About Papo d’Anjo

What is a Papo d'Anjo | About the Current Catalog | About the Founder | About the Collection

In Lisbon, where the back alleys are still filled with small workshops of artisans busy at their sewing machines, Papo d’Anjo is dedicated to making children’s clothing the old fashioned way.

The time-consuming nature of producing our designs, where special attention is paid to every detail, ensures that our end product is one of unparalleled quality and workmanship.

Our collection is principally made of 100% cotton, with fabrics originating from well-known mills in France, Italy, Spain and England. With only a wink at fashion, Papo d’Anjo faithfully adheres to a classic European style.

You may find additional contact and product information in the customer service section of our website.

What is a Papo d’Anjo
Papo d'Anjo's literal translation is "tummy of an angel", the name given to a very special little cake whose recipe dates back to the13th century.

In Portugal, Papos-de-Anjo are known as Doces Conventuais, or "sweets from the convent". These recipes saved many convents from ruin when they were threatened during the civil wars of the mid-nineteenth century. After being stripped of all their possessions, the nuns' only recourse for survival was to do what they knew best - make sweets and sell them.

About the Product
Papo d'Anjo makes a high-end luxury product that few of its competitors manage to match in terms of price and quality. This fact is the underpinning of the brand's success to date. Our headquarters are in Lisbon, Portugal where all design and production control takes place. All of our clothing is made of 100% cotton or wool depending on the season. We manufacture over 95% of our clothing in Portugal, where our production team carefully supervises the product's development from start to finish. In 2006 we produced our first garments ever in China and Peru. While this experience has so far been a success, we have made the strategic decision to limit non-Portuguese production to only those items that we can reliably count on to meet our high quality standards.

Papo d'Anjo caters to mothers who are looking for beautifully tailored and well made clothing for everyday wear and special occasions. Each year we ship orders to over 10,000 private individuals throughout the United States.

With catalog and Internet purchases, this number is growing rapidly.

About the Founder
Catherine Connor Monteiro de Barros founded Papo d'Anjo in October 1994, in Lisbon, Portugal. With just two small children of her own at the time, she realized that there was an opportunity in the United States to fill a gap in the children's market, where little choice existed for mothers in search of European- style clothing.

Catherine is now a mother of four currently living in England, ninety miles from London in the heart of the Cotswolds. She grew up in Wisconsin and is the daughter of a Norwegian mother and American father.

After graduating from Phillips Academy, Andover in 1982, Catherine received a BS from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in 1986 and an MA in International Relations at Johns Hopkins University in 1988. She moved to Portugal after marrying in 1991, and lived there until March of 2002, when she and her family moved to England. Today, she travels between England and Portugal monthly, overseeing all aspects of her business. While she is the company's sole designer and chief decision-maker, she relies upon very dedicated, talented, and loyal employees in both Portugal and the USA, without whom Papo d'Anjo would not be what it is today.

Letter from the founder on Winter 2007 Collection
Papo d'Anjo clothing is still made by hand in Portugal. Our loyal seamstresses have a refined sensibility for the intricacies of children's clothing which is a rarity in today's world of mass production.

In designing this Fall and Winter collection, I've added some new colors and exciting new fabrics, while remaining faithful to my recipe of mixing traditional styles with richly textured and uniquely patterned fabrics. Luxurious velvet, traditional Scottish tartans, soft cotton corduroy and fine cashmere are among the staples of the Papo d'Anjo Winter collection.

Within the covers of this catalog, there is something for every occasion, from Fall school days and Winter weekends to festive parties and holiday celebrations.

In the spirit of this new season, I wish you and your families much peace and happiness.