Gratacós ends the month of April by reviewing the first Spanish catwalks of the year: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Madrid in hybrid format and 080 Barcelona Fashion with collections presented through fashion films. These are the proposals, designs and looks that we have found on the catwalks and that are made with various seasonal fabrics. Thanks to all the designers for trusting in us!

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Brain & Beast souvenirs

Ángel Vilda, the alma mater of Brain&Beast has transmitted the concept of memory and nostalgia to the Madrid catwalk, via family memories with his new creationl ‘Souvenir’. Thus this daring designer, who turns shape, volume and colour upside down in each collection, has reverted to his childhood to reproduce garments that have marked him and that constitute valuable objects in themselves: the patterns of the dress his grandmother wore  at her mother’s wedding, a coat that recalls the dressing-gown she wore on her holidays in Salou, a reconstruction of his grandfather’s dressing gown  … All this personal memory takes shape via his customary design tics: oversize patterns, overlapping layers and textures, geometric motifs and some symbols inspired by contemporary culture that mix irony and humour. This company combines powerful social discourse with a strong visual identity and has managed to establish itself within the scene with its irreverent style. At Brain & Beast nothing is left to chance.

The art of volume by Isabel Sanchís

The Valencian designer once again magnifies the femininity of women via a new Autumn / Winter collection 2021/2022 full of pieces with intense silhouettes and volumes of sculptural inspiration that appeal to the five senses. To recreate these architectural figures, Isabel Sanchís uses elements such as shoulder- pads that provide volume and a certain futuristic air, drapes, embroidery, intertwined motifs, fringes and silicone appliqués. With regard to colour neutral tones, especially in grey,  accompany touches of fuchsia, yellow and orange in strategic looks that reduce volume and enhance the feminine silhouette.

Maison Mesa, life is a party

Juan Carlos Mesa has actively contributed to the visibility and development of Spanish fashion. With his own company, Maison Mesa created in 2017, the designer exhibits his unique vision of fashion in a contemporary key, combining tradition (materials, classic and artisanal sewing techniques) with new technologies (3D printing and experimental materials). Under this concept the latest collection entitled ‘Rave’ was presented, inspired by the history and evolution of those bohemian parties born in London in the 50s that have been transformed over the decades into well-known electronic music events.

To represent this spirit of escape via partying Juan Carlos Mesa goes for clean and simple lines, full of references to urban clothing that stand out for their comfort and freedom of movement: wide pants and overalls, baggy pants and oversize garments. , cargo pockets, hoods and zippers, rubber or automatic, which hark back to sport garments. In terms of fabrics the designer uses a surprising mix of combinations: wool, satin and lurex twill, mixes of crepes with denim or quilted fabrics with a 3D effect together with tulle. All, within a colour range that ranges from the purest and primary colours such as yellow, green or magenta, to burgundy, indigo, grey, white or black along with touches of gold and silver.

The OFF catwalks

Parallel to the official calendar for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Madrid,  OFF shows were also scheduled, featuring  young  fashion designers.

In these alternative shows we highlight designers who habitually trust our fabrics, like Dominnico. This time Domingo Rodríguez Lázaro is inspired by the social crisis of coronavirus to create an imaginary uncertain future through the eyes of a  generation of young people who want to socialize at a moment of emotional breakdown. To recreate this concern Dominnico goes for an upcycling exercise, recovering part of the brand’s fur leather inventory to create new pieces. In addition the denim fabric that appears with exclusive prints and also a new genderless fashion line is given prominence.

For her part, Pilar Torrecillas from the company Pilar Dalbat has presented a collection dedicated to the figure of Mariano Fortuny Madraza, taking as reference the 150th anniversary of the birth of this famous painter from Granada. We highlight the feminine designs featuring our fabrics with small fringes creating an interesting hair effect.

The Corsicana firm of Paula Currást tends to merge different disciplines and interests for its catwalk shows: fashion, design, cinema or music all appear together. The latest collection focuses on the home as a space for inspiration. ‘La Casa’ represents reflections on an environment of intimacy and introspection via fluid designs of urban inspiration, sartorial garments and pleated fabrics that are combined in a very controlled colour range.

Finally, Montenegro, the debut of Nicolás Montenegro on the Madrid catwalk with a ready-to-wear proposal inspired by southern Morocco. The Sevillian’s  creations abound in shirt dresses inspired by Moroccan djellaba with materials such as silk. The extremely striking cuffs and collars with character are some of the details that the creator applies to his shirts. Exceptional pieces that are dotted with lace, ruffles and delicate finishes, always topped by the company’s hand-made buttons.

080 Barcelona Fashion

The glamour of Avellaneda invades the Catalan catwalk

Juan Avellaneda has opened the 080 Barcelona Fashion calendar with a proposal that invites you to dream via sophisticated looks full of fantasy that connect with beauty, joy, escape and the desire to celebrate life. Thus in the proposal ‘La nuit éclairée’ the celebrity designer opts for the characteristic features that make up his DNA:  tuxedos for men and women together with classic shirt and tailoring patterns, introducing novelties such as porcelain-china inspired prints and a collection of dresses inspired by tailored garments. The chromatic range makes a return to  essentials  via pure and energetic colours such as white, black, red and Klein blue that suggest Mediterranean culture and its celebration of the essential.

The magic of Menchén Tomàs

Menchén Tomás is inspired by the ‘Duende’ for the next Spring-Summer 2021 collection, that is, by the innate and intangible talent that causes almost magical sensations in those who witness it. In a fairy tale atmosphere and with various elements that refer to the tarot, Olga Menchén showed off her usual design skills through a sophisticated and feminine collection, full of volatile volumes, iridescent fabrics, radiant colours, evocative long dresses where  craftsmanship is appreciated:  prints suggesting astral charts, embroidered flowers and a laboriously- created wedding dress with almost a hundred hand-sewn pieces that closed the show. The use of oriental-inspired silk and patterned gauze with colours such as porcelain- blue, apple- green or mandarin- orange give the collection an energetic air.

The experimental craft of Y_Como

Born during lock-down, Y_Como is the new adventure of sisters Cristina and Yolanda Pérez, founders of Yolancris, the Catalan haute couturehouse that has catwalked in Paris. This new brand was born with the desire to explore the creative processes of the pieces, experimenting through innovative techniques, fabrics and silhouettes. The debut collection was actually presented at 080 Barcelona Fashion and  is a declaration of intentions: it reclaims the spirit of freedom  via the humanist poem ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling in a manifesto that also combines the Arts & Crafts movement of designer William Morris and the  naturalist architecture of Antoni Gaudí. Thus this proposal of great visual richness is in practice a great exhibition of the craftsmanship and experimentation of its designers. Particularly noteworthy is the meticulous way in which they have worked denim through draping, pleating and hand embroidery, together with hand-made prints and embroideries with floral and plant motifs. An exquisite hand-made proposal makes such a difference.

The free love of Paola Molet

Finally we also highlight Paola Molet who has made her debut on the Catalan catwalk with her own company, which was created 6 months ago. Her style is defined as neo-romantic and the collection is genderless, non gender-specific, with pieces that can be interchangeable. The proposed creation for next winter deals with how society understands love and the pursuit of happiness, whether following established canons or not. The young designer transmits this search in design through rigid, dense, hard and straight-shaped looks that are combined with de-constructed silhouettes and contrasting fabrics. The proposal is mostly black and white, with a touch of red.

I hope you enjoyed the collections as much as we did!