Nuno Andrade

This time, we sat down with Nuno Andrade. If you’re tapped into the portuguese scene, it’s almost impossible not to have heard his name. From founding Latte Lisbon and Against All Odds to his work as a DJ and his deep connection to streetwear and culture, he’s one of the big names that earns respect.

Today, we talk about his past, the journey that brought him here, and what’s coming next.

For those who may not know you yet, who is Nuno?

I’m an endlessly curious and creative person, deeply passionate about the culture that brings different worlds together. Born and raised in Lisbon, with Alentejo roots on one side and Madeira on the other. A people connector and the guy who’s always wearing hats.

Where did your interest in streetwear and the whole culture around it come from?

It all started with music. Once I discovered hip-hop and started listening to it, I naturally became curious about watching music videos, flipping through CD booklets, and consuming magazines connected to the culture. That’s when I started admiring the style of the rappers I looked up to at the time - the 2000s were a defining era, and I was lucky enough to experience it throughout my teenage years.

Back then, it wasn’t really called streetwear, but the essence was the same. Brands like BAPE, Phat Farm, Rocawear, and Ecko shaped my taste, and the fact that they were so hard to find in Portugal made everything even more exciting.

Eventually, Latte Lisbon came along, with you and Rodrigo as founders, and it would go on to become one of the leading streetwear stores in Portugal. How did it all begin? Did you feel like there was something missing in the portuguese market at the time?

First of all, thank you for the recognition and for putting us in that category.

It all started when both Rodrigo and I were working at Sky Walker and seeing the flow of people and the growing interest in the brands. At the same time, we definitely felt there was a gap in the market. Back then, you had stores like Son Of A Gun, Sky Walker, Impasse, Carhartt and, if I’m not mistaken, Black Light - each with its own very distinct identity, but none exactly how we envisioned things.

I had always wanted to have my own store and clothing brand, so when I left Sky Walker, Rodrigo asked if I wanted to join him and open a shop of our own. At the time, I didn’t feel ready, so the idea was put on standby but after a few years, we started talking about it again and decided to finally go for it.

One of the things that always defined the store - beyond its curation and communication - was its connection to the community, especially through collaborations with portuguese brands and artists. How important was that to you guys?

It was everything. Community was always extremely important to us and one of the foundations of both the store and the brand. Collaborations were a way for us to showcase the best of what’s being done in our country and to represent our roots both within and outside Portugal. The goal was always to create a welcoming, open space where everyone felt comfortable - that’s why we had a lounge area with a TV, a Playstation, and why we hosted events and activations.

Recently, you announced the closure of Latte. What were the biggest challenges along the journey?

Latte was our first business. We had a lot to learn - especially on the financial and management side, really understanding all the costs involved, figuring out what actually made sense from a business perspective, and realising we couldn’t always be guided by emotion and ambition alone, or do everything we wanted just because it felt right in the moment. The management, development, and timing of the brand were also a big but very rewarding challenge but the biggest challenge was definitely the pandemic, like for countless other businesses.

At a time when we also saw Son Of a Gun close down, how do you look at the disappearance of two such iconic stores for the national scene?

I completely understand the reasons behind it, and I think both we and Chico started in a very similar way - as our first business, driven purely by love for what we were doing. But there comes a point where you have to step back and look at things more objectively, and understand whether it still makes sense to continue.

It’s sad for our culture, but I also think - and hope - it creates a moment of reflection for all of us, when it comes to valuing and supporting local stores and brands in whatever way we can. A like, a comment, a share - these are small, free actions that are easy to overlook but if we all consciously choose to support and help each other in these simple ways, we all move further together.

How do you see Lisbon today in terms of its cultural scene? We feel like more and more interesting things are happening in the city - do you agree?

Without a doubt - it’s impossible to deny, not just in Lisbon but across the country. Lisbon continues to grow and attract more attention from people outside Portugal who have the power to open new doors, while also creating more opportunities for the local community, balancing both worlds in a natural way.

We’re seeing more international brands coming in to do campaigns and activations, more people hearing about the city and wanting to come experience it for themselves. I think this mix that’s happening right now is going to bring really beautiful results in the future.

And on a national level, how do you see the evolution of the scene?

I genuinely think culture is growing across the whole country - continent and islands - and there’s inspiration everywhere. Thankfully, we have a very diverse landscape and history, which I think creates several interesting pockets in different places. Of course, that growth is more noticeable in cities like Lisbon and Porto because of their size, but I love seeing brands, creatives, and initiatives emerging from other parts of the country too, especially when everyone comes together.

I think that’s what we’re still missing a little: unity. We’re all moving in the same direction, and if we support each other more, we’ll all get there faster.

For someone wanting to start today, what advice would you give to someone looking to start a business in Portugal?

Doing proper research and carefully planning the numbers, with realistic estimates of the investment required and the return you can expect, is essential. If you can keep a job while starting your business - at least until you have enough stability to pay yourselves a salary - even better. A good accountant is very hard to find and makes all the difference. Always set aside enough money to pay VAT. More important than having the courage to start is knowing when to stop.

Soon, I’ll be talking about all of these topics - running a business in Portugal, mistakes I’ve made, and other parts of my journey - in a longer-form video on YouTube (shameless promo).

Before Latte, you created the blog Against All Odds. What led you to start that project at the time?

Against All Odds was my “official” entry point into this culture. At the time, I had just finished my degree in Marketing and Advertising, but I couldn’t find a job in the field. I was feeling somewhat frustrated and unsure about what to do next. At the same time, I was consuming a huge amount of content from Hypebeast and Highsnobiety, and my interest in the culture kept growing deeper and deeper. I also realized that there was nothing like that in Portugal, in portuguese. That led me to create the Against All Odds platform, which started out simply as a kind of blog where I shared news and things I liked and consumed, both in portuguese and in english.

In the meantime, it was on hold for a few years - what motivated you to bring it back recently?

By the end of 2024, I started feeling like I needed a new escape - a new way to create without rules or having to ask anyone for approval. I wanted to design and develop products that I personally wanted to wear and have in my wardrobe, but that didn’t necessarily fit within the Latte universe.That’s when I decided to seriously resume the project.

What do you want to build with Against All Odds in this new phase?

Honestly, I just want to create products that align with my identity, reflect my story, and that I’d genuinely want to wear every day - with the highest possible standards in quality, attention to detail, and communication.

It’s a new extension of myself and the phase of life I’m currently in, and that will naturally be reflected in the products: impeccable cuts, premium materials, pieces that speak for themselves without necessarily relying on graphics or logos - especially when it comes to clothing. I want to keep building community, doing activations, and rewarding the people who are most involved, but all with calmness and intention, without pressure and maybe a few more pastel de nata videos.

You’ve released two drops so far, both focused on headwear. What can we expect from the next steps?

Starting with headwear was very deliberate and made perfect sense to me because it’s an accessory I wear every single day. But in reality, I actually started by developing clothing pieces first, and I already have countless samples and ideas for what I want to create and release. So clothing is definitely part of the near future - I just want to make sure they’re the right pieces.

For now, I can reveal that the next drop will still be headwear - even more limited this time - but it will also be the brand’s first collaboration. After that, I think the first t-shirt is coming, which I’m really excited to share. It’s pretty much the only thing I’ve been wearing lately. And maybe some denim shorts for the summer - we’ll see.

Against All Odds has a very strong connection to Lisbon in the way it presents itself. Was that something intentional from the very beginning?

100%. Against All Odds is me, and Lisbon is where I come from - my roots. I wanted, and still want, that to always be at the core of the brand’s identity, whether it’s more or less obvious, through the product itself or the way it’s communicated.

Beyond that, you also have a connection to music as a DJ. How did that come about?

I’ve always had a very strong connection to music, especially hip-hop, as it influenced me so much and guided my path. I’ve always enjoyed creating playlists and discovering new sounds, and I often felt frustrated by the lack of offering in the Lisbon scene - or by the lack of surprise when going to a party/event and not hearing any music that really caught my attention or made me want to Shazam something or even hug the DJ. So it was something I had wanted to explore for a while, but kept postponing.

The turning point was when Gonçalo (Afonso) from One House Only invited me to play at his birthday party last year at Casa Capitão (crazy), and he basically gave me two two-hour lessons. He kept feeding that side of me, and it was thanks to those invitations that I started getting more opportunities.

And photography, which was also part of your journey - is it still present, or did it end up being left behind?

It’s always present, and it was another entry point for me - without a doubt one of my biggest passions and extensions of myself. Sometimes it’s more present, sometimes less, not as consistently as before, but it’s always there, and I hope it stays that way for many more years.

If you look at everything you’ve done so far, what do you think is still left to do?

Everything. I don’t really have a proper list, because ideas are always coming up, but there’s no limit. Before I die, I need some Air Force and a 59Fifty Against All Odds cap, but above all I want to be able to share my story. I hope I can inspire the next ones who want to follow a similar path, and continue connecting people who can support each other and create beautiful things together.

A positive message for our community :)

Love is Love. Never do anything expecting something in return - do it out of love, in a genuine way. Everything is energy, and what we put into the world eventually comes back to us.