2018 has been filled to the brim with pastel shades: the millennial pink still resists, the soft lavender tone of last winter, the calming baby blue, mint green… After this feast of sweet colours, fashion marks just the opposite with shades willing to revolutionize customer’s retinas: fluorescents. Therefore, with the summer still marking the calendar, we welcome the autumn with this daring chromatic trend that has been rescued from the 80’s to bring a little light to our traditional winter wardrobe.

The return of neon colours is not something new. In fact, almost a decade ago they were back in apparel sporty style inspired by the outfits worn by rappers and hip hop artists, who sported it in accessories such as shoes, sunglasses and other details on clothing as sidebars that shone in the darkness. Now, some designers rescue this fever for fluorescent colors and they do so with new approaches and conceptual arguments. The two most obvious or representative have been Calvin Klein and Prada, although neon shades have also seen on the Moschino, Marni or Balenciaga catwalks.

The creative director of Calvin Klein 205W39NYC, Raf Simons celebrates his first year in the job by exploring the universe of American culture. In this case, fluorescent shades are used to highlight the concepts of “safety” and “protection” with garments that refer to reflective safety jackets, overalls and balaclavas and where these tones are used for fashion purposes.

This season, Prada does a review of sporty style in futuristic key with oversized garments Inspired by outdoor sports. Waistcoats, windproof jackets, trench coats, wellies, fisherman hats in fluorescent colors, luminescent fringes that adorn dresses and superimposed fabrics that create an attractive iridescent effect on the catwalk.

And how do the fluor tones combine? They are colours that transmit dynamism and transgression and are associated with youth and fun. This power of visual attraction they exert is, in turn, their greatest defect because in the same way they entice, they repel instantly. It is easy to get fed up with them! The most risky option is to wear them with athleisure- style garments, in parkas, raincoats and windbreakers or in jackets that cut the formality of a closed dress or a midi skirt with a shirt. The most discreet way is to relegate them to small accessories or details such as side stripes or zips. The colours that best accompany them are white and black along with the range of neutrals.

In Gratacós we welcome neon tones with some daring fabrics that do not go unnoticed in the store. Do you want to come and see them and touch them for yourselves?

As usual, the Gratacós fabrics have also been present in the latest edition of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid in the Spring-Summer 2019 collections presented by the best designers of current Spanish fashion. Consolidated firms that confide in us such as Juan Duyos, Menchèn Tomás, The 2nd Skin, Malne, Moisés Nieto, Palomo Spain and also young designers who are building a promising future in the sector such as Juan Carlos Pajares who is already integrated into the official calendar of the Madrid show, after his participation in the catwalks of emerging talents.

Here we reveal some details of the collections for the next summer season, as well as the fabrics and colours that were shown that most caught our attention. Roughly speaking, we would highlight the success of colour, the fabrics that radiate light, the metallic fibres and the sequins that also conquer the street looks and add that air of sophistication.

Duyos’ light

Juan Duyos pays homage to the light, in an ode to feminine beauty that shines the brightest. It is for this reason that in the collection ‘Light’, luminous fabrics such as metallic, paillettes, lurex, lame and several metallic threads stand out and capture all the flashes – and looks – on Madrid’s catwalk. In contrast to the bright materials, this proposal is tinted in ice green, lavender, lime or peach that coexist with gold and silver.

The strength of Anonymous women

Juan Carlos Pajares, one of the most successful emerging talents of Spanish fashion always surprises on the Spanish catwalk. This time, the designer from Madrid has found in the Amazons his source of inspiration in a collection that pays tribute to all those women who hid behind pseudonyms and even had to stop working or doing what they were passionate about. In the show, this spirit is transmitted through colour with a palette that includes pinks, greens, oranges, blues and greys. The blends of textures, oriental reminiscence prints and the superposition of urban garments made in formal fabrics are also noteworthy: mikado and silk ottomans, cottons, neoprenes, crepes, paillettes or vichys with touches of lurex.

In cuban lands

“Me desordeno, amor, me desordeno”, recites the poem by Carilda Oliver, one of the most reknowned contemporary poetesses in Cuba who has inspired the new Menchén Tomàs collection together with other artists such as Catalina Lasa and Lidia Ríos who lived in the greatest splendor of Cuban society before the revolution. It is precisely in the heart of the Havana where the Barcelona designer finds inspiration for her spring-summer fashion show. A sophisticated proposal arranged in three parts. The first begins with pure white, “the colour of Santeria” according to the designer ” with textured details. In the second part, the clothes turn quartz, the stone of the subsoil of the island. In the last part, there is an explosion of colour resulting in a happy and optimistic result.

Malne and the empowered woman

The creative duo behind Malne: Paloma Álvarez and Juanjo Mánez have presented a collection that plays with the mix & match in fabrics and prints for women who feel strong and free and transmit that spirit of rebellion. The animal print combines perfectly with dancer touches and maxi volumes with ruffles and feathers forming a solid and well-constructed proposal that structures the entire collection. Only suitable for the daring…

Palomo Spain

The enfant terrible of Spanish fashion, who revolutionizes the male wardrobe with his glamorous looks. This time he has inspired himself in the cabinets of curiosities to dress men in sophisticated style. Thus, Alejandro Gómez Palomo fills the catwalk with his exotic models that include wild silks and extravagant volumes, tortoiseshell buttons, sophisticated outfits in velvet jersey that are crowned with luxurious mosquito-net hats inspired by the explorers of the XIX century. The proposal by Palomo Spain is enriching, the kaftans, the jacket sets and the skirts in laminated fabrics and linen for the pure and traditional lines.

A full volumen Spring

Juan Carlos Fernández and Antonio Burillo presented ‘The Garden’, a dreamlike proposal inspired by a romantic garden. In this spring collection, The 2nd Skin focuses on dresses as main axis, maxi volumes, oversize garments and floral print as the basis of this evocative collection with a marked eighties air. In terms of fabrics, the mikados stand out, embroidered sequins -symbol of the brand- along with other lighter ones like tulle or silk chiffon.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Spanish.

2018 is the year of the new MODA-FAD . Located in the Disseny Hub de Barcelona, the fashion association integrated in the FAD (Promotion of Arts and Design) gives voice and visibility to local designers. It is an entity formed by fashion professionals from different areas, from clothing to footwear, which presents initiatives that help to give continuity to designers with a commercial vocation, a titanic task in these times.

In April MODA-FAD emerged with a new board of directors and with commitments, challenges and projects that value the professionals of fashion, design and craftsmanship that we hope will set a new clarion cry. In this first stage of the association the designer Edgar Carrascal assumed the presidency accompanied by his right hand, Mireia Playà, who specialises in vegan footwear. Also participating in the initiative are Elisenda Oms and Elisabet Carlota of Carlota Oms, Antonio Calderón and Pau Esteve.

The spirit of the new Association for the Promotion of Fashion makes clear its intentions to defend the Barcelona brand and to seek internationalization, to contribute to the business development and the industrial fabric of the country and the “dignification” of trades related to fashion. It also has the didactic aim of sharing knowledge and assuming a teaching role in the consumption of fashion, aiming to provide the necessary tools for conscious and sustainable consumption.

The MODA-FAD Awards

Within the framework of Barcelona Design Week, the new MODA-FAD Awards are to be promoted in a ceremony and afterwards a party that will take place next Wednesday June 6 in the Disseny Hub Barcelona. Awards are aimed at recognizing the work of professionals and companies in the world of fashion and who have made contributions to the sector during the last year. In total prizes will be awarded in three different categories: Merit in Fashion Design, Merit in Fashion Innovation and Talent of the Year Award. Special recognition will also be granted to a designer or brand that is not active, but whose contribution in the fashion sector is valued.

The winners

In this first edition the designer Víctor von Schwarz with his Double Life collection, 2018 is the winner of the Merit Award in Fashion Design . His tendentious presentation highlights the precariousness of the sector and the difficulties faced by emerging designers, “the new generation” whose double life between creativity and reality usually lasts no more than 10 years. As a representation of this ‘Double Life’ the collection is divided into two parts: one purely in black and white with shapes that are inspired by office attire, the other more imaginative with glitter, voluminous shapes and pastel shades.

The Merit Award for Innovation in Fashion goes to Piñatex ® by Ananas Anam, a company that is developing a product in which commercial success is integrated and social, ecological and cultural development is promoted in parallel. Working from this perspective, Piñatex ® opts for a non-woven natural base material that consumers can use as a sustainable alternative. The material is made from pine leaf fibres, a product from the agricultural industry that does not require large amounts of land, water or pesticides to produce the raw material.

The Talent of the Year Award goes to Pepa Salazar, one of the most promising talents in Spanish fashion. Established in Madrid, this Valencian designer presented her first collection in 2013 for which she won the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Award Talent in the next edition. In the Autumn-Winter 18/19 collection, the designer presents a universe marked by the images of the absurd, fictitious and utopian, belonging to the mythology and paganism of primitive cultures. The jury considered that her latest creation is rich in colours and textures, has character and strength and an identity of its own recognisable in all of Pepa Salazar’s collections.

Finally Gori de Palma receives the Special Award from the Board of the New MODA-FAD. The essence of the designer is condensed into the industrial and the dense, all within a post-punk filter. Her signature is that of a refined and obscure author, with a perverse touch based on sub-cultural movements.

In the first edition of the awards tribute will also be paid to the figure of the Catalan dressmaker and businesswoman Carme Martí Riera (1872-1949), a professional with strong ideals who fought to dignify the profession of dressmaker, besides being the creator of the Martí System , the first technique of pattern making with a technical rigour that was celebrated world-wide.

Attendees of this annual celebration of Barcelona’s fashion talent will also be able to see the exhibition “The best design of the year”, where pieces by the winners of these awards will be on display. This sample in addition brings together 500 finalist works and winners of the different prizes awarded by the associations of the FAD in the various design disciplines.

As was expected, the new call of the prestigious research agency Nelly Rodi , to publicize the main international trends that will mark next summer was a success in capital letters. More than 70 people, most of them fashion and design students, filled the upper floor of the Gratacós space with their presence. All of them waited impatiently for the thesis and premises offered by the informative Úrsula Uria , in an instructive talk to disclose in an orientative way the colours and textures that will set the tone for the Spring- Summer 2019 season .

On this occasion, the head of Nelly Rodi in Spain unveiled four new trends within a social and global economic context that also influence her choice such as the revival of national values and patriotic folklore; young people’s need to enjoy through the consumption of experiences related to travel and not so much in the own ownership of products; or the rise of new musical icons that influence through their image with more identity power, to mention some examples.

Based on these general premises, four trends will influence fashion in the next summer season: Magnetic , Sassy , Life and Native 

1. MAGNETIC

A futuristic trend, with an androgynous and minimalist base, inspired by technological innovations and applications of them in the textile world.

Visual references : Artificial intelligence, virtual reality , Tokyo, science fiction, functional technology, holograms, the cosmos, Dries Van Noten or the kinetic designs of the British creative Es Devlin.

Silhouettes : Fluid and deconstructed silhouettes prevail, functional garments, large pockets in parkas and coats, fastenings with ropes and accessories on the zips.

Colours : Metallized such as gold and silver along with iridescent colours and blue denim. 

Fabrics : Fabrics that attract light. The pastel colours in neon version and iridescents in lamé. Also experimentation with technical fabrics out of the ordinary.

Public: A rational and active consumer, ultra connected to the latest technologies and a lover of aesthetic sports fashion in a chic key.

2. SASSY

An exuberant trend inspired by avant-garde movements such as Surrealism and Dadaism. An elegant and refined style that seeks to surprise and entertain through clothing and accessories.

Visual references : The works of Dalí and Miró, abstract art, Cristina Celestino for Fendi , the lipsticks for men by Tom Ford, Lladró, the interior designer Jaime Hayón , the lobsters, bumbags …

Silhouettes:  Fitted silhouettes with an 80s look and their characteristic volumes, review of the suit jacket and 60’s cut dresses. The accessories and the details have a cheeky point that plays with humour and irony.

Colours: The whole range of pastel colours. From the most decaffeinated to the highest tones in this line of dull.

Fabrics: The classic tailoring is renewed with new codes adapted to today.

Public: An individualistic consumer who is somewhat impulsive and in turn has a particular taste for fashion. He likes to be noticed with garments that attract attention, that transform concepts and turn more conventional codes.

3. LIFE

A minimalist trend that recovers a healthy lifestyle through moods and emotions. An evolution of the current “Horizon “ trend with differentiating tints.

References: Ecology, healthy lifestyle, veganism, noble materials such as wood, steel, botany, nature, works by Suzanne Anker, roots or designer Angela Luna, to name a few examples.

Silhouettes: Fluid patterns are worn and comfort is the main characteristic that is taken into account.

Colours: Green on green. White, vanilla and nude tones. The vegetal prints gain ground to the florals.

Fabrics: Natural fabrics , lightweight and handcrafted details.

Public: A purist consumer , lover of the slow life that treasures expensive clothes in the wardrobe, but more durable

4. NATIVE

A trend of folk spirit that the tribes have, the feeling of belonging and refers back to the origins. The boho -chic style in its wildest version.

References : Ethnic and cultural miscegenation, mysticism, roots, nomadic, desert landscapes, elements of nature, talismans, Xavier Noël’s artistic totems , trips to lost paradises, handicrafts, urban Aborigines …

Silhouettes : An intermingling of baggy patterns with tight-fitting garments in a style that combines the casual with the sexy. The Madras check pattern.

Colours: Earth tones, green camouflage, orange and blue combination, yellow tones, gradients … Tonalities found in the sky and the earth.

Fabrics : Rustic and handmade reminiscences. Crochet fabric and draped clothes.

Public: A more impulsive profile that fits in with an it girl or it boy. They look for singularity through an aesthetic that advocates the ancestral side.

Spring brings a new awakening of botanical motifs with original floral prints that pay homage to nature and its plants. Vivid tones, in various sizes, in surprising combinations … We review the prints that most inspire us in a season rich in colour and textures, with flowers as a common denomination.

French Countryside

We move to the interior of the French Provence in the middle of the rough fields of wild flowers: poppies, lavenders, sunflowers … that fill this country environment with colour. On the catwalk, flowers also sprout in their most mini version – the Liberty pattern is imposed – on all types of fabrics and in soft tones, providing delicacy and a certain nostalgia.  Long romantic- inspired dresses, asymmetric tops with Brigitte Bardot style ruffles and flowing skirts abound in the Chloé , Paul & Joe , Loewe and Marni spring-summer 2018 collections . A pattern that reflects the most bucolic beauty of nature.

Exotic Polynesia

At the other end of the first trend in floral prints, is the exoticism of Polynesia. Thus, the flora and fauna of these Pacific islands inspire the most daring summer prints with large format flowers that invade all types of garments, bringing colour, joy and vitality. A tropical spirit inspired by Hawaii or Taití with two main flowers: the hibiscus and the gardenia, wrapped in abundant vegetation. The chromatic palette focuses on warm and vibrant tones such as yellow, orange, fuchsia or vermilion.

Wild jungle

The flowers are still present, giving prominence to the fruits, the leaves of the palm trees, and the most diverse wild fauna in this type of very vivid print full of natural references to these exotic paradises full of foliage. The fabrics emulate a floral motif that intermingle with vegetation and animal prints. A tropical print that renews itself season after season and is present in the collections of Kenzo o Escada, for instance.

In Gratacós you will find several floral fabrics that follow these three seasonal trends amongst other inspirations. You will find them in our online store or in the physical space of Barcelona.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Spanish.

Fashion is paying homage to the sweetness of the softest tones in the chromatic spectrum. Pastel colours are the kings of a season, which is tinged in pale tones that give it a certain romantic and boyish look, with mixtures that include light blues, water green, pale rose, baby blue, lavender and the palest of greys. The collections of Michael Kors, Tom Ford, Emporio Armani, Giambattista Valli, Victoria Beckham and even Chanel, have been impregnated with this colour palette that is presented in complementary blocks within the same look and that without any doubt express the freedom to experiment with colours, soft textures and gradually lightening fabrics. They are tones that when well combined, soften traits and favour tanned skin.

Let’s look at some of the colours most in fashion this Spring-Summer 2018 according to Pantone.

Lavender Pink

This pink shade with bluish reminiscences is taking over from the Millennial Pink that so much triumphed last season – and that continues to mark the spirit of a generation-. It is a lavender pink colour, very fine and delicate, that gives off calm and tranquility. Michael Kors, Kenzo or Tom Ford have opted for this tone in Spring.

Almost Mauve

Another seductive pink from the soft palette. Almost Mauve is a very soft, almost mauve shade, which seems almost white, an ephemeral and delicate colour like a rose petal that lends a very subtle tone to the chromatic creation. Some designs by Rachel Zoe, Giambatista Valli and Tom Ford go for this most nostalgic of hues.

Flowering Dahlia

Orange is present in its most subdued version: peach, a warm tone that intermingles with the pink and whose reference is the flowering dahlia. It is a discreet, but attractive colour that is also a hit in the make-up industry. Rachel Zoe and Paul Smith have opted for it wihout hesitation.

Little Boy Blue

Baby blue is back once again for the warmer months. This inspiring colour of the brightest of skies reminds us of innocence and purity, transmitting tranquility and comfort. This calm tone finds its best allies in lavenders and quiet greens. Versace and Ralph Lauren have featured it on the catwalks.

In our online website, as well as in the Gratacós shope you will also find the new selection of pastel fabrics, so that you can create your softest chromatic blocks. Choose fabrics without too many textures and dare to experiment.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Spanish.

Maria Fontanellas is part of this new generation of designers who have managed to form their own brand and struggle every day to find their place in an industry that is avid for novelties, but also fierce. From a family of tanners from Igualada, one of the textile cribs of Catalonia, the young creator tries to promote Mietis abroad with a young team that helps her in the design, positioning and business tasks. In her debut at the 080 Barcelona Fashion show last year, Maria Fontanellas won the Emerging Talent Award. We discuss her upcoming projects…

Tell us what we are going to see in the new collection that you present at the 080 Barcelona Fashion…

The collection ‘Safari to Wonderland ‘ is inspired by the world of the jungle in which exotic animals with well-defined colours and textures will appear and I pay special attention to details. I was also inspired by the glam rock style of the 70s and these two ideas will be mixed together. This collection will be an evolution of the previous proposal.

And how do we visualize this safari glam on the catwalk?

To recreate the animals there will be feathers and specific patterns. You can also see patent materials, bright fabrics and a lot of colour because this proposal is about blocks of colour. I will also use the skin a lot because it is something that defines me and there will be elements from the world of the motor with biker jackets and jackets with military airs.

“The skin is the material that defines Mietis”

The skin as a material is also a symbol of Igualada, specifically the industrial district of Rec…

Yes, the skin connects with my brand and with my family. As a matter of fact the workshop of Mietis is located inside the tannery where my father has the factory.

How has the family business influenced you?

It has completely influenced me because my father beyond being a tanner and businessman also likes fashion. He encouraged me to pursue my dreams by launching a skin line and helped me create my own brand. On my part, I studied in Milan and just two years ago I graduated and I passed a pattern making and sewing course which was very useful for design.

Family support, visibility on the Catalan catwalk … It’s not a bad start!

Yes, in this case winning the prize of 080 has allowed me to launch my second collection and in my house I have part of the infrastructure of the tannery where I have the clothing and design workshop. The rest you have to do yourself and it consists of hours and hours of work.

“They have helped me, but the rest you have to do it yourself”

Even so, the beginnings must not have been easy…

They are difficult and you constantly need support from other external elements. Always look out and make contacts to avoid losing business opportunities. For example, the brand right now has a showroom in Paris wher the collections are on show to promote them in the different international markets.

What is the next challenge for Mietis?

The most immediate has been the launch of the website with a capsule collection of leather jackets and bags. Gradually, I will also be introducing the spring collection to see how it is responding amongst consumers. In parallel and with my team we are looking for new multi-brand distribution channels to make the brand bigger.

“In Gratacós there is always something new and interesting”

What role does Gratacós play in all this set up?

I have been coming to your shop since I was 17 years old and I made my first research work with your fabrics. I’ve also designed dresses and I’ve always come here since I’ve been in fashion. In Gratacós, I feel at home and I love the fabrics that you offer, especially the fancy ones. I rely a lot on the fabrics and then design the collections. I love your lace, brocade, Jacquards … There is always something new and interesting!

And how do you see the future of Mietis? Do you rule out working for others? I do not rule out collaborating or nurturing other brands, but today I am focused on what is mine and I am very excited to move forward.

The Gratacós questionnaire…

Your indispensable garment … A leather jacket

A fetish fabric … Organza

A colour you never give up … Bright colors

A designer you admire… Raf Simons

An infallible style rule… Always put some colour in your life

A space that inspires you… The Marchesi cafeteria in Milán

A word of advice for the designers starting out… Learn also how to sew

Your ‘leit motiv’… Put passion into your work