Before the UK… Portugal

Hi, thank you for visiting this page.
I’m Filipa, with an F for Foxtrot, founder and director of Lipa Projects Ltd.

Before coming to England I studied Graphic Design in Portugal. I attended one of the best universities in the subject – FBAUP – in my hometown, Porto. It is here I had my introduction to Graphic Design – including Adobe Suite.

We lived, like most Portuguese in a three-bedroom flat, on the 9th floor facing the sea.
In a flat with 3 adults, space was at a premium and I used to do sketches of multi-functional furniture which I dreamt of making one day.

BA (Hons) Product and Furniture Design

I initially came to the UK on a three-month summer job with an amazing English family, during my university studies in Portugal.

Three years, I graduated from De Montfort University, Leicester, having studied BA (Hons) Furniture with Product Design.

Immediately after graduating I started working for a long-established retail interior design company in Market Harborough as a junior Development Designer.

POS and Retail Project Management Career

In my first job in the industry, I started doing planograms for cosmetic tray updates being sent into stores.

I progressed into creating manufacturing drawings for the PM team to quote, which once approved, I would finish for manufacturing. Subsequently, I was given the opportunity to manage my first project: a promotional site in a Swedish airport.

A pivotal time in my career came when I moved into the retail side of the business which quickly became a passion of mine.
In the last decade I have further developed my skill sets in technical drawings and project management for the permanent POS and Retail industry.

My passion for Retail has only grown and my desire continues in combining my eager technical side with my natural aptitude to organise and manage projects.