Photos: Ruben Claudino

Alex Furtado is a skater from a sunny little town along the Portuguese Riviera. 

There he skates, suns and lives the dream (if spending all your time in a coastal Portuguese town is your version of living the dream). The Portuguese have always been underdogs in our eyes. Not as emphatic as the neighbouring French or Spanish. They’re just cool, calm and collected individuals who ooze a certain charismatic something that we can’t quite put our finger on. A Portugese panache, if you will. Alex is no exception. It’s the kind of panache that has landed him on Former and in this years Bright Young Things. 

Who are you?

My name is Alex Furtado.

What do you do?

I'm a skateboarder and I do freelance graphic design here and there.

How long have you been doing that?

Well I've been skateboarding for twelve years more or less.

Where is home for you?

Home is where I feel more comfortable, it used to be Cascais when I was growing up there. But now, definitely São João do estoril, basically the outskirts of Lisbon up the coast.

If you weren’t skating, what would you be doing?

Definitely graphic design. I've been doing it for as long as I've been skating, not as often as I'd like but it's really fun.

What do you think about the current state of skating?

Hard question, I don't really keep up with the Olympics side of it and don't really care that much for it so for that I couldn't say much. Other than that I'd say it keeps growing but I hope it keeps being what it always was - a fun wood plank with wheels haha.

What do you do outside of skating and how does that thing influence or affect your craft?

Outside of skating I just like to hang with friends, laugh and all that normal stuff but creatively I like designing some posters for fun, doing some kind of album cover or something while listening to music. Working on visual stuff makes me want to go skate to that idea. Don't really know how to explain but I'd say it influences me to go skate the visualisation. 

The best/worst thing about the skate industry? 

For me, I love the trips I get to go on everywhere with my mates, having fun and skating in beautiful spots. But also I get insanely home sick and I really need those times alone without company to chill out. I like to just plug in my headphones and hide away for a bit until it's time to go and socialise again haha. 

Something you’re most proud of? 

Not really sure, I'm proud to have gotten where I am and I'm sure there's a lot more to be proud of down the road.

Biggest lesson you’ve learnt in life so far?

Not to stress about things I can't control, and if there's something that you can control and it's stressing you or making you unwell then go make that change.

Something anyone can do today to make the world a better place? 

Pick up your trash, treat people with respect.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome so far in your industry?

Not quite sure how to answer this question. But honestly maybe the stress or the pressure I put on myself. As we all do, the fear of ‘not making it’ can get pretty intense. But if you have fun and do what you love it should work out right? At least I hope!

What is something people might not know about you? 

I'm a huge video game nerd. I mean like thousands of hours nerd.

Who do you think is doing it the best/coolest in your industry right now?

For sure Austyn. He's been doing it the best/coolest for a long time.

What do you think the biggest issue young people are facing today?

Not quite sure... maybe the pressure of achieving or meeting the ‘standards.’

What is your favourite thing about Portugal?

My beautiful girlfriend Catarina. Shout out to her for being super supportive, the most amazing person and putting up with my shit.

Who do you look up to the most?

Well definitely Dylan Rieder. For sure the greatest inspiration not only in my skating but in my life.

Are you working towards a goal right now?

Sir, yes sir. Trying to do it with more consistency but it's getting there! Want to make a part for Globe by the end of the year, trying to make it personal and worth watching. Something I can feel proud of.

What’s it like being on Former?

It's unreal, it's a dream come true. I remember the first handshake with Austyn and the guys when I first met them was the most nervous handshake I ever did.