip. Initially, in the early 1960s, it was just a small family
workshop dedicated to producing traditional lamps. The driving force behind Serip was
always the family. Mr. Pires produced the structures in sand casting, brass, while Mrs. Helena
focused on developing lampshades, manufacturing the little glass pieces that composed
the items, and selling the lamps. It’s amazing how our inner strength can move worlds.
Mrs. Helena disassembled the pieces, packed them in cardboard boxes, and took a taxi to
Lisbon, where she visited potential customers.
Serip grew gradually. As it expanded, the company began recruiting employees,
salespeople, and, consequently, innovating. The 1980s were marked by crystal-adorned
Atlantis chandeliers that were immensely successful. However, in the 1990s, the company
was hit by a crisis in the glass industry, leading to the closure of some suppliers, creating
obstacles in obtaining the essential raw material, glass. They say a calm sea never made a
skilled sailor, right?
Resilience has always been the Pires family’s motto. Each difficulty was seen as a
challenge and an opportunity. It was then that they invested in new materials, initiating the
Alabaster Era. The use of this new material in Serip’s pieces opened doors to the world,
leading to their presence in international fairs like Paris and Valencia, and, consequently,
the exportation of their products.
Everyone has a story and all stories have something in common,
it all starts from nothing...
From love to light
