Under Blue Empire

What Under Blue Empire does

Under Blue (legal entity Código Master, Lda) is a Portuguese men's fashion brand founded in 2005 that designs, sells, and distributes clothing, footwear, and accessories under a direct-to-consumer model. The brand operates a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront (underblue.net) supporting multi-currency checkout and shipping to over 20 countries, complemented by three company-owned physical retail locations in Portugal — Strada Outlet (Odivelas), Via Catarina (Porto), and 8ª Avenida (São João da Madeira) — plus a wholesale channel through the Faire marketplace. Its product portfolio centers on formal and smart-casual menswear (suits, blazers, dress shirts, trousers, polos) with select "Made in Portugal" items, and is organized across the core Nova Coleção seasonal range and two sub-brands launched in 2023: UNDER BLUE CASUAL for everyday wear and UNDER BLUE GOLD LINE for premium suiting.

The company's go-to-market is omnichannel retail. Pricing is per-unit across tiers ranging from roughly $15 for entry accessories to $330 for premium suits, with VAT-inclusive prices and free domestic shipping over €30. Marketing relies on organic social (Facebook, Instagram), paid acquisition through Meta Pixel and Google Ads/DoubleClick, email automation, Tidio live chat support, and GDPR-compliant data handling. The target customer is a fashion-conscious modern man seeking classic-with-contemporary styling, spanning formal business attire, smart-casual, and everyday casual occasions.

The business generates revenue through one-time retail transactions via owned e-commerce and physical stores, with no subscription, licensing, or recurring component. The company employs approximately 10 people, is privately held with no disclosed external funding, and has pursued modest international and channel expansion (DTC geographic breadth, B2B wholesale, two new product lines in 2023) while maintaining its Iberian production base.

Name

Under Blue Empire

Legal name

Código Master, Lda

Website

https://underblue.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Under Blue is a Portuguese men's fashion brand founded in 2005 that designs and sells suits, blazers, shirts, trousers, footwear, and accessories direct-to-consumers via a Shopify e-commerce storefront, three Portuguese retail stores, and a Faire wholesale channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Men's Fashion Retail

NAICS

Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458), Shoe Retailers (4582), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Shoe Stores (5661), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Men’s Apparel Retail (CRAAABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dress & Formal Footwear Retail (CRAAADAC), Athletic Footwear & Sport Apparel Retail (CRAMABAC), Fashion Accessories Wholesale (Belts, Hats, Scarves, Gloves, Ties) (CRAOADAC)

Keywords

• Men's clothing
• Formal wear
• Fashion retail
• Men's apparel
• Clothing accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Penafiel

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales - E-commerce: Direct online sales through owned Shopify-powered e-commerce website (underblue.net) with global shipping capabilities. Customers purchase products at listed prices with VAT included. Payment processed via credit card and PayPal.
2. Retail Sales - Physical Stores: Sales through company-owned retail stores in Portugal including Strada Outlet Odivelas, Via Catarina Porto, and 8ª Avenida São João da Madeira. In-store returns and exchanges available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Under Blue designs, manufactures (in part), and retails men's clothing, footwear and accessories, with a portfolio spanning formal suits, blazers, shirts, trousers, polos and footwear as well as smart-casual everyday wear and accessories such as ties, belts, scarves and cufflinks. Sales are conducted directly to consumers through a Shopify-powered online store serving over 20 countries and through three company-owned physical stores in Portugal, with supplementary wholesale distribution via the Faire marketplace.

Product overview

Under Blue is a Portuguese men's fashion brand founded in 2005, selling clothing, footwear, and accessories through an e-commerce platform powered by Shopify. The core offering consists of the Nova Coleção seasonal collection of suits, blazers, shirts, trousers, and footwear, complemented by the UNDER BLUE CASUAL line for everyday wear and the premium UNDER BLUE GOLD LINE for high-end suits. The product portfolio spans formal attire (suits, blazers, waistcoats, ties, cufflinks), casual wear (polos, chinos, jeans), footwear (leather sneakers and formal shoes made in Portugal), and accessories (scarves, belts, suspenders, tie clips, pocket squares). The brand operates both online and through physical retail stores, with operations based in Porto, Portugal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UNDER BLUE CASUAL: Casual everyday wear line launched to complement the brand's formal offerings.
• UNDER BLUE GOLD LINE

Products and services

• Nova Coleção (New Collection) Seasonal clothing collection featuring suits, blazers, shirts, trousers and footwear in new styles and colors targeted at the modern man.
• Under Blue Casual Casual everyday wear line launched for daily comfort and style, complementing the brand's formal offerings.
• Under Blue Gold Line Premium suit line featuring high-quality new materials and refined craftsmanship, representing the brand's most luxurious and exclusive offerings.
• Fatos (Suits) Two-piece suits in slim fit and classic cuts in various colors including black, navy, olive, beige and royal blue, designed for formal occasions.
• Blazers Tailored blazers in slim fit with lapels, interior and exterior pockets, including Gold Line variants with included pocket squares.
• Camisas (Shirts) Slim fit shirts in white and blue colorways, made from cotton and polyester blends with button closure and cuffed sleeves.
• Calças (Trousers) Trousers in various styles including chino, linen, casual, comfort and jeans in multiple colors, with some styles made in Portugal from 100% cotton.
• Polos Short-sleeve polo shirts in solid colors and striped patterns, made from 100% cotton with casual fit and two-button placket closure.
• Calçado (Footwear) Men's footwear including white leather sneakers and classic burgundy formal shoes, with some styles made in Portugal from 100% leather.
• Acessórios (Accessories) Men's accessories including ties, bow ties, collar clips, scarves, belts, suspenders, cufflinks and pocket squares.

Quantifiable outcome

• Available in over 20 countries internationally

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationShopify powers Under Blue's e-commerce platform, providing the technology infrastructure for the online store, payment processing, order management, and customer data handling. The services are hosted by Shopify, which collects and processes personal information related to customer access and use of the services.
• Meta Platforms, Inc.majorGTM or Marketing PartnerMeta provides advertising services through Facebook Pixel and related cookies to collect information about people interacting with Under Blue's advertisements and website. Used for conversion tracking and targeted advertising delivery.
• Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle provides advertising services including DoubleClick, Google Ads, and YouTube integration. Uses cookies such as NID, SID, IDE, DSID for personalized advertising, conversion tracking, and cross-device activity linking.
• Faire, INCminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFaire is a wholesale marketplace platform used by Under Blue for B2B distribution, allowing retailers to discover and purchase Under Blue products for resale.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Massimo Dutti: Inditex-owned premium men's and women's fashion brand originating in Spain with a similar classic-meets-modern positioning, multi-channel DTC + physical retail, and broad European/global footprint. Highly comparable target customer (modern professional men) and price ladder.
• Suitsupply: Direct-to-consumer men's suiting and formalwear brand with strong e-commerce and showrooms globally, comparable pricing on suits and blazers and a similar 'Made in Europe' quality narrative. Closest direct competitor in the formal menswear online channel.
• T.M.Lewin: British heritage shirtmaker and formalwear retailer with strong e-commerce presence. Direct overlap in dress shirts, suits, and ties for the professional male customer.
• Selected Homme: Danish contemporary menswear brand (Bestseller group) selling suits, shirts, trousers, and accessories DTC and via wholesale. Comparable Scandinavian/Iberian design language and mid-premium price positioning.
• Ted Baker: British contemporary menswear and accessories brand with multi-channel DTC and physical retail, known for distinctive design details. Comparable on the 'fashion-conscious men, attention to detail' positioning.
• Charles Tyrwhitt: British menswear specialist focused on shirts, suits, and formal accessories sold primarily DTC online. Comparable mid-premium price points and target customer of professional men seeking classic formalwear with modern fits.

Emerging players

• Sandro: French contemporary menswear brand with European DTC and selective retail footprint. Comparable 'modern classic' aesthetic and premium-casual price positioning, though stronger in tailoring and outerwear.

Broad incumbents

• Hugo Boss: Global premium menswear incumbent with broad assortment from formal suits to casualwear. Overlaps with Under Blue's formalwear and smart-casual categories but operates at a higher price tier and far larger scale.
• Mango Man: Spanish fast-fashion group's menswear line, sharing Iberian origin and a contemporary menswear assortment. Competes on price and trend speed rather than craftsmanship.
• Zara Man: Inditex's menswear line, offering fast-fashion suiting, casualwear, and accessories at lower price points. Competes for the same modern professional male customer on trend and price.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/underbluestore
• Instagraminstagram.com/under.blue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/under-blue-empire

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Under Blue Empire