It is not a novelty this season, but it is reluctant to abandon the podium of trends. It has no rival in terms of strength, brightness and daring and has gone from being a simply radiant colour to becoming a symbol for generation Z.  We are talking about the most shocking green: in neon, lime or pistachio. It is the true “king” of summer that permeates the street style with its rebellion and youth.

Almost a year ago this carefree colour began to resonate as a trend. Lime green in its fluorine version was slipping into the winter closet . The greatest impact was achieved through Instagram when it stormed surprisingly into the  timelines of various fashionable influencers. This gaudy tone caught everyone’s eye through one viral garment: a tight-fitting perkins-neck sweater that was displayed brazenly with the same blinding force of a lightning bolt . Fluorescent green in all its glory! This garment was shown in different versions and by several different companies – both design and low cost – who adapted it in their own way. The lime green jersey became the most coveted trend of the moment.

Subsequently this vibrant tone was one of the most repeated and adapted by those attending the international parades. It was worn in trousers, dresses and coats, also flirting with accessories-though to a lesser extent. The big brands reinforced their power by protecting neon colours -including the green in question – as one of the trends this summer. It is curious that of all the newly-popular colours this type of green was the best-acclaimed in the street, the thermometer which helps the sector to know what really people will wear or not, regardless of what fashion dictates.

A prominent role was played by the power of attraction of world-wide influencers and celebrities ,  who did not hesitate to dress in lime green: Kendall and Kylie Jenner , Chiara Ferragni and Blake Lively  dressed in looks favouring this colour and even dared to wear it in makeup. On the cat-walk this shade has seduced Balenciaga, Versace , Stella McCartney, Vetements , Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana, all of which have not hesitated to include lime green in their latest summer collections. Long live the most fashionable indiscretion!

And how is it worn ?

It is not easy to combine lime green. The key lies in the alliance of neutral tones such as the range of beiges and skin-colours or the incombustible white and/or black that represent the simplest and most practical option. Satin fabrics give the lime green more light and are flattering in flowing garments like skirts and dresses with movement. Smooth or stamped? Although the first option would be the most effective, it can also be mixed with prints and textures with relief . Our choice is for fabrics which play as different shades of lime green through geometric motifs, floral prints or embroidered sequins and in turn introduce other harmonious colours. Sometimes you don’t need to go for the strident version, you can still be trendy by discreetly opting for pastel colours. Here we are leaving you our inspirations in bold lime green. What do you think?

The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum has just inaugurated an exhibition that elegantly conveys the creation of Cristóbal Balenciaga with the tradition of Spanish painting from the 16th to the 20th centuries. It is an unusual show where the most admired and influential fashion designer of all time co-features with some of the paintings by great names in the history of Spanish art, one of his main sources of inspiration. This is how ambitious the exhibition ‘ Balenciaga and Spanish painting ‘ is .

The exhibition is curated by Eloy Martínez de la Pera, who has selected for the occasion a total of 90 valuable pieces of clothing, many of them exhibited for the first time and leased from the Balenciaga Museum of Guetaria, Madrid Costume Museum and Barcelona Design Museum, ​​as well as national and international private collections. They are accompanied by the dresses , an exceptional set of 55 paintings, among which are works by El Greco, Velázquez, Murillo, Carreño de Miranda, Zurbarán, Goya, Madrazo and Zuloaga. Altogether it is a selection of paintings from private collections and national museums such as the Prado Museum or the Bilbao Museum of Fine Arts.

The tour of the rooms follows a chronological itinerary through the paintings, accompanied by the dresses linked to each style or to each painter. This creates connections based on conceptual elements, on forms and volumes, on chromatic complicities, which present a fascinating dialogue between fashion and painting, between the creativity of the great Basque designer and his sources of inspiration.

Balenciaga with Spanish art and culture

References to Spanish art and culture were always present in the work of Cristóbal Balenciag a. The simple and minimalist lines of religious habits or the architectural volume of these fabrics are a constant in many of his pieces. The air of a bata de cola of a flamenco dancer that is seen in the ruffles of some dresses or the flashes of a bullfighter’s suit of lights translated with mastery to the embroidered paillette of a bolero jacket , are some examples. Balenciaga continually reviewed the history of art and, with his strong personality and style, maintained those influences even in his most avant-garde period, recovering historical works and reinterpreting them in a modern way.

Cristóbal Balenciaga: “A good couturier must be an architect for the bosses, a sculptor for the form, a painter for the drawings, a musician for harmony and a philosopher for the measure”

Apart from following the chronological trajectory, the route of the exhibition allows us to review art from a different perspective, focusing on painters as creators and transmitters of fashion, and as masters in the representation of fabrics, textures, folds and volumes. Inevitably the exhibition in its entirety pays tribute to black, one of Balenciaga’s fetish colours, and for many of his great trade-marks such as barrel line, sem-tailored , balloon-skirts, tunic , sackdress or baby doll , which conclude at the end of the 60s in abstraction.

“Balenciaga and Spanish painting” is undoubtedly the most ambitious of exhibitions and represents the most complete presentation of this Spanish dressmaker since the first retrospective that was dedicated to him in 1973. The exhibition can be visited until September 22, 2019 at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid. The project has the collaboration of Herbert Smith,  Freehills and Las Rozas Village .

A life influenced by painting

Balenciaga was born in Getaria (Guipúzcoa) in 1895, son of José Balenciaga, fisherman, and Martina Eizaguirre, seamstress. As a child he began his craft with his mother, who sewed for wealthy families in the area, including the Marquis of Casa Torres, who spent summers at the Aldamar Palace in the Guipuzcoa town, also known as Ona view . It was there that the young Cristóbal came into contact with the taste of the aristocratic elite and where he could admire costumes and fabrics from the best tailors and fashion and textile shops in London and Paris. It was also there where he had the opportunity to contemplate and enjoy the magnificent collection of art that the marquises owned and their extensive library. This excellent introduction to the world of fashion and art, coupled with his extraordinary sensitivity, was what undoubtedly led him to dedicate his life to design from a very early date.

In 1939, Balenciaga was directly inspired by Velázquez for the design of his Infanta dress, a modern reinterpretation of the costumes with which the painter portrayed the Infanta Margarita of Austria and which the designer presented that same year in Paris. Three years earlier, in 1936 and as a result of the outbreak of the civil war in Spain, Balenciaga had moved to the French capital. He was already in a period of full creative maturity, having founded in the previous decades fashion establishments in San Sebastian, Madrid and Barcelona and having among his clientele high society and the Spanish Royal Family. In August 1937 he opened his workshop on George V Avenue in Paris. The creations of Balenciaga in these years were impregnated with the cultural context of their country of origin, turning this period into a tribute to the aesthetics of ‘all things Spanish’.

With his innovative style, total mastery of couture and a high level of demand, he soon became one of the most influential designers on the international scene. In Paris he came into contact with a cosmopolitan clientele and also began to attract the attention of the media around the world that elevated him as the “king of haute couture”. He had a predilection for weighty fabrics, which he enriched with handmade embroidery, rhinestones or sequins. With scarcely any cuts or seams he created dresses with straight or rounded shapes, giving his garments a perfect, almost sculptured finish. His sense of proportion and measure, handling of technique and search for excellence brought him the admiration of his contemporary colleagues -like Christian Dior, who considered him “the master of all of us”, or Coco Chanel, who described him as “the only authentic couturier ” -; and in his workshop or with his advice some of the most important designers of the 20th century were trained, such as Hubert de Givenchy , Emanuel Ungaro , Óscar de la Renta or Paco Rabanne.

Photos: Leased by the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum

As usual, in the Gratacós learning space we are always carrying out actions related to design and creativity. This time, it’s the turn of the prestigious research agency Nelly Rodi with the commencement of the new edition of her traditional “Trend Notebook”. An agile and didactic presentation that we organize twice a year, where design students and professionals of the sector meet to find out about the main trends that will mark the Spring- Summer 2020 season. Always from a context that directly affects the fashion industry, taking into account the global socioeconomic situation. The spokesperson of this instructive talk for many years is Úrsula Uría, Nelly Rodi’s spokesperson in Spain, and we can hear about more concrete trends that affect consumption, lifestyles, colours, silhouettes … and will set the guidelines for next summer. Always from an orientation point of view.  It is already know that this is a prediction is not always exact, but it helps to set some guidelines.

In this last initiative, Úrsula Uría places us within an economic context of waiting, where the world prepares to face a new economic crisis much tougher than the previous one. That is the key to understanding the Jump macro trend that will influence the four trends that are presented: “We need to gain momentum because what is coming is even worse than what we have experienced. We accumulate the crises that already evident within the political context, social movements or economic fragility, “she says.

Úrsula Uría: “”We need to gain momentum to face the crises that await us”

From this unencouraging scenario, Nelly Rodi Predicts four trends that will affect the fashion industry and that fall within the following categories: Holiness, Invincible, Vision Y Spotlight.

1. HOLINESS

A minimalist trend that appeals to the classics, to the ancient era, to the splendor of classical Greece and the Roman Empire. A review of mythology and the first cultures to look for new creative solutions. “In the classic we will find the only way to advance as a society by taking the best they have done and innovate,” explains Uría. Holiness is also inspired by Morocco and Egypt, in the deserts of North Africa.

Visual references : The Yves Saint Laurent museum , the book ‘ Homo Deu s’ by Yuval Noah Harari, the influencer of Italian yoga Aria Crescendo, the austere hotel of Adrere Amellal in Siwa , meditation, introspection and spirituality .

Silhouettes: The Oversize garments Oversize, fluid and flowing, false minimalism, easy and comfortable looks, fluffy and soft materials, natural fabrics: linen, suede, leather, bamboo … prioritizes organic and handmade details. It is a premium line that does not include prints. The sophistication that seeks comfort above all. The artisan plays in another league.

Colours : The palette of browns, beiges and off whites are the star of this trend. The tones that emulate the minerals with their shades and outlines. It is an evolution of all nudes. The second colour line refers to the terracotta and blue colours of Marrakech.

Silhouettes : Straight lines, well-marked lines and versatile and functional garments predominate.

Colours : They refer to the industrial and revolve around grey and blue. Black does not appear and ink tones give depth. The colour block in a single tone will also be in.

Key concepts : Modern pilgrim, ancient civilizations, ethical minimalism, introspection and origins.

2. INVENCIBLE

A maximalist tendency that refers to cultural revolutions, social movements, activism and a greater awareness of global issues such as nature and the environment. “This trend connects to being a fighter in a creative, non-aggressive way, ” says Uría . A style that also connects with the passion for extreme sports like extreme risk, adrenaline and survival.

Visual references : The pop up of Adidas in Seoul, the athlete Emily Sukiennik, the multi functional garments, fashion tech, the Survival Living room in Paris, the concept of explorer, the mutational skin of the reptiles, Comme des Garçons …

Silhouettes : Technical fabrics, reversible garments and clothing inspired by sport that is conceived as a new way of relating. The patterns are mixed together, there are no limits.

Colours : The first palette is called alert and is much more explosive with tones linked to plastics such as vibrant blue and bottle green. The second palette refers to all tribal and is linked to camouflage tones: false blacks and the tones that emulate lizards and snakes’ skin.

Key concepts : Protection, extreme sports, outdoor and role of winner and defeater.

3. VISION

A minimalist trend that appeals to youth, sustainability and technology. There is talk of utopias: “We talk about the desire to change the world using happy therapy, ” says Ursula Uría. In this positive current there is no ugliness or weirdness because beauty is considered to be everywhere, as long as it is not offensive.

Visual references : The unconventional models, the sustainable fair in Berlin, the collaborative project The Student Hotel, the latest ASOS campaign, the latest Delpozo campaigns , the Agatha Ruiz de la Prada look …

Silhouettes : Comfortable garments with contrasting colours that surprise: yellow with greens, greens with oranges, oranges with pinks … Also arty prints that emulate the aerosols from a fresh and youthful point of view, the Bardot necklines that connect with the new feminine sensuality . The prints play around, for example, stripes with pictures … always with one colour as a main theme. Plenty of Geometric répétitions too.

Colour : The first palette refers to baby tones in their most milky and decaffeinated version. The second appeals to a more sorbet range of colours with gelatinous textures.

Key concepts : Happy utopia, eco conscience, soft technological, positive future, contemporary romanticism and be a resolver.

4. SPOTLIGHT

A maximalist tendency that appeals to glamour and excess with a retro air. It refers to outdoor parties on terraces and pools in venues such as Las Vegas or Los Angeles. “The sexy, eccentric and daring woman inspired by the 50s returns,” adds Uría.

Visual references: Palm Spring, the Coco Chanel pop up  in Malaysia with vending beauty machines, nightclubs, exclusive parties, bling bling, art-deco, Charlie’s Angels, the beauty of sexiness, denim, the shimmer of the pools both day and night.

Silhouettes : Dresses, dungarees, long tunics, puffed sleeves, pronounced necklines … the most sophisticated garments in fabrics that radiate light like sequins or lames. Accessories are very important. Floral prints are also in, but with dark backgrounds

Colour: The first palette focuses on gold colour and its more aged tones. Also in the range of browns reminiscent of tobacco and leather. The second colour range appeals to violets, very dark reds and mauves that add that sophisticated touch

Key concepts: Extravagant glamour , hedonistic glam , pop power, tropical, positive attitude for your body and new empowerment.

There are powerful alliances, which work perfectly because they arise naturally and spontaneously. And the result is most impressive when a whole team of professionals coordinates to achieve a single goal which goes beyond surprise or emotion. In this cTase we are talking about the union between fashion and music through our latest collaborations which can be seen in the latest edition of Primavera Sound with some talented names within each discipline. Yes, we are pleased to say that Gratacós has jumped onto the stage via the wardrobe of three young artists with a lot of potential: Rosalía, Nathy Peluso and María José Llergo.

What was the collaboration?

Following one of our principles as a company, which is to support future professionals within the sector, whether young talents or established designers, as well as to develop cooperation with them, we faced a very motivating challenge earlier this year. The companies Dominnico, headed by the Alicante designer Domingo Lázaro Rodríguez and Colmillo de Morsa, from Barcelona contacted us offering a collaborative project which had us hooked from the very first moment. These companies were going exclusively to design the costumes of Rosalía and Nathy Peluso, designs that the artists would exhibit in person during their promotional tours around the world. In the case of Primavera Sound we also had the collaboration of Manuel Bolaño who sought to surprise with a design created for the performance of the singer María José Llergo.

These companies, which are friends and customers, were looking for something innovative, exclusive and of high quality for the costumes of the artists, something that would cause a real stir for its creativity and exclusivity! They know that we as fabric designers can count on a range of creations which meet these needs. Moreover, sometimes it is through the raw materials – in this case the fabric – that from the start the craziest ideas take their shape. And that point of slightly mad experimentation is what  we adore and are entertained by ! In addition we firmly believe in the project of these three companies and the people behind them. So we were delighted to collaborate in the project of dressing three young divas of contemporary music at Primavera Sound .

For the occasion Dominnico chose a wonderful Jacquard padded in bubblegum pink with iridescent stitchings to create that stunning amazon look worn by Rosalia in her performance at Primavera Sound. That fabric was present in the corset which the Catalan artiste wore with pronounced shoulder pads . The outfit was complemented by a jacket and matching leggings, which were defined at the waist with gold appliques. This bold outfit,which was inspired by the ‘ Dirty ‘ style of Christina Aguilera also bore the design and styling of Daikyri , Rosalia’s sister.Nobody was left indifferent by this wardrobe . We should mention the sure value of Domminico , which already counts as clients other international fashion and show artists such as Lady Gaga, who has worn the brand on three occasions .

In the case of Colmillo de Morsa , the challenge was to dress Nathy Peluso , the Argentinian artist now based in Barcelona whose successful music ” is capable of making hip-hop danceable and accompanied by jazz”, and whose trap aesthetic  captivates the young generation Z. They also recently designed for Berskha a capsule collection which embodied their aesthetic references. The designer Elisabet Vallecillo chose a cotton embroidery to make the countless metres of ruffles that she used to design the spectacular cascaded skirt and the top with crossed neckline worn by the Argentine artist. The embroidery was white and the designer dyed it afterwards to achieve this reddish tone so exuberant for an outfit inspired by Havana.

Finally, Manuel Bolaño was commissioned to devise a spectacular coat for María José Llergo . The Cordovan singer of 24 years , resident in the Gràcia district of Barcelona, ​​is one of the young promises of singer-songwriting, as she writes and composes  with a very unique style of flamenco rooted in and linked to her land of origin. Bolaño chose  black taffeta to make for her a beautiful and impressive maxi coat that did not go unnoticed among the spectators of Primavera Sound .

The most appreciated is that in the three looks the designers respected the aesthetics of each artist, without losing their essence as creators. It is here when that magical fusion between fashion and music takes place. It is an art, through and through!

Remember her name,because she has only just started her career and her aura is already shining brightly against the panorama of young talents in Spanish fashion. Her name is Carlota Barrera, she is 26 years old and comes from Gijón. She was planning to become an architect, but fashion crossed her path and her bold efforts to give a contemporary twist to Spanish men’s fashion convinced the experts who recently awarded her the prize Vogue Who’s On Next 2019. This award, which is presented annually, is an international initiative by Vogue magazine and is the biggest prize in Spanish fashion, with an endowment of 100,000 euros by Inditex, which has supported the initiative since the first edition. The financial award is in recognition for talent which aims to develop a business plan and it also includes automatic registration in ACME (Association of Spanish Fashion Designers) plus the possibility of participating in the next edition of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid, as well as having the support of the influential magazine.

The controversial Jean Paul Gaultier, President of the Jury, was in charge of revealing the name of the winner during the ceremony. The other two finalists of this eighth edition were the Sevillian designer Ernesto Naranjo and the Madrid couple Oteyza. This award is a boost to the professional career of this Asturian designer who is resident in London, as was the case in past editions with winners such as Marcela Mansergas, Juan Vidal, Maria Ke Fisherman , ManéMané , Moisés Nieto, Leandro Cano and Palomo Spain , who won in 2018. Carlota Barrera thus becomes part of that cast of young promising Spanish fashion designers, the so-called Who’s On Next Generation

A turn to masculine fashion

Carlota Barrera is from Asturias, but resides in London. Her career actually began in the British capital, after taking a master’s degree at the London College of Fashion and after working in several haute couture houses. In 2018, the young designer decided to fulfill her dream by setting up a company that would shake up Spanish men’s fashion via three basic pillars: tradition, craftsmanship and responsibility. These are the foundations of the creations from her own branded company.

Her company is indeed constantly involved in the search for and innovation in the best fabrics that come from processes which respect the environment. And although her studio is located in London, from where she develops the brand, she presents her collections in Spain and her most emblematic products are those made with materials that evoke her country of origin. “We are a small brand and consider it essential to have control of the value-chain and to be able to maintain ethical and fair values ​​throughout all processes,” said the designer at the award ceremony.

Carlota Barrera designs for an audience of age 20 to 45, for young men who seek heritage, luxury and sophistication in a type of garments that follow the mandates of classic tailoring with its clean patterns and artisan motifs, but with a more modern and aesthetic approach together with current vision. Although her main clients are men, Carlota Barrera also dresses women who are attracted by masculine image and clothing. Among her main objectives is the increase in brand awareness, its development and realisation via international expansion, but emphasizing local fashion and roots culture.

Her first men’s collection was “El Matador y el Pescador” and the mission that is evident in all her creations is to achieve the maximum quality in her collections, uniting tradition and contemporaneity to satisfy the demands of the most avant-garde of men. This injection of capital and the support of Vogue can deliver a huge boost to the career of Carlota Barrera, providing upward movement for this young company with plenty to say now as it will doubtless have in the future. The career of this Asturian designer has only just started.

Who are the current ambassadors of design in Barcelona? The unknowns have already been resolved with the winning names of the second edition of the MODA-FAD Awards, the awards given by the Association for the Promotion of Fashion as recognition for their work in the sector.

In this edition the awards of the four professional categories have been: Carlota Barrera in the category of Merit for Clothing Design; Sol Prado in the category of Merit for Complementary Design; Rebeca Sueiro in the category of Merit for Styling and Image , and Ignasi Monreal in the category of Merit for Visual Communication. In addition the MODA-FAD Board will give to Pedro Rovira the Honour Award in recognition of his creativity and for having valued the identity of local and national fashion. Finally, there is also a separate award: that for Student Sustainability, which this time has been awarded to Mireia Panisello, a BAU design student.

The jury that has decided the names featured in this edition are the stylist Ana Murillas , the fashion culture specialist Charo Mora, the designer Claudia Pérez, the fashion editor Estel Vilaseca , and the fashion designer Krizia Robustella.

Discover who is who

Carlota Barrera

Carlota Barrera is a young designer based in London who holds a master’s degree from the London College of Fashion and has developed her skills working in several haute couture houses. Last year Barrera launched her own named brand with the men’s collection “El Matador y el Pescador”. This company explores modern silhouettes in collections that reflect the classic techniques of tailoring and artisan motifs with a contemporary vision and a very visual approach. Each garment fuses the concepts of heritage and luxury from a fashion-house that represents a vision of modern man.

Sol Pardo

Sol Pardo shows her ideals through hats. Concepts such as art, design and craftsmanship are present in each of her creations that are characterized by using reusable hand-made materials. Thus, for example, hats combine acrylic as a distinctive raw material, with straw hats made by hand by a community of weavers. This is the essence of Pardo Hats: to defend the value of the slow fashion with timeless accessories that generate identity.

Rebeca Sueiro

The Galician Rebeca Sueiro (A Coruña, 1982) began her relationship with the world of scenic costume in 2002 in her hometown, where she studied Industrial Pattern-making. Sueiro’s editorial work shows her admiration for the subcultures and the most underground artistic, aesthetic and musical scene as well as her travels in Europe, Africa and Asia, where she has actively participated in the rave scene and has lived in artistic communities related to it. Currently Rebeca works in Barcelona and her obsession as a stylist is to see how through clothing each individual constructs a unique language with which to communicate.

Ignasi Monreal

Who now is still not familiar with the illustration of Ignasi Monreal? The Barcelona artist based in Rome works in various media, including painting, design, creative direction, and cinema. He is the creator of the celebrated Gucci Spring / Summer 18 campaign , the first of its kind in which digital illustration is used entirely. He has also illustrated other international campaigns for Alessandro Michele and Dior. Monreal has recently exhibited at La Fresh Gallery, a show dedicated to the celebration of everyday gastronomy and called ‘ PlatsBruts ‘ (“Dirty Plates” ) .

The prizes will be awarded next June 15 in the building Disseny Hub of Barcelona. In parallel, the works by each of the prize-winners can be seen in the exhibition “Best design of the year”.

Pedro Rovira learned the trade in a tailor shop. In 1948 he founded his first fashion house in the square Gal·la Placídia, which years later moved to the Rambla del Prat in Barcelona. In 1957 he presented his collection at the Berlin International Exhibition, in 1964 he joined the Alta Costura Cooperative and the following year he presented his collection in the Spanish Pavilion of the New York International Fair.

In the 70s he started a ready-to-wear line, but he continued with haute couture. Rovira was the benchmark of Barcelona fashion during the 60s and 70s. He showed a predilection for pure lines, especially in day-time pieces. His creations stand out for the sharpness of the lines and the play of colour, for good construction and an impeccable cut.

The prizes will be awarded next June 15 in the Disseny building Hub of Barcelona. In parallel the works by pieces of each of the prize-winners can be seen in the exhibition “Best design of the year”.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Spanish.

Think of some exaggerated, think of something extravagant, think of something theatrical. You got it? If so, you are thinking about the “Camp“ aesthetic, the neologism that is currently fashionable and that marks a trend toward maximalism.

What is the Camp? It is not an easy concept to approach at a theoretical level, perhaps aesthetically it is understood much better. Nor is it a new term, but a succession of ideas that draw it. Its conception comes from an essay by the writer Susan Sontag of 1964 entitled ‘Notes on Camp’ , a publication that deals with this artistic expression that reveals itself as a complex aesthetic that embraces multiple disciplines . The camp is defined as an ironic, humorous, artificial, theatrical, exaggerated movement … which is positioned between the highest art and popular culture. Between the divine and the earthly. The beautiful and the ugly that is exuberant but stylized. Sontag’s writings argue that camp is “love for the unnatural: artifice and exaggeration. Style at the expense of content. “

“Camp goes beyond kitsch: suggests combining art and pop culture”

For example, Sontag found this aesthetic phenomenon, for example, in the films of Busby Berkeley and actor Victor Mature, in the Maw West and General de Gaulle films, in Swan Lake, in the Flash Gordon comics, in the tenebrist paintings of Caravaggio, in the chinoiserie style and in the entire Art Nouveau movement. The writer and essayist breaks down in 58 points all the possible acceptances of the term with clear allusions to the cinema, literature, painting or architecture. Regarding the field of fashion, Sontag also notes explicit references: “Camp is a woman walking with a dress made with three million feathers.”

Precisely this week opens in The Metropolitan Museum of Art the exhibition that shapes this whole phenomenon through more than 250 objects that date from the 17th century to the present. An exhibition that explores the origins of this exuberant aesthetics and has a sponsorship luxury that is leading precisely one of the firms most aligned with this movement: Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele represents n now a new inspiration from Camp in the XXI century.

Where does the Camp come from?

Susan Sontag It situates its origins in the seventeenth century in the French court under the reign of Louis XIV. The same Sun King built Versailles, a powerful fortress and a dazzling showcase for the nobility to be gathered for enjoyment and enjoyment of the monarch. They went to the ostentatious rooms of Versailles where a protocol and demands for clothing for the king and his court were elaborated, which forced to squander large sums of money to keep up appearances. Literally.

At the death of Louis XIV flourished the Rococo style in fashion, characterized by excess, volumes, architectural and mammoth silhouettes that served mainly for the ornament, accompanied by accessories, ties, embroidery, wigs … that enhanced this artificiality. The opulence reached its peak around 1770. After some anecdotal incursions in the 19th century, the word gained popularity at the beginning of the 20th century among homosexuals of the time, where they found in the Camp all a language full of meanings. An accessory in particular, a fabric in a shoe, a tight-fitting clothing, a certain color. Later, Andy Warhol was also inspired by the term to make it his own within pop culture. Designers like Elsa Schiaparelli , Jean- Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Marc Jacobs, Erdem, Cristobal Balenciaga and Thom Browne enter the Camp, as well as the new generation as Molly Goddard , Richard Quinn, Matty Bovan or Palomo Spain, to name a few. In the exhibition “Camp: Notes on Fashion “is also cited other emblematic and legendary designers such as Paul Poiret, Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld through various dresses and looks that make up the exhibition.

Lo Camp at the MET Gala

As an aperitif to the exhibition, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York received the most stylish celebrities and philanthropists on the planet in the traditional festival Anna Wintour organizes each year: the MET Gala that is celebrated every first Monday of May in this emblematic New York location. A solidary party that is equated with the Oscars at the media level. Thus, with a cloud of flashes on the pink carpet and the hashtag # MetCamp on social networks, the invited media exhibited their extravagant outfits inspired, as it could not be otherwise, in the theme of the exhibition, Camp: Notes on Fashion. In fact, it was the British Andrew Bolton, chief curator of the Institute of Clothing, responsible for choosing the theme.

In addition to the famous editor of the ubiquitous Vogue USA, the party counted as hosts with Alessandro Michele leading Gucci, pop queen Lady Gaga, singer Harry Styles and tennis player Serena Williams.

Between this popular parade of vanities there were successes and mistakes, the theme is not easy precisely. Many were the looks that surprised us and we will cite some that inspired us as, for example, the performance that Lady Gaga did with her stunning fuchsia dress by Brandon Maxwell that was removed little by little, with two other changes to stay at the end with a lingerie set, some fishnet stockings and platform boots. Or the light that Katy Perry brought dressed in a candelabra, a work by Moschino. De Gucci were many celebrities, although Jared Leto stood out, posing with a replica of his head as the models of the Italian firm did in their fall-winter 2018 fashion show. The Cara Delevinge top appeared with an amazing Dior multicolored couture inspired by bow -iris. The actor Billy Porter, known for the Pose series, gave the audience a golden moment by presenting himself as an authentic Egyptian deity. The actress and singer Zendaya became a modern Cinderella by grace of Tommy Hilfiger or the always risky Janelle Monae was visited as a work of art thanks to the designer Christian Siriano.

Many were the proposals in one of the most unforgettable nights of the year where creativity was given free rein. Indeed, feathers were not missing either. From Gratacós we have also been inspired by the fabrics that suggest this Camp aesthetic under the motto: L or artificial as a trend.

Barcelona launches at the Museum of History of Catalonia the exhibition Moda i modistes, a show that extols the craft of fashion designers and their contribution to fashion throughout the 20th century. This traditional and craft occupation was carried out by women who represented at the time a platform for female emancipation in the workplace, with regard to both business and creativity. It was an activity, connected with fashion, that helped develop the textile and commerce industry of the time. Their intensive work has always required knowledge, skill and dedication, and sometimes all this know-how has remained in the shade, apart from the big names of design and brands. For this reason Moda i modistes represents a broad look at the work and career of many women who have remained anonymous apart from in the spoken memories of their immediate family or traditional clientele.

The exhibition is divided into several sections, where the profession develops through the history of clothing, social changes with the emancipation of women and the evolution and know-how of the trade during the past century to this day. Below, we will give you a brief summary of what can be seen in this sample.

Needle workers

Women managed to claim their own space in the art of making dresses at the end of the 19th century. Before it was a trade reserved for tailors, and women hardly had access to clothing if it was not via their family or as collaborators. It was at this time and in the first decade of the twentieth century, when the work of dressmaker became one of the main forms of employment of women in the workplace, apart from factory work and among certain other professions such as teaching

Dressmaking spread because to learn the trade one did not necessarily have to go to any school, but it was sufficient to learn in a workshop or even self-taught from manuals of dressmaking , and also because this learning offered the possibility of working independently once the technique was mastered.

This time also coincided with the beginning of feminism and the birth of several initiatives aimed at protecting workers in the sector.

Dressmaker by profession, an expanding trade

Dressmakers represented a very varied group that were often outside the guilds and workers’ organizations: they could work in a small workshop of their own, in that of an established dressmaker, in a haute couture house or go to sew in private homes. In the trade there were many categories, depending on the skill, good taste, and, above all, the clientele they had.

Until prêt-à-porter expanded globally many dressmakers needed to make clothing for the different social classes. The capitals of province and county and large cities brought together a large number of dressmakers, but also each small town and each town had its dressmakers, with a very loyal clientele. In the scale of the trade there were many categories, from the caretaker who also worked as dressmaker, because she had enough time at work, to renowned dressmakers, alternatively those with a humble clientele, those who worked for others, whether at home or in the different workshops, those that did their sewing at home, those that had a certain reputation, though not a label, either out of discretion or to save money, or those that, with the pride of a job well done, put their name on each piece.

And what were their sources of inspiration? As a general rule dressmakers were more followers than non-creators and interpreted in their own way the fashion trends of each decade and, in turn, adapted it to the tastes, size and different economic means of each client. The magazines, the parades where the trends of each season were made known, the cinema, with the irruption of iconic stars and the street were constant sources of inspiration.

In fact, from the work done by the dressmakers, you can review the fashion of almost the entire 20th century until prêt-à-porter became consolidated. The haute couture houses of Paris, Milan or Barcelona dictated the trends, they invented models and had a reduced and elitist production. Dressmakers, who were then counted in thousands, were the main customers of the textile industry because they bought or recommended buying fabrics and materials fabrics for their clientele. This in turn favoured commerce, generated income in the big fashion-houses by buying patterns and glasilla, encouraged workshops specializing in embroidery and pleats, generated jobs in a process of development of the craft down to the present day.

The legacy stays alive

Times have changed and today this profession is the strength of yesteryear. Even so, the legacy of dressmakers is still alive, it has simply been transformed. The new dressmakers continue to make clothing adjustments for stores and individuals, they also work for clothing factories and carry out pattern making and prototypes for large companies that are then manufactured outside. In parallel, there has also emerged a new generation of young designers offering a limited handicraft product which is a counter to industrial production on a large scale and of dubious quality. The work of these dressmakers is to revalue hand-made fashion, personalization and exclusive garments for a customer who values ​​the art and effort that goes into hand-made garments.

The exhibition Moda i Modistes opens today at the Museum of History of Catalonia and can be visited until 13th October 2019. It is a good opportunity to discover the legacy and evolution of this craftsmanship centennial.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Spanish.