Local design with its own production and workmanship is once again taking hold in the popular district of Gràcia in Barcelona. The new tenants are two companies very closely associated with Barcelona: Carlotaoms – twice a winner of the National Prize for Emerging Design in the 080 Barcelona Fashion competition .- and the footwear of Les Chausseurs by Lambert Perera, which is joining the designers Elisabet Carlota and Elisenda Oms to share in the same shop-space a professional project which is similar in essence and in its affinities.
Situated in no.11 Calle Planeta the new premises seek to reinforce the claims of Catalan design. “ We really wanted to have a sales-point and this will help us to get to know the tastes and needs of consumers directly by creating an enriching shopping experience”, says the designer Elisabet Carlota. This studio-shop houses the collections from all of Carlotaoms’s seasons, which are characterised by being of limited series, with numbered garments. Comfortable and conceptual designs, pure lines, light-weight fabrics, urban style and discreet prints are some of the keys to the identity of the brand. Hitherto clothes by Carlotaoms has been unisex, although the intention now is to opt exclusively for female clientele: “We are taking our inspiration from the current of Womenomics which emphasises the active rôle of women in the economy as a source of wealth, efficiency and equity”, Elisenda Oms explains.
What will not change is their creative and production strategy, Km 0, in which companies and work-shops in the vicinity of Barcelona participate, thus promoting the local textile industry. Currently the company distribute in Spain and it is present in Paris, Berlin and Seoul. Among its more immediate plans are the expansion to Japan and Canada and the opening of its online shop.
The looks of Carlotaoms are complemented by mens’ and womens’ shoes by Les Chausseurs, which share the same philosophy, based on design, quality and workmanship. Finally the new shop is also conceived of as a cultural area which periodically will serve to link other creative Barcelona talents from various artistic disciplines.
Alone with…ImmaClé
ImmaClé is the design alter ego of Imma Rodríguez Clemento, the seal of an author who has spent 25 years at the helm of the heterogeneous bridal sector. The company tells a love story via fashion expressed in delicate fabrics, a vintage feel and shades of romanticism, without becoming dull; an expression of the Mediterranean Sea for feminine, spontaneous and eclectic brides who are in tune with the dream-like universe offered by ImmaClé.
Why did you decide to focus your professional career on the wedding sector ?
When I was studying design and in the second year of career my sister was getting married. She did not want a classic wedding dress and asked me to design her according to her taste because she could not find anything she liked. The dress was a success. My friends began to ask for new designs and I was struck because I wasn’t selling dresses so much as dreams. It was at this time that I decided to focus on the bridal sector.
"I wasn't selling dresses so much as dreams"
So your passion was due to circumstances…
I suppose that I also inherited something. My mother worked in fashion and I had a lot of relatives who were active in the world of couture as they sewed dresses for people in high society.
Why did you decide to put your name to the brand ?
When I left college I started with the brand Imma Rodríguez Clemente and I already had a fixed number of customers. It was due to a comment made by one of them that she hadn’t seen the name of the brand that I decided to adjust it, but without losing the essence; from that came the name ImmaClé, because that was what I wanted to put across.
You’ve now had your own silver wedding at the head of the company. What does this mean for you ?
I have the satisfaction of working in something that I enjoy.
So it’s pretty clear that if you had your time again you would still study design …
Definitely. Over all these years the work dynamic has changed. Before I myself was responsible for the creative process and the production: I designed, cut the patterns, put together the garments… Now I have the support of a team and split the work in such a way that I can concentrate on the design, on trends and can look after distribution and attendance at trade-fairs…Little by little the brand is opening up to new markets so that every bride can have an “ImmaClé”.
How does one establish identity within the bridal sector ? What is the ImmaClé bride like ?
The bride of today wants to feel identified with the dress she is wearing and demands versatility in the design. She doesn’t like garments which are too stiff or classical, preferring natural fabrics which allow ease of movement. My style is more Boho-chic with vintage touches and I put a lot of emphasis on details on the back.
What will we see in the current bridal collection ?
Very many varied fabrics, such as tulle, crepe, embroidery, colourful flowers in different textures, chantilly, plenty of crochet, which I adore. In general I design timeless dresses defined by style rather than trends. That doesn’t mean that I’m turning my back on these. For example, in the collection “Tanger” there are sleeves with frills which are a current trend, but we adapt it to the brand identity so that they are still elegant. With regard to colour I still go for off-white and for all the nude shades.
“I design dresses defined by style rather than trends”
Has the “Boudoir” collection of intimate garments gone down well ?
I started it some years ago to do something different and to complement our bridal range by designing underwear for brides. It was a success at the time, but now I have decided to go back to concentrating only on dress design. For the moment I keep it as a complement in case a customer asks for it.
What is your link with Gratacós ?
I’ve always adored the shop, their team, their choice; in terms of quality of fabrics they are the best.
What type of fabrics do you select from the shop to make your collections ?
Many of those that I have mentioned previously, because I regularly use them in every collection.
“In terms of quality of fabrics Gratacós is the best “
What challenges are you giving yourself for this year ?
I don’t enjoy attending big trade-fairs to exhibit my company because I think I relate to people in more intimate surroundings. Now I am planning to look for new sales-points in places where I have direct contact with my customers. One action I like is that of fashion trucks, taking collections and garments in a caravan to destinations I have targeted, whether it be Milan, Madrid, Asturias, Burgos or Zaragoza… There are potential customers in many places.
Gratacós Questionnaire
Your indispensable garment… dress
A fetish fabric…crochet
The colour you wouldn’t give up… off-white or nude shades
A designer you admire…Josep Font
An infallible style rule… Your dress needs to represent you. You don’t have to feel you are in disguise
A favourite place in Barcelona… The Born district
Advice for people starting out… It’s not an easy path to tread and you have to be persistent
Your “leitmotif”…Thank you for choosing ImmaClé, bridal-wear with love
Fashion and Feminism
The fashion industry is exhalting the power of women and demanding gender equality via the cat-walk, with numerous personalities joining the cause in one way or another. Before the celebration of the International Day for Working Women we outline some of the most radical fashion-parades of this season. A new feminism is being woven within the sector and it is capable of stirring consciences…
The Dior Revolution
Something has been afoot in Dior since the traditional “maison” incorporated Valentino and now the Italian designer Maria Grazia Chiuri, who becomes the first woman to head the creative management of the company. This change was shown to full effect in the first collection which the designer presented in Paris last September. To illustrate the feminine commitment Maria Grazia Chiuri took as her point of departure the uniform worn in fencing – which is virtually the same for both men and women – to express the duality between fragility and strength, head and heart in a kind of non-gender fashion which advocates equality of conditions. Following on from that, in the second part of the parade feminine style was more in evidence with flat shoes, full and transparent garments printed with powerful messages such as We Should All Be Feminists. This t-shirt has already stood out as one of the key garments of this Spring for its revolutionary character and for the fact that hundreds of women, including celebrities such as Rihanna or Natalie Portman, wore it in protests like the #Women’s March in Washington. The revolution continues in Winter and Maria Grazia Chiuri’s second collection, presented a few days ago in Paris, maintains the feminist line with garments and messages less evident at first sight but equally subversive. Key detail: the designer came out to greet the public with the famous white bandana, a symbol of the cause.
An energetic and positive step
The British designer, known for her ecological commitment (she advocates sustainable fabrics and does not use animal skins ) also takes advantage of the Paris parade to launch feminist demands without abandoning the environmental cause. Hence her Spring-Summer 2017 collection, presented in the Garnier Palace, displayed comfortable garments for today’s woman combined with colourful prints and cotton t-shirts charged with messages in English such as “Thanks, Girls “, “Say No to Skins” or “Love” in very graphic and sporty prints. The most surprising thing about Stella McCartney’s parade was the final dance, which became a viral phenomenon in the social networks. The models jumped up onto the famous carousel with a dance choreographed by the Spaniard Blanca Li which celebrated this girl power with a great deal of energy and high doses of optimism.
Prabal Gurung
The latest to revolutionise the cat-walk with a presentation which defends women and femininity without labels is the Nepalese designer Prabal Gurung. Apart from the fluid garments, comfortable designs and versatility of the silhouettes, which are conceived for all types of women, the designer also opted for models from all ethnic backgrounds and of all sizes in a fashion which makes no distinction of any type. The Autumn-Winter collection 2017 / 2018 presented in January in New York ended with a women’s march in support of equal rights and against the controversial speeches of Donald Trump. Hence models like Bella Hadid exhibited on t-shirts powerful slogans of the Seventies such as The Future is female, Our minds/ our bodies/ our power, I have a dream, to the song “Imagine” by John Lennon. For all those present it provided an emotional end in a new demonstration of strength and of the key feminist demands.
(Español) Gratacós en la pasarela madrileña
Sorry, this entry is only available in European Spanish.
Lessons in Geometry
We say goodbye to the Winter season with a trend which links into Spring: geometric prints
Prints with a zig-zag, stripes, polka dots of all sizes, graphic blocks, two-colour mosaics, checks, squares…prints which create suggestive optical effects are on the way back, bringing a Sixties twist to the silhouettes of the new collections. In the main these are being presented in black and white, although there is also room for vibrant colours like blue, orange, green or red. Below we analyse three of the most popular graphic motifs of this Spring.
1. Stripes
Stripes are becoming Spring’s star print, ranging from fine to broad and in a multitude of colours mixed on one and the same garment. From the sober looks of suits with diplomatic stripes to the more summery outfits with multi-coloured prints.
2. Polka Dots
Polka dots are moving away from folk-lore inspirations and are acquiring a more artistic tone, yet without abandoning the aura of retro. Predominant here are black, white and red circles of totally arbitrary size. They range from the traditional look by Dolce & Gabbana through to the contemporary re-visiting offered by Céline. There are interpretations to suit all tastes.
3. Checked
Back to the fray comes tartan with an emphasis on red and the coquettish print Vicky in classical black and white. Apart from the checker-board classics one innovation is the wearing of rectangular prints with a blurred effect such as those seen on the cat-walks of Louis Vuitton or Alexander McQueen.
In Gratacós too you will find graphic inspiration in the fabrics which we offer. You can see them here
Casa Gracia, just like being at home
Staying in a hostel is not always synonymous with bunk-beds, shared toilets, food which leaves something to be desired and in general little space for intimacy. In Barcelona you can stay in luxury at competitive prices in places which right down to the last detail spoil those travellers who prefer this type of accommodation yet without sacrificing a smidgeon of comfort. What’s more, if they are aficionados of local customs and cuisine, then what more can they ask for?
One iconic place in the city- situated very close to our workshop – is Casa Gracia, which is considered the first luxury hostel for what it offers in terms of comfort, design, culture and food. It is a place which is integrated into the picturesque district of Gràcia and which stakes a claim for local district tourism as the best way of getting to know the essence of a city.
Casa Gracia has 145 different rooms available, from the most basic to the suites with balconies and patios which look out over the celebrated street Paseo de Gracia. The intention is to be able to welcome all manner of guests, from different countries of origin and with differing purchasing power, people who share the desire to mix with other travellers and to discover local life, far distant from the crowded areas and “beach flip-flops” tourism.
As we mentioned at the beginning, the most interesting facet of this tastefully decorated establishment is its gastro-cultural side, grouping together both tourists who are passing through and residents of Barcelona. It is a meeting- point for establishing conversations, sampling local-produce dishes, setting up informal meetings or simply sipping a large cup of coffee on one of the long sofas. Among the attractions available mention should be made of the bistro La Paisana, the cocktail-bar BIS, the private lounge for dinners Petit Bis or the multi-functional area De Tranquis. What’s more, this area also is a venue for book presentations, exhibitions and conferences open to the public ; recently the fashion dialogues Designer Fashion Experiences, in which we, as patrons, were participants, took place here.
If you are looking for a moment of relaxation, in the basement there is a small spa available to guests, whilst the lounge No Mas Té is an area given over to cultural events and yoga classes.
Just like home, or even better…
Casa Gracia, Designers Fashion Experiences, gratacos, Lifestyle Barcelona
08700 , Industry and Local Design in Igualada
We like initiatives which take into account all agencies within the sector and which provide a platform for the smallest companies, stick up for local industry and back those who need a push to reactivate a business which had been affected by the economic crisis. In this respect 080 Barcelona Fashion, via various public institutions in Catalonia and textile organisations, has provided the impulse for a new event for the promotion of textile and design in the l’Anoia region.
The initiative is called 08700- Nits de Pell i Punt ( Nights of Fur and Knitwear ) and next Thursday 23rd February in Igualada it will reunite a sample of designers and professionals within the sector in a single day-session where emerging designers and Catalan companies linked to leather-ware will participate in a fashion-parade. Below we give you more details about each of the participants:
1. Zer
The company set-up by the debutants Núria Costa and Anne Costo conceives of fashion as being each person’s demand for individuality. These two designers create knitted garments enhanced by the latest technological innovations.
2. Alicia González
This young designer has worked in the design department of companies such as Josep Font, Lydia Delgado, Guillermina Baeza and Mango. In Mango she discovered her passion for knitwear. In her company ODD ONE OUT Alicia González goes for an “urban luxury” style with knitted garments created with superior fibres and hand-crafted techniques. She offers quality, exclusivity and atemporality in clothes where the very last detail spoils the wearer.
3. Xavi Grados
After his appearance at 080 Barcelona Fashion the designer from Igualada combines his work in his own company with that he carried out in the design department of Punto Blanco. Xavi Grados carries the banner for his town with the knitwear and leather-work in each and every one of his garments placing emphasis on the raw materials.
4. Peletería VM La Sibèria
This celebrated Barcelona furrier, founded in 1891, continues tradition thanks to the passion for the job which each generation of the same family has inherited. Peletería VM La Sibèria are experts in producing the furs in locally-based work-shops where all attention is given to innovation and design.
In this economic and cultural encounter, which will take place in La Sala, in the Cercle Mercantil there will also be an exhibition of products designed by entrepreneurs and local brands produced in the region.
It offers a date with local industry at the end of a week full of activities linked to the fashion industry. Everything suggests that, in addition to the biennial fashion-parades, 080 Barcelona Fashion will continue its commitment to backing promotional initiatives in fashion which are springing up in various parts of Catalonia.
The Innovations of Mercedes/Benz Fashion Week Madrid
February is the month for fashion weeks. Barcelona, New York, London, now Madrid and to finish off Milan. Concentrating on the Spanish capital, in this edition a total of 42 Spanish companies will parade on the cat-walk Mercedes/Benz Fashion Week Madrid (MBFWM), which is presenting an agenda full of organisational innovations. One of these is the incorporation of Charo Izquierdo as director, who takes over from Leonor Pérez-Pita. Another is in the participating creative designers, with new names to swell their list. As usual the main event in Spanish fashion will take place from 16th until 21st February in pavilion number 14.1 of Ifema.
Teresa Helbig
With regard to the designers, this year sees the addition of important names in fashion such as Custo Barcelona, Menchén Tomàs and Marcos Luengo. The first two are regulars of the Catalan fashion-parades. These individual-based companies are in addition to the list of designers who participate every year in the MBFWM, such as Roberto Verino, Angel Schlesser, Moisés Nieto, Miguel Marinero, Teresa Helbig, The 2nd Skin Co or Maine, amongst other well-known names.
Juan Carlos Pajares
In the category of young fashion talents, SAMSUNG EGO also mentions the designer Juan Carlos Pajares, whose path we have been following since his debut last year. He is a fashion entrepreneur from Guadalajara with a style that has proved seductive for many Spanish celebrities. The Samsung Ego Showroom will take place in El Cibelespacio and will feature the participation of fifteen young designers.
Roberto Verino
The trend “I see it and I want it” is becoming established in Spain.
Without doubt the trend revelation of the year is the so-called “See now, Buy Now” boasted by international fashion-houses such as Tom Ford, Burberry or Tommy Hilfiger. After its success in080Barcelona Fashion this novel business concept of presenting the collections which consumers will then buy on-the-spot is arriving in Madrid courtesy of Roberto Verino. This new formula consists in creating collections which customers can see and buy on-the-spot, encouraging a consumption which is sustainable and responsible.
At Gratacós we will be keeping a close watch on the fashion-parades so as to not lose sight of any of our fabrics. We will keep you informed…
Alone with… SSIC and Paul
Paula Boadas and Jessica Raya are the alma mater of SSIC and Paul, a fashion-house founded in 2012 which combines creativity with functionality via garments with a Nordic inspiration which nonetheless do not lose their Mediterranean essence. The brand goes for a rational design along minimalist lines in which priority is given to shapes and materials, all under the label “made in Barcelona”, for workmanship and locally-based production in a company which opts for discreet luxury.
Do you recall how the project started ?
Paula: Yes, of course ! – she smiles – It was in our days as design students in Felicidad Duce. We met there, got on well and started to create a joint project.
Jessica: the truth is that we had a pretty good idea that we wanted to focus on this and to establish a brand.
SSIC and Paul is in fact an abbreviation of your two names…
Paula: Exactly ! It’s difficult to remember the name of the brand, but they are our abbreviated initials. We don’t complicate things by searching for other ones !
What do each of you bring to the brand ? How do you structure things ?
Jessica: In reality the two of us do everything and we complement each other with regard to ideas for the collections. Basically it is practical that there are two of us because we can give each other ideas.
Paula: The truth is that the key to our success is that right from the start we have also had this empathy and this commonality. We’ve been together 10 years, 5 of which are as a brand, which is no small thing. Now we have more business acumen we share the design tasks and then we divide up the work to produce it all.
“ It’s practical that there are two of us because we can give each other ideas !
What I specifically wanted to ask you both is when did you change your approach to give your company a more business-oriented slant ?
Paula : To be specific it was the moment we realised that it wasn’t a game and that we wanted to dedicate ourselves to it. We tailor our products to price and we always adapt to the market.
Jessica: Yes, when you start to run shops you come to see what people like, what sells and what doesn’t sell.
How do you find the happy medium between the commercial and the creative ?
Paula: Obviously you have to have your feet on the ground, but without sacrificing design, quality or creativity. The only thing we do is to make some garments more commercial and others more conceptual.
Jessica: Without doubt that is the most difficult part, because you have to develop your own identity but also take into account that what you create is saleable.
So in your case the identity is Northern soul and Mediterranean essence ?
Jessica: Yes, we have a minimalist, more contemporary style, more in keeping with northern design, but we adapt it to our soociety. We like our brand to be linked with the northern soul of the Mediterranean.
Paula: We also consider ourselves a brand “made in Barcelona” because we make everything in our workshops here.
“You have to have your feet on the ground, but without sacrificing design or creativity”
Two years ago you opened your own shop in the Sant Gervasi district. How many other business outlets do you have ?
Paula: Yes, and now we have 15 multi-brand sales points throught Spain and we are growing on the international front.
In which countries ?
Jessica: Italy, Belgium, USA and now Mexico. It also depends on the collection.
What is your link with Gratacós ?
We’ve always seen the shop as a point of reference in Barcelona. We especially adore it because in addition to the quality they also sell different fabrics which offer a little bit more than what already exists in the market.
Paula: Yes, above all the quality, which is noted in the fabrics and the textures. In Gratacós we like to buy the fabrics for holiday collections, they are dazzlingly spectacular.
“Gratacós sells fabrics which are different from what already exists in the market “
What challenges are you giving yourselves for 2017 ?
Paula: Global international expansion. Now we are concentrating on trade-fairs in order to acquire more international customers. We are looking outwards.
Gratacós Questionnaire
Your “must have” garment… tunic
A fetish fabric…silk
The colour you won’t give up… ivory
An infallible style rule… Cloaks and overlays
Favourite place in Barcelona…Gratacós
Advice for starters…Keep going
Your “leitmotif”… Northern soul from the Mediterranean
Future of Fashion, Day sessions for Emerging Talent
There are more and more initiatives aimed at emerging talent in design and whose structure and organisational capacity are improving, so that gradually they are coming to exert their influence on the all-powerful fashion industry. The latest to give a voice to young designers are the Future of Fashion days organised by the newly created platform Piscolabis Designers, the association of emerging independent designers from Catalonia, an entity dedicated to encouraging and spreading a creativity with its own identity and whose production is local and limited. No cloning and no overcrowding.
These days will take place these coming 4th and 5th February in the multi-functional Mazda Space and within the framework of “Activity OFF” of the 080 Barcelona Fashion parade which takes place this week in the city. So during that weekend Future of Fashion will give us a close-up view of the most striking creations by 35 emerging designers from Barcelona with a selection of clothes, footwear, hand-bags, jewelry, bric-à- brac and furnishings. The show-room will be a feature of artistic decoration created by the interior designer Diego Candea in collaboration with the School of Window-Dressing and Artidi Visual Merchandising.
Apart from the commercial angle, Future of Fashion will also feature didactic and informative aspects with regard to entrepreneurial matters and design. For that reason prestigious professionals from the world of fashion, technology, marketing, business strategy and fashion trends will give presentations on specific topics. Mónica Mendoza, Laura Clèries, Juan Pablo Sánchez, Estel Vilaseca, Jaume Vidiella, Sònia Rotats, Ignasi Saun, Aldanondo and Fdez. There will also be round-table discussions led by participating designers such as Citrique Heart, Colmillo de Morsa or Elena Estaun, amongst others.
In addition to design and its promotion there will also be various musical sessions by D.J.’s from Discos Paradiso, films, videos and an exhibition about the creative process, where participating designers will share visually their most intimate moments.
This is a unique opportunity to get to know some of the designers and sector professionals from the local community. Highly recommended!
