The showcase is a visual presentation of who we are, what we do and how we do it. An aesthetic entrance that attracts the visitor, but also justifies our work: the creation of quality fabrics that allow you to dream. During this uncertain year we have tried to surprise you with artistic windows that play with concepts that represent us such as luxury, elegance, fantasy, escape or everyday life through our mannequins that have been dressed in the most spectacular fabrics of the season along with other elements that we hope have surprised you. A wedding moulage, a chic picnic or a female interpretation of the Magi. These are some of the scenes that you have been able to observe through the window of our Gratacós space.

Now, before welcoming the new year, we take advantage of this post to say goodbye to 2021 with the certainty that it has been a year of transition that has allowed us to remain stable thanks to the cohesion between teams and your support and trust in this brand of family fabrics. We have new perspectives for 2022 and we want to move forward with new articles that will stand out for their quality, creativity and ability to surprise. Get excited, in short. Happy New Year!

March 2021. New direction

One year after the start of the pandemic, we awake dreaming of planning the upcoming holidays with a relaxation of restrictions. Easter, the May bank holidays and the not so distant summer disconnection. The beginning of spring also marked a minimalist-inspired showcase featuring two mannequins dressed for the occasion to pay tribute to those bridal celebrations that were returning to the fore. Tailoring, feather details and two antagonistic tones that capture the incipient change of season: forest green and dusty pink.

April 2021. Wedding bells

As tradition dictates, April is the bridal month par excellence and from Gratacós we always reserve this shop display to show off the work of one of the winners of the IED Barcelona. wedding dress design postgraduate moulage contest. This is an opportunity we offer to showcase the work of new talents in bridal design. This year, Eva Escudero created this impressive wedding dress with an asymmetrical design and a large flowing skirt, following in the footsteps of this unique tailoring technique.

May 2021. Country spirit

In the month of flowers, the  Joplin Atelier company of the sisters Laura and Aida Molano turned our entrance space into an urban picnic with a Provencal air. The tulle dresses with small polka dots made with our fabrics, the details in bows and the pastel tones starred in a chic showcase with a multitude of details to carry out this picnic in the open air. An artistic representation that portrays the spirit of escape that connects us with nature.

July 2021. Time to escape

The summer month par excellence is a tribute to festivals, fun and feeling carefree, maintaining that hedonistic attitude to take life a little more lightly, enjoying all the earthly pleasures. July has a fresh, youthful and daring character, as evidenced by the outfit of our mannequin in pink gingham fabric. Let the party begin!

September 2021. Start over

September is the official month of beginnings. The new season, the change of season, the return to routines … we illustrate the busiest month on the calender by paying tribute to comfort through a bathrobe-type trench coat made of pistachio green tweed, all very daring dyed yarn, with a wool touch and thick weight. A carpet of dry leaves marks the beginning of autumn, which in Barcelona is light and soft.

October 2021. The Pink month. 

It is called the pink month because it is recognized worldwide with this feminine color to raise awareness in men and women about breast cancer and promote self-examination and check-ups to be able to detect it early. Our tribute to the most delicate, subtle and romantic month was made by Rosa Cano, a student at ESDI, Escuela Superior de Diseño with these contrasting fabric models that play with the entire range of pastels and nudes. One of the most spectacular showcases of the year!

November 2021. Let the party commence!

The proximity of the Christmas holidays makes November a month of preparations. A headstart on shopping, lights that turn on and the search for the most surprising outfits to fill the holidays with magic. The designer Claudia from the Institut Català de la Moda (ICM) presents three models from the ‘Ritmos’ collection. Voluminous dresses with meters and meters of suggestive organza for celebrations full of fantasy. 

December 2021. The three queens

We ended the year again in collaboration with Joplin Atelier and its proposal in a feminine key. Our “Three Magical Queens” are a tribute to the strength of women, capable of dealing with all areas of their lives with determination and mastery. They are the philosopher’s stone of many families and especially during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas holidays. The mannequins share a turban and crown to match their short dresses with a closed neck and puffed sleeves made from acetate satin with lamé. Under their feet they protect all the gifts, the symbol of the act of sharing (and receiving).

December is the month of rituals and traditions marked especially by Christmas and the closeness to our loved ones. For designers, there is one thing that is awaited for with enthusiasm: finally knowing the colour that will mark the following year and that will be announced at this time, Pantone. The world authority of colour has once again communicated the tonality that will mark the year 2022 in areas as multidisciplinary as design, art, advertising or fashion. It’s called Very Peri and it’s a novel shade based on lilac that, they say, “maintains a daring presence and stimulates ingenuity and personal creativity.” Do you have a better cover letter?

As you already know, the annual choice of a colour is not done randomly or is the result of whim because it involves a deep study and analysis of trends by the trendhunters of the Pantone Colour Institute. With an in-depth study of the impact that various exhibitions, works of art, films that will be released next year, the most popular destinations, new technologies and all together, the global mood, they have a meticulous discussion and dimension the impression that every aspect will have. Before closing the year, experts have revealed what 2022 holds for us.

“Creating a new colour for the first time in the history of our colour program is a reflection of a process of innovation and transformation at a global level,” said Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Institute of Colour.

“The Pantone Colour of the Year is a reflection of what is happening in our world culture and expresses the answer to what people are looking for in this colour,” says Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute. ” He adds: “The creation of a new colour for the first time in the history of our educational colour program Pantone Colour of the Year is a reflection of a process of innovation and transformation on a global level. As society recognizes colours as a fundamental form of communication and as a way of expressing, capturing, connecting and influencing ideas and emotions, this new and complex blue hue fused with purplish red highlights the range of possibilities that are presented to us. “

In this case, by encompassing the qualities of blues and, at the same time, having a purplish-red hue, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri displays a cheerful and lively attitude, as well as a dynamic presence that stimulates the courage to create and an imaginative expression. 

Deciphering the enigmatic tonality of 2022

Very Peri represents the perfect fusion between blue and red. A bridge between two primary tones that are interrelated giving way to this enigmatic tone. According to Pantone, Very Peri is the result of carefree confidence and daring curiosity that encourages our creative, inquisitive and inclusive spirit. The authority of colour considers that this tonality helps to embrace this altered landscape of possibilities and opens a new vision so that each one can rewrite their own life. Rekindling gratitude for some of the qualities blue represents complemented by a new perspective that resonates today, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri puts the future ahead in a new light.

Very Peri displays a cheerful and lively demeanor, as well as a dynamic presence that stir up courage to create and an imaginative expression.

In times of transformation, Very Peri is a symbol of the spirit of our current global age and the transition we are experiencing today. As the period of isolation, marked by the global pandemic, is emerging, notions and standards are changing and people’s physical and digital lives have merged in new ways creating hybrids. This tonality also symbolizes the rise of digital design, which helps to stretch the limits of reality, opening the door to a dynamic virtual world where you can explore and create new colour possibilities. With trends in gaming, the growing popularity of the metaverse, and the growing arts community in the digital space, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri illustrates the fusion of modern life in correspondence with colour trends in the digital world and how together they are manifest in the physical world and vice versa.

This colour illustrates the fusion of modern life in correspondence with colour trends in the digital world and how together they manifest in the physical world and vice versa.

How do we apply Very Peri in the world of fashion?

We said it at the beginning. Very Peri is the colour that seeks to convey courage, boost reinvention and stimulate creativity by displaying carefree confidence and infinite curiosity. It is a fresh, versatile and genderless shade that adapts to a wide variety of fabrics, textures and reliefs, provides a touch of colour and does not go unnoticed at all. On the catwalks, this hue has starred in monochrome looks in the shows of the new summer collections by Isabel Marant, Balenciaga, Thom Browne or Ermanno Scervino. Other firms such as Lanvin or Marine Serre have chosen to combine this violet tone with arty prints and neutral tones. 

In Gratacós we have several seasonal fabrics where the Very Peri colour is present. You will find it in plain items and through prints or in its more sophisticated version with reliefs, iridescence and rhinestones. Take the opportunity to rediscover the collection that we have on offer in our online store.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Spanish.

From Gratacós we closely follow the Spanish catwalks because we like to appreciate the creativity of designers in the form of impressive seasonal garments and how, sometimes, one of our fabrics sneaks into the looks of their magnificent collections. After the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid in September, the last appointment with fashion was held by 080 Barcelona Fashion last month, in a new exhibition of fashion and power.

The Catalan catwalk once again opted for the digital format, presenting for the third time in a row, fashion short films previously recorded and edited by 22 designers who participated in the last edition. This time, the film set of the audiovisual pieces took place in a space that broke with the modernist legacy of recent editions: Xavier Corberó’s residential and architectural complex located in Esplugues de Llobregat. A wonderful sculptural work of concrete and glass of a rationalist character with dreamlike buildings that recall the metaphysical painting of Giorgio de Chirico or the mathematical art of Escher.

Next, we explain in detail some of the collections that surprised us the most with designers who maintain creative discourses linked to uniqueness, craftsmanship, sustainability or proximity.

Avellaneda

Avellaneda turned the XC space of the Xavier Corberó architectural complex into a glamorous party displaying beauty, youth and good taste in clothing. In the new collection, the Barcelona designer Juan Avellaneda was inspired by the city and the individuals who inhabit it and share secrets, passions, ephemeral romances, eternal promises and moments of fun. This urban jungle consisted of a sophisticated collection of cocktail looks with traces of safari style: a revision of the zebra animal print , sequined jackets and baggy pants in earth tones. These innovative pieces coexisted with their signature flagships: tuxedos, dresses with sensual openings, silks, ruffles and sequins reign in clothes with daring patterns in a unique proposal that mixes exoticism with its usual elegance. The neutral bases, the pairing of black and white, red and fuchsia gave colour to this festive collection that plays with the classic codes of good dress.

Eiko Ai

Eiko Ai brings a new value in women’s fashion by combining concepts such as sophistication and sensuality in the clothes that she creates in a casual style for everything to wear. Always with that point of magic that invites clients to dream through the designs. On this occasion, the firm led by Glò Lladó has presented in 080, a collection that represents a fantastic trip to the mountains that allows us to discover the nymphs of the forest. These creatures of evocative power, inspiring myth and legend, have been dressed in two-piece combinations with bras – a hallmark of Eiko Ai-, oversized bomber jackets, trench coats with sparkly fabrics and sheer dresses with surprising cuts that insinuate without showing excessively. All this adorned with sequins, velvets, satins, lace and iridescent materials that create sensual transparencies on the models’ bodies. The silhouettes have a minimalist point inspired by the 90s and the lingerie looks blend with the festive in this exciting proposal tinged with deep green, silver and lavender that attracts at first glance.

Moisés Nieto

The designer from Úbeda (Jaén) made his debut on the Catalan catwalk displaying his credentials: contemporary design combined with the passion for craftsmanship and the trade that characterizes his elegant style from restraint. In the new collection for next season, Moisés Nieto takes a trip back in time to reconnect with his childhood in Andalusia. From the summers of the 90s, the designer chooses elements rescued from memory that serve to shape a proposal that speaks of everyday life: the crochet of the doilies, the nets of the curtains, the lace or the plants of the patio are a representation of the memories that take us to the eternal hot summers of the south. The sustainable brand shapes its particular vision in roomy midi dresses and pleated silk skirts. Light garments made with organic cotton or silk fabrics and mixed with artisan techniques such as knitting, crochet and macramé. It is worth noting the textures displayed that play with different weights and structures to create volume in women’s garments that add unexpected details. As in previous collections, the designer approaches craftsmanship and values ​​sustainability, two aspects that have become the most visible hallmarks of the Spanish firm.

Y_Como

Finally, highlight the new work of Cristina and Yolanda Pérez from Yolancris in the new brand, Y_Como, which once again surprises with a new collection based on research and the creative process. The summer proposal presented at 080 Barcelona Fashion is inspired by the painting ‘The Garden of Delights’ by Bosco. Specifically in the panel that refers to Paradiso with a free interpretation, but full of visual references that refer to the work focused on creation. In the first scene of the fashion film , set in the architectural garden of Xavier Corberó, the models that embody the characters in the painting appear: there is the owl that represents the evil that contemplates falling into temptation, the figures of Adam and Eve , and followed by exotic animals that are represented by models of baroque aesthetics that show spectacular golden robes with floral embroidery. Also featured are other black sexy dresses, garments with lots of floral and patchwork denim, fabric star creative signature ready-to-wear bulky clothes that give a rebellious streak this sensuous YComo proposal.

Is black a colour? There is still debate in which it represents the darkest shade, the result of the absence or complete absorption of visible light. Black is a colour without tone, a neutral base like white – its opposite – and gray. It lacks tonality and luminosity because it absorbs light without reflecting any of its component rays. Historically, the colour black has been used to represent darkness, mourning, solemnity, and authority, but it has also been linked to elegance, the unconscious, and individualism. Especially in the last century, the most revolutionary of all. Black symbolizes chaos. Now, it returns to the fore as the primary colour and absorbs the rest of the opponents, but first let’s investigate a little in the imaginary of a colour without colour.

From prehistoric origins: Art, the underworld and death.

Black was one of the first colours used in art. It was used by Paleolithic artists in cave paintings with drawings of bulls and other animals made with charcoal and later, pigments of more intense tones were made with manganese oxide or animal bones. In ancient times, the Egyptians gave positive associations to black: it was the colour that represented fertility (the soil flooding from the Nile was black). It also represented the god Anubis, guardian of the underworld, who took the form of a black jackal and offered protection against evil to the dead. For Classical Greece, black was also the colour of the “other world”, separated from the land of the living by the Acheron river, whose waters were black. The Greeks often used this colour in pottery with black figures set against other red figures. Interestingly, in the social hierarchy of ancient Rome, black was used by artisans. It wasn’t a deep, rich tone because the vegetable dyes they used to make black weren’t solid or long-lasting, so they often faded to grays or browns. Black was also the Roman colour of death and mourning. In the 2nd century BC, Roman magistrates began to wear a dark robe for funeral ceremonies. In Roman poetry, death was called the black hour.

From the darkness of the Middle Ages to the Renaissance

In the Middle Ages, black was associated with evil and darkness. It was the colour of magic, witchcraft, and the dark arts. In fact, the devil in medieval paintings was depicted in human form, but with black wings, skin, and hair. Europe also dressed in black during the bubonic plague episodes as a sign of mourning. In the fashion of the time, black did not have the prestige of red, the colour of nobility and was worn by Benedictine monks as a sign of humility and penance. Despite this, black could also symbolize power as the secret in the medieval world. The emblem of the Holy Roman Empire of Germany was a black eagle. Also the black knight in the poetry of the Middle Ages was an enigmatic figure, without identity.

In the Renaissance, the connotations of the colour black began to change. High-quality black dyes were introduced to the market, allowing garments of deep, rich black to be produced. It was at this time that magistrates and government officials dressed in their black robes, as a sign of the importance and seriousness of their positions. As only the nobility could wear bright colours like red or royal blue, the burgeoning middle class like bankers and merchants began to adapt black in their robes and dresses to distinguish themselves socially.

The colour of the Spanish court during the Golden Age

Black was a fashionable colour in the Spain of the Golden Age. It became the emblem colour of the Spanish Habsburgs, Carlos V and his son, Felipe II, who saw it as a symbol of power, dignity, and humility. and temperance. A world power such as Spain after the discovery of America, dictated the fashion and transferred the taste in the dress of the Spanish court to the rest of Europe. The black was austere and sober, but also rich in nuances and made one better appreciate the complexity of the fabrics used. The brighter and more solid it was, the more social status the person who wore it had.

In Baroque painting there was also a resurgence of the colour black in the treatment of light and shadow in the works of Caravaggio and Rembrant or in the paintings of Velázquez, and later Goya . Who does not remember his famous black paintings? Later, when the Netherlands became a new world power, they determined a new fashion: clothing and rigid ruffles were loosened, but the colours did not return because among the Dutch the Reformation had triumphed, and the colour of the protestants was also black.

Black in the contemporary era

In the 18th century, during the European Age of Enlightenment, black lost its popularity as a fashionable colour. Paris became the capital of fashion, and pastel blue, green, yellow and white became the colours of the nobility and upper classes. After the French Revolution, black re-established itself as the dominant colour. The Industrial Revolution is also characterized by black, largely fueled by coal and later by oil. Charles Dickens and other writers of the time described the dark streets and smoky skies of London, and they were vividly illustrated in the engravings of the French artist Gustave Doré . Black was also the colour of romantic literature. The tone of melancholy, romanticism and nostalgia for the past. Stormy castles, rainy nights, secret meetings at midnight … black had a fantastic component and was adopted by the poets of the time.

The black of impressionist artists

Impressionism did not recognize black as a colour. This pictorial trend, which began in France around 1870, was very popular and, even today, the viewer considers impressionist paintings as the culmination of pictorial beauty. Édouard Manet used the colour black for its strength and dramatic effect. Manet’s portrait of painter Berthe Morisot was a study in black that perfectly captured her spirit of independence. Black gave the painting power and immediacy. Henri Matisse quoted the French impressionist Pissarro as saying: “Manet is stronger than all of us: he made light with black.” Another famous painter: Pierre-Auguste Renoir used luminous blacks, especially in his portraits. When someone told him that black was not a colour, Renoir replied, “What makes you think that? Black is the king of colours ”. Vincent van Gogh used black lines to shape many of the objects in his paintings. In the 20th century, the colour black also experienced a new splendor. The Russian painter Kasimir Malevich , created the ‘Black Square’ in 1915 and it is considered the first purely abstract painting. For Henri Matisse , black was a prized colour. “When I didn’t know what colour to leave, I put black,” he said in 1945.

A symbol of individualism

Black clothing concentrates on the face, considered the center of individuality, the impression that a person produces. Not surprisingly, in the 1950s, black was used as a symbol of individuality and intellectual and social rebellion, the colour of those who did not accept established norms and values. The philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre always wore black. Singer Juliette Greco, who embodied existentialism in more popular attitudes, was famous for her black shaded eyes, black corduroy pants, and chin-length black turtleneck. Black also became popular as a differentiating colour among all groups that did not feel like an integral part of the mass and did not participate in the values ​​of adaptation. Rebels without a cause invariably wore black leather jackets. Then came the reign of rock’n’roll , punk fashion, and the goth subculture with a kind of Victorian-inspired funeral fashion.

The favorite colour of 20th century fashion

Black is the colour of elegance because it means giving up austerity and the desire to attract attention. Who wears black, renounces even colour. For this reason, wearing black symbolizes being successful without risk. This is especially evident in the more conservative men’s fashion: the elegant suits, the tailcoat and the tux, are always black. Black was also considered the colour that the artists wore so that the character did not overshadow the work: whoever wears black does not need to be interesting with other colours, personality is enough.

One of the big names in fashion who revolutionized 20th century women’s fashion was Coco Chanel. The French designer simplified women’s wardrobe with her great masterpiece: the little black dress . The short dress that until today has been ideal for all formal occasions. “A woman needs three things: a black dress, a black sweater and, on her arm, the man she loves,” she said. Black was also the favorite colour of Cristóbal Balenciaga, who wanted to rescue the splendor that it had centuries ago and bring it back to fashion. It also had power in Christian Dior who stated that the colour black “could be worn at any time, at any age and for any occasion.” For his part, the designer Gianni Versace considered that black: “It is the quintessence of simplicity and elegance”, and the French designer Yves Saint Laurent said: “black is the link that unites art and fashion”. In all the history between cinema and fashion, one of the most famous black dresses of the last century was designed by Hubert de Givenchy and worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’.

Designers also wear black

We have seen it. Black has captivated the fashion industry with its understated elegance and chromatic harmony in which fabrics and textures also play a fundamental role. In fact, many of the industry assistants who sat in the front row called them black crows because of the clothing they used to always wear. Beyond a trend of the moment to reclaim its throne in the winter of 2021 with monochromatic looks, wearing black from head to toe has always been a wise option that does not have to be boring or monotonous. The catwalks have once again spoken for themselves with proposals that give this timeless “uniform” a twist . Alberta Ferretti, Fendi, Isabel Marant, Versace, Chanel, Gucci or Dolce & Gabbana review the seasonal looks that are full of rigorous black.

Beyond sophistication, mystery, elegance or individualism, this colour in turn has also been adapted by famous contemporary designers who have made it their preferred colour to display for the gallery. Of course, each one is true to its style. It is impossible not to imagine Carolina Herrera without her black knee-length skirt; to Tom Ford without his perfect black suit or Karl Lagerfeld without his iconic black glasses . In its more casual versions, for example, Alexander Wang with a black T-shirt and jeans or Yohji Yamamoto who made black an emblem of Japanese design stand out. “Black is modest and arrogant at the same time. Black is lazy and easy, but also mysterious”. Of the colour without colour par excellence, he also immortalized a phrase to The New York Times newspaper: “I don’t mess with you, so don’t bother me.” And he applies his mantra to the last consequences both in his designs and when dressing himself. Consistency, first and foremost.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Spanish.

Little by little, it seems that we return to a certain normality. And an indicator of this is our physical participation in Première Vision Paris. This fair that takes place twice a year is one of the most specialized and influential in the world for manufacturers of fabrics.  Exhibitors present all the new collections coming one year ahead. This year, Gratacós is present again to kick off one of our most special proposals: Autumn- Winter 2022/2023. We say that it is “special” because the pandemic is representing a year of great challenges for the company to maintain creativity, production and sales , without overlooking innovation and sustainability that characterizes our business.

Broadly speaking, the new collection is a solid and choral proposal, which shows our desire to work and continue advancing through the generation of ideas, the creation of creative products and the investigation of new trends. A proposal based on the strength of colour, print and designs with great visual presence. We play with contrasting tones, unique prints and add an extra touch of fantasy because we believe that it is more necessary than ever. To do this, we mix flowers of different shapes and styles with geometric motifs , handicrafts, surprising textures,  simplified neo Pucci motifs and neo William Morris with spacious backgrounds. All this to create a surprising game of harmonies, colour, light and tone that we believe will leave no-one indifferent.

The hug as the backbone

“We feel like going out and showing our joy, energy and positivity,” assures Rosa Pujol, creative director of Gratacós. Under this first premise, the Fall- Winter 22/23 collection has been structured, even more than usual on quality, fantasy and luxury. Show to surprise others and to surprise ourselves, is a maximum requirement now in capital letters.

And in this desire to show the fanciful side of fashion, the mother concept that underpins the entire proposal for next winter intervenes: the hug. The symbol of the union of affection and of brotherhood among people, most evident in unstable times like we are experiencing. To hug is to embrace with arms, reach out, understand, restrain, and even include. The creeper plants also hug the logs and facades of houses. And we liked that concept that unites and creates a feeling of sympathy. Aesthetic and visual. In fact, it is a collection designed to embrace multiple markets and different occasions through versatile and surprising items.

“We feel like going out and showing our joy, energy and positivity”.

Rosa Pujol,Gratacós creative director

Embrace materials

The Autumn- Winter 2022/2023 collection embraces craftsmanship. The thick yarns, the obvious braiding and the hand-made finishes. It is also a season where texture communicates by itself through complex folds, 3D effects, opaque transparencies that hint without showing, and precious embossing that surprise by their lines and shapes.

This season, the creative team also aims to stimulate new sensibilities by bringing together two fabrics that a priori are not compatible with each other to create daring aesthetics in the same outfit. It is about daring through complementary items that together create compatible chromatic harmonies. Another characteristic of the season is the commitment to the brightness that the night jump gives to establish itself during the day through surprising fabrics that seek a subtle and fantasy point of light that is 100% wearable. Simple, but sophisticated.

Embrace colour

Colour, more than matter, is light and is developed conscientiously this season to achieve very attractive results. A luminosity  that makes us look better on the street. The collection works from the primary tones, through graphic prints , to the palette of metallics such as gold (solar energy) and silver (lunar energy) , mixed together.

As usual, in Première Vision Paris, three colour ranges will be presented. The first corresponds to a luminous band governed especially by radiant yellows and warm browns. The second card is the middle card with vibrant tones that go from oranges to blues and greens, to finish with fuchsias. Finally, the last letter corresponds to the neutrals and the duller tones, considered more masculine. A very interesting range that offers a great possibility of combinations as it is versatile and timeless.

Embrace nature

The Autumn- Winter 2022-2023 collection tries to strengthen the ties between man and closest nature through fabrics that refer to the beauty of plants. Garden inspiration returns through fabrics with plant motifs and country landscapes. As the writer and gardener, Jamaica Kincaid would say : “Gardens are spaces to connect us”. From Gratacós , the natural is also revalued with a commitment to the origin of the products and the raw material.

Finally, flowers also take over the collection in a particularly flowery winter. The flower is the protagonist of many of the fabrics with a variety of shapes, colors, sizes and arrangements.

Embrace geometry

Geometric motifs are very present in this coming season with fabrics that give a twist to the classics to attract the attention of the new generation of consumers: checks, polka dots, houndstooth or diamonds that are creatively combined to give new unexpected geometries.

In parallel, surprising combinations also arrive to generate all kinds of fantasies. The most extreme: combining two fabrics with graphic motifs that can be combined in the same outfit. Finally, although it is not an animal print season, in the next winter collection a fanciful item appears timidly such as a giraffe design Jacquard.

It was to be expected! Within its cyclical nature, fashion evokes fantasy after having spent almost two years stuck in comfort and austerity, two values influenced by the global pandemic. Remember that fashion is always a reflection of society. Thus, the reign of tracksuits, sweatshirts, pyjamas and slippers (whether they are at home or not), seems to be coming to an end with new inspirations that are postulated totally antagonistic: More luxury, more ornamentation and of course, more shine in festive garments and collections that cry out to escape from reality.

Of the three maxims, we want to focus on shiny fabrics as one of the trends that is going strong this Fall- Winter 21/22 season that we will premiere in September. Beyond the sequins that have had huge success as from now on and arrive in their most ostentatious version ( sequins on sequins in pants, jackets and voluminous dresses ), we want to talk about satin fabrics, one of the great bets of the new collections that we have seen in garments, shoes and bags and whose subtlety and sumptuousness continues to inspire us when it comes to making our fabrics.

It is curious how satin is one of the few fabrics that knows no limits in the wardrobe: it serves us both for winter and summer, or between seasons. Beyond its timelessness, its versatility also stands out because it admits infinite possibilities, making it an indispensable fabric in anyone’s wardrobe. Satin has a nice drape thanks to its fluidity and soft sheen. It is a silky fabric capable of transforming a style and allowing it to navigate between formal and casual. On the catwalk, we have seen it in a variety of garments and accessories for a long time, especially in slip dresses (inspired by lingerie nightgowns), romantic tops and blouses, light and flowing skirts, and even handbags.

A brief history of satin

Satin originated in China more than 2,000 years ago and come from silk. In fact, its name derives from Zaitun, a Chinese port famous for exporting satin. Although it was popular and highly desired in Greco-Roman culture, the consumption of silk satin spread in Europe in the Middle Ages towards the 12th and 13th centuries. Italy was the main exporting and consumer port. Satin captivated for its richness, fluidity and splendor, it was cheaper than silk, and was one of the fabrics most used in clothing for the privileged classes.  It was also used in textiles to decorate grand castles and palaces. Satin was not popularized en masse, until the 19th century, after the Industrial Revolution and advances in the production and marketing process. This fabric also spread to other areas such as underwear. Then, satin became an affordable and versatile fabric, that could emulate the softness, richness and elegance of silk.

During the 20th century, satin conquered the sexiest and most chic clothing of the old Hollywood  actresses.  It was seen through lingerie dresses that were a scandal in their time for their daring. Some examples: the actress and sex symbol, Mae West wore in 1937 a satin dress adorned with flowers on the shoulder that marked her curves or could not go unnoticed. Also iconic was the tight white dress that sculpted Marilyn Monroe’s silhouette in ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ (1954) or the strapless outfit with lace motifs worn by Elizabeth Taylor in the movie ‘ Butterfield 8’ .

Decades later, the development of synthetic fabrics made satin even more affordable, bringing it into mainstream fashion. Since then, satin has transcended beyond a seasonal trend and has become a regular and staple fabric in everyday wardrobe.

Satin is not always silk

Although it may seem like it, satin is not always silk. It is actually a type of weft and not a fibre. In satin fabric, at least four weft threads are woven over one warp thread. Traditionally, satin has a shiny side and a duller side and can be made from different fibers, such as nylon, rayon, polyester, and even used silk. So it can be natural or artificial. In any case, it is a fabric that is characterized by its shine and softness. This makes it a star fabric for multiple applications, from fashion outfits to home décor.  

Discover the new silk satins in our Gratacós space or in the online store. Click here  

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Spanish.

This summer the Spanish fashion industry received sad news that made evident once again the  ups and downs that the sector is going through in an unstable time. Delpozo, one of the made in Spain firms with the greatest international projection, announced that it was closing its doors. After more than 47 years of history, the heir to the homonymous brand Jesús del Pozo has had to face liquidation due to the impossibility of reaching a sale agreement that could rescue them. A decision that puts an end to one of the most iconic brands in the country that has dressed countless models, movie personalities and even royals with their dream designs.

Madrid origins

Jesús del Pozo was founded in 1974 in Madrid and was part of the so-called “fifth commotion”, corresponding to the eighties, and to the generation of the nineties that was made up of designers such as Montesinos, Alvarado, Manuel Piña, Sybilla, Victorio & Lucchino , Amaya Arzuaga, Lydia Delgado or Hannibal Laguna. A firm defender of conceptual design, he began, like other colleagues such as Adolfo Dominguez or Antonio Miró, to design for men. It didn’t take long for the firm to also launch into feminine design and create dresses for independent women with sculptural garments with a childish air. “I avoid the flourishes, I prefer everything that is direct and simple, the feeling attracts me. I’m looking for the essential”, the Madrid-based creator used to argue.

Since its beginnings, Jesús del Pozo was a firm defender of the industrialization of the sector. He released his first perfume, opened new avenues of business and opened a new golden era for the economy of the firm. On a personal level, the creativity of Jesús del Pozo was awarded the Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts in 1988, the Cristóbal Balenciaga National Award in 1989 and the Golden Needle in 1981. The designer was also one of the promoters of ACME – Association of Fashion Creators of Spain – and served as president of the association until 2004.

The architectural romanticism of Josep Font

The designer died in 2011 and a year later the Perfumes and Design Group took control of the brand, reformulated its guidelines and passed on the creative management to the Catalan couturier Josep Font. The company changed its name to Delpozo, got back to the catwalk shows and opened stores in the capitals of the world. From 2012 to 2018, Josep Font was able to renew the identity of the Delpozo woman, respecting the foundation of Jesús del Pozo (good taste without excesses) and introducing his own language inspired by the forms of nature. Voluminous pieces, architectural designs, ethereal fabrics and colours that varied between pastel and saturated tones in bewitching colour combinations. Such were the creations under the legacy of the Catalan designer passionate about fashion, architecture and crafts.

Under his legacy, there was a second period of splendor for the brand that was accompanied by an internationalization strategy with shows in New York and London sponsored by fashion icons such as Olivia Palermo and Lauren Santo Domingo. Delpozo’s dresses also populated the most photographed red carpets at festivals, premieres and even the annual Met Gala. At this time, Font was in charge of dressing Zendaya Coleman, Kerry Washington, Margot Robbie, among many other Hollywood actresses. He also dressed the then first lady of the United States, Melania Trump and Queen Letizia in one of the most applauded looks of recent years.

New changes and decline

In 2018, Josep Font left the creative direction of the brand, leaving a successful legacy as a standard-bearer of the brand’s prêt -à-couture. German creator Lutz Huelle took the reins in the wake of his predecessor and sought to expand new clientele in a fast-paced and difficult market for artisan brands. For this, a reduction in prices was made to make fashion more accessible to new generations of consumers. Even so, the firm, little by little, was adrift: they did not get commercial agreements or purchase commitments due to the losses and they stopped producing collections a year later. In the midst of a pandemic, the firm has forever dismissed its romantic and fantasy-filled universe, leaving a void in the Spanish fashion industry. A dream of almost half a century that will be difficult to forget.