Imagination is the blank canvas of every designer and it is through the fabrics that the garments start to assume shape, volume and colour until they are transformed into the final works that the creator had in mind from the beginning. Throughout our history we have seen how our fabrics became transformed, as if by magic, into delicate jewels of garments eminently suited to stand out on special occasions: exuberant dresses, delicate semi-transparent blouses, full skirts… Clothes that can only make us marvel. Even then, when we find a designer capable of adding a nuance to our fabrics to transform them into more informal and casual garments, conceived for day-to-day wear, it never fails to surprise us, because above all our passion is for creativity and experimentation. This is the case with Moisés Nieto ( born in Jaén in 1984 ) and his latest collection Spring-Summer 2017 presented in the September edition of the fashion-parade Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid.

The Olympic Games continue to inspire fashion and the frenzy for sport continues to excite the interest of designers. So with his watchwords”Ready, Set, Go ! “ the designer from Jaén presented a Summer collection inspired by the uniforms of elite sports-people in an atmosphere where the sounds of the legendary “Chariots of Fire “ gave ambience to setting the scene on this sporty theme. The models bore the looks of this hyper-feminine exhibition by virtue of bodys inspired by the dress of gymnasts, belts which found their reference in the martial arts or uniforms inspired by the tennis- players of the seventies. All laid-out on a 28 metre-long athletics- track displaying the designer´s signature. What stands out is the use that Moisés Nieto makes of Gratacós fabrics to express this sporting essence, where the classical and the most innovative fabrics merge: little metallic grills which are super-imposed on one-another or circular motifs beautifully embroidered in cotton, creating a stunning optical effect.

Once again we applaud the talent of Moisés Nieto who by dint of hard work and tenacity has been able to overcome those dips in career needed to survive in the fashion industry. One of the goals achieved was to be pronounced the winner of the latest edition of the competition for young talents Who’s On Next ? organised by the magazine Vogue España. His innovative spirit, his great capacity for organisation and his tenacity in attaining objectives were decisive in his walking away with the prize in a brief professional career – started in 2011-which foresees many more triumphs. There is no doubt whatsoever that we shall soon be seeing Moisés ‘s next goal…

Its majesty, arrogance and glamour have crowned it king of the season’s fabrics and at this stage of the year nobody is disputing its supremacy. Velvet has emerged from luxury wardrobes to conquer the cat-walks and the street with a irresistible soft touch which rivals its innate attractiveness. The fabric associated with the aristocracy and the Hollywood of old has become more popular than ever and now clothes “nobles and plebeians” in equal measure. It no longer matters whether it is an Haute Couture garment or one which comes from a low-cost fashion house. This fabric no longer distinguishes between classes or prices.

This Autumn-Winter season 2016/2017 velvet is re-inventing itself yet again and is revealing its most elegant side in order to adapt to any garment and any occasion, irrespective of the special events where we are accustomed to seeing this fabric. So in sunlight its powerful satin effect is there on trousers, jackets and skirts. For daily wear there is nothing better than combining this fabric with more informal garments such as jeans and sports-shoes in order to create a magnificent textural contrast. On the catwalk too designers like Stella McCartney, Etro and Loewe incorporate it in day-to- day outfits. In the evening velvet gleams on draped tops, lapelled jackets and romantically- inspired dresses by Lanvin, Valentino or Alberta Ferreti. Velvet is indeed turning into the accompanying fabric for Victorian-inspired looks that we have so often seen accompanied by subtle brocades and metallic details in the parades of Ralph Lauren or Roberto Cavalli. The palette of colours is also widened beyond classic black to extend to more vibrant shades of blue, bottle-green, burgundy and gold. The frenzy for velvet extends beyond seasonal garments and is also conquering the world of complements and footwear, creating exclusive models enveloped in its sensuous feel.

Velvet is also one of the fabrics preferred by Gratacós and in our new collection you will find a multitude of fabric options which enable you to put together your garment of the season. Remember that the seductive power of this fabric is unlimited.

The classics never die: with the passage of time they remain unchangeable, preserving their purity and their visual strength in spite of all constant renewal. This is the case of the binomial black and white, the most versatile and chic combination of all.

Although they always work well on their own, their union truly adds a plus in terms of style. This season sees the infallible duo being worn from head to toes, in clothes, complements and accessories. On the cat-walk this is the choice of Dior, with an (almost) total absence of colour in their most contemporary volumes of the “New Look”, pure, feminine cuts and the occasional over-positioning which breaks the minimalism of the Autumn-Winter collection 2016/2017. Stella McCartney and Chloé go for a similar choice with “looks” which are a fusion of masculine and feminine codes. The Victorian touch is added by Ralph Lauren or Lanvin, with fabrics such as lace and silk in billowing or bowed shirts, straight trousers and woven coats. The house which par excellence never abandons the elegance of black and white is Chanel, which in spite of having gone for colour in recent seasons always returns to its origins with more modern re-visiting of its classics, always with this sober and elegant style.

Apart from blocks of colour and contrasting details the choice is also for prints which combine the famous binomial, creating attractive visual play. Such is the case with striped prints, houndstooths, tartans or graphic jacquards. Our fabrics this season take their inspiration from this last line. Below you will find our moodboard, so that you can find your ideal combination. In black and white, as ever.

We believe in the new generations who face the big challenge of maintaining the future fashion industry. At the same time at Gratacós we are pleased to be able to contribute our own small grain of sand in order to promote young talents. For this reason, together with the prestigious school of design IED Barcelona we have once again promoted the competition ‘Gratacós Barcelona Scolarship for the Talent’ in order to give our support to the future creations of Postgraduate students in Design of Bridal and Ceremonial Dresses.

This third edition saw the entry of a total of 13 students and the offerings “When the Sun rises! “ by Valeria Antonova and “Inside Me”by Catalina Olmedo were the competition winning designs for their creativity, development and conceptualisation, according to the judgement of a panel of experts. Valeria and Catalina have been awarded a cash prize to the value of 500 € which they will be able to spend on materials from our boutique in order to put together the new bridal designs.

Moreover, Valeria Antonova’s moulage will be on display in the entrance foyer of the Hotel Majestic during Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week 2017 and that of Catalina Olmedo will take pride of place in our shop-window throughout this coming April.

All within the framework of the Barcelona fashion-parade.

Our most sincere congratulations to the winners!

We applaud initiatives which bring the fashion industry together in its broadest vision: large fashion-houses are coming together with independent design and young talents in one and the same space, where each one has his or her plot of terrain – and his or her public. And if it is an ephemeral format, then so much the better, because it creates a much more memorable phenomenon in time without exhausting the formula which gives it balance.

This is one of the reasons why we value the initiative Rec.0 Experimental Stores, a retail experiment dating back to 2009 which takes place in the industrial district of the Rec in Igualada. For two months in the year the old tanning factories in the area are home to distinctive pop-up stores of brands and designers in a unique concentration of special sales and concurrent too for just four days with other cultural and gastronomic activities.

The new edition, which runs from the 9th until the 12th of November, sees the participation of more than 80 brands of clothing for men, women and children distributed among four large areas within the district. There the consumer can go about discovering at his own pace what the temporary shops have to offer by following an unusual route through all the tanneries. Apart from the high quality brands such as Adidas, Levis, Mango or Lacoste which raise high expectations in the general public one can also find designers linked to 080 Barcelona Fashion such as Miriam Ponsa, JosepAbril, Txell Miras or Sita Murt. These designers share the same space with others of smaller format who likewise parade on the Catalan cat-walk, such as Carlota Oms, Rita Row, Chausseurs, SSIC and Paul or Paul Esteve. Those are some of the names to be found in this edition on the new space 080. Also present are small brands by young designers outstanding in their originality, yet without abandoning the commerciality of their designs. To name just a few examples : Colmillo de Morsa, Costalamel or Dutch Delight. Rec.0 thus aims to create a platform of brands and emerging designers which is swelled by each new edition.

In addition to their own sales from previous seasons and the opportunity offered to the public to get to know at first hand the designers who are directly involved in the buying process, the initiative also seeks to offer the visitor other gastronomic experiences -food-trucks, cooking competitions – and cultural experiences – concerts, workshops, activities for kids. All of these make of Eec.0 an authentic leisure experience to be shared with family or friends. In the last edition, held in June, more than 100,000 people passed through the district. They must have had a reason…

There are transformations that take you by surprise and in the new reconversion there appear spaces with a high cultural and artistic content which until now were unimaginable. This has been the case of the Wer-Haus project situated right in the centre of the Eixample in Barcelona-number 287 Calle Arago, between Pau Claris and Roger de Flor- where previously there was a busy parking-lot.

This loft-type concept store with reminiscences of the multi-functional spaces in New York, London, Berlin or Amsterdam is the work of three founding partners, the Frenchman Jean-Antoine Palagos and Nicola Rossi and the Catalan Marc Miró. They joined together in 2015 to give the impulse to a cultural project where male fashion, contemporary photography, the visual arts and gastronomy which is most typical to Barcelona are all fused together in the most exquisite fashion.

This design atmosphere is immediately evident upon entering. A wide corridor with high ceilings that serve as an art gallery, diaphanous spaces with elements of Nordic design such as the choice of wood and an abundant vegetation, plus details of industrial aesthetic such as iron beams, metallic lamps and a clear pre-eminence of white. All of this whilst preserving original elements such as wide doors and glass structures. The remodelling of the space is a design by the architect Richard Gran and Marta Peinado.

Wer-Haus is divided into two floors. The top floor houses a men’s fashion store with a sporty inspiration, such as Lamaire, Raf Simons, Sunspel, MISBHV and Études Studio. On the ground floor there is a multifunctional space furnished for meetings together with a small bar-restaurant run by Chema Martín Cabeza with a menu based on healthy and fresh local produce. On specific occasions, this exclusive concept store had also hosted occasional presentations and events linked to creativity and the editorial world, all in consonance with the desired target: an audience young in spirit with a love of culture and the arts.

Wer-Haus is without a doubt a space where one can relax and enjoy art, fashion and good food. All that right in the centre of Barcelona.