Xevi Fernández is taking off with his own brand-name. From his atelier in Barcelona he works by order with a team of suppliers and soon he will be beginning international marketing.  This September he will present in Madrid his third collection.  It is an offering which presents fabrics, textures and colours that do not abandon the essence of the Empordà designer who has already won prizes in reputed competitions in Berlin and Bilbao.  Let’s get to know more closely this disciple of Josep Font …

Your passion for fashion began in a haberdashery shop…

Yes, as a child I spent every afternoon in the family haberdashery in Bisbal de l’Empordà and I was surrounded by the women of the town who came to sew.  I watched carefully what they did and I started to become interested in this world.  Later I studied a style course and in ICM (Catalan Fashion Institute) I made patterns, which was what interested me the most. That was in 2010.

Little by little you found your place…

I went in for in several competitions and won them and this was an incentive to start my career as a designer.  In the future I do not rule out collaborating with other brands, but now I want to focus on creating my own clothes.

“In the future I do not rule out collaborating with other brands”

What is your identity?

I have a hard time defining it because I do a little of what I like and the clientèle I cover is quite broad.  Men, women, young or more mature.

Do not you think that diversification can be a handicap?

I do not see it that way myself although I have to confess that if it were only for me I would focus on men’s fashion.

So why do not you specialize?

As far as customers are concerned, women are the ones that people most design for, although this is changing and it seems to be balancing out.  Men are more and more demanding and want to have the same possibilities as women.  That is why I do not discount focusing on men’s fashion in the future

“Men are more and more demanding and want to have the same possibilities as women”

When did you start doing catwalk shows?

Last year with SAMSUNG EGO at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Madrid.  Now next September I will be presenting the third collection of young designers on the catwalk.

Why did you decide to go for Madrid?

Because right now it’s the only platform out there that gives visibility to emerging talent. The experience has always been very positive and I want to continue in the city.  Yes, it is true that I appeared in a Modafad long ago in Barcelona, but it was not a competition and when I wanted to participate, the platform was already being dismantled.

What has it brought you?

A great deal!  If I’m where I am, it’s thanks to EGO.  They deal very well with the press and contacts … For me it has been a very good platform to get my work known.

“EGO is a very good platform to get my work known”

Can you give us more details about the new collection?

What I offer is much more commercial than experimental.  I’ll leave aside some materials such as latex which on the catwalk are very flashy, but then don’t sell.  In this new collection there will be a couple of pieces of latex so as not to break with the style, but the fabrics and colours that I will use will not be so acidic, but more neutral.

You’re going to tone down…

Without leaving aside the identity.  First you seek to get attention and afterwards what you do is commercialized.

How do you work day to day in order to produce the orders?

I work in my atelier in Barcelona with a team that is not fixed because we work to order and I am collaborating with several professionals to produce each garment.  I am in my studio alone and I organize things according to demand.

“First you seek to attract attention and afterwards what you do is commercialize”

You do not have marketing points, I suppose you live by word of mouth …

Now I will be starting an online marketing strategy with designer platforms and in parallel I will be looking for specific sales points.

We’re interviewing you when things are taking off…

Exactly.

What is your link with Gratacós and why are they worthy of your trust?

I discovered the shop when I was studying and always came looking for some fabric for my first collections.  Then for me it was a little inaccessible given the prices compared to other businesses, although the quality of fabrics they have here is very high.  When I was accepted to parade in Madrid I went straight to the shop and I took your advice when looking for the fabrics that had in mind.

“When I was accepted to catwalk in Madrid I went straight to Gratacós and took your advice”

Apart from the premium quality the proximity..

Totally and it is very easy to talk to you.  The place is very cozy and aesthetic ally it is fantastic.  I’m very happy!

What challenges do you give yourself after September?

We’ll see, I am now focused on making the collection that will be called ‘The Bird Boy’ and soon I will be entering into collaboration with a footwear brand.

The Gratacós questionnaire …

Your essential garment … A coat

A fetish fabric …  The silk georgette

A color that you will never abandon … Yellow

The designer you admire … Josep Font

Unerring style rule … Use plenty of black

Your favorite area of Barcelona … Walking through the Eixample

A tip for designers starting … Consistency

Your ‘leitmotif’ … Follow your instincts

Manuel Bolaño has a new plan. It is called B and symbolizes the return of the essence of the brand.  ’B’ for basic, ‘B’ for black and ‘B’ for Bolaño. A complementary collection that collects the mythical garments of the atelier with the intention of recovering the classics in patterns, fabrics and craftsman procedures, keeping that special Spanish design that makes it characteristic.  Very Bolaño. We talk to the designer of this most immediate plan …

What is your plan B?

My plan B is to create a depth of wardrobe for all women with more basic garments that complement the main collection.

What do you mean by basic?

When I say basic I mean that they have to have the same quality in design and fabrics as the main collection garments. It’s a second line, but it has the same value.

“Plan B is a depth of wardrobe for all women”

Was this at the request of your clientele ?  Until recently, your motto was ‘A Bolaño a year to complete your gear’ …

Yes. At times I had been told that they wanted some more classic garment, with cleaner lines, but that kept the essence of the brand.  We have chosen the most sold items in the history of Manuel Bolaño and we have always reinterpreted them in black.  At the moment there are 11 garments and the idea is that they are being expanded little by little with new designs.

The concept of timelessness in your brand …

Well, it’s not that they are completely timeless, but they will be garments which complement the main collection and can also be purchased on request.
Are they always going to be black garments?  It shocks me because colour is part of your identity …
Always.  The base will be black and maybe they will have some detail in another colour.  At Christmas, for example, I had thought about putting in a touch of gold, but the main colour will always be black.

Tell me more details about the collection …

The garments are made by hand and must be fixed at the seams.  The ‘Plan B’ breathes a little of the Haute Couture aesthetics of the 50s and 60s when patterns, volumes, moulage technique were the style… There are also handmade tricot garments.  The fabrics we use are jacquard cotton with lamé, satin, cashmere wool … It is made to order and can be bought through the web or in the atelier.  That is a guarantee that a garment will be made just for you.

“Plan B breathes a little of the aesthetics of haute couture”

And how do you operate things ?

The client sends us her measurements on the web and we work from that or else she can also come to see us physically in the new atelier.  I like the customer to come to the atelier to get to know the working-area and it is a much more rewarding shopping experience.

It is a way to encourage customer loyalty …

Yes, and it’s like going back to the past. When I was little I used to go shopping with my grandmother and the shops showed her this personal and exclusive attention . I want to recover this link with the client.

By the way, you have changed the location of the studio.  You are now very close to Gratacós, in the heart of Gràcia …

Yes, I am very happy with the change. In spite of the move we maintain the same philosophy, where the atelier resembles a home.  I would compare the other part part of our working-area more to a laboratory where my team and I work on the design of the garments. Then the idea of the atelier is that the client feels at home and also sees how we work.

“I want the client to feel at home”

What is your link with Gratacós?

I’ve known you since I started studying and I’ve been in Barcelona for 15 years.

Do you remember how you got to know us?

Well, it was by chance, shortly after coming to Barcelona.  I got lost in the city and looking for a shop I came across Gratacós’s shop window in Paseo de Gracia and thought, “Wow! What a fabric-shop !”  At first I did not dare to enter out of fear or embarrassment and I think it was during the second year in the city when I was looking for specific fabrics that I was recommended the shop.  It was then that I finally decided to go in and I went to look at the whole shop and fell instantly in love.

About Gratacós: “I went in the shop and fell instantly in love”

I did not know we were so impressive …

At first I had a lot of respect, in the sense that I did not know if the store was made for me, but then I met Gloria and the whole team and I totally changed my mind.  Now it’s like my family, I feel at home and I like that.

Is there any Gratacós fabric in the new collection?

Yes, most of the collection of ‘Plan B’ are from Gratacós.

What challenges do you face for this year?

For now with the online store, the new studio and the collection ‘Plan B’ I have enough.  Now for the moment I want to continue with these projects which certainly give me plenty to do ! He laughs…

The Gratacós questionnaire …

Your essential garment … A shirt

A fetish embroidered tulle fabric … A tulle fabric

A colour that never waivers … pink, but my favorite is the red

The designer you admire … Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Martin Margiela.

An infallible rule of style … Wear shoes with socks

Your favorite space in Barcelona… Piazza San Felip Neri

Advice for designers who start … You have to be consistent because our work is not child’s play

Your ‘leitmotif’ … Don’t be afraid