This anomalous 2020 has also upset the calendar of the interesting informative talks by the Color Community. association. A private initiative, which we have followed closely since its creation, led by a group of three professionals who love colour: the architect Pere Ortega; the designer specialized in Colour & Trim, Eva Muñoz; and Rosa Pujol, Textile & Colour Stylist and creative director of Gratacós.

This year, the biannual and face-to-face meetings at the Old Damm Factory in Barcelona have been converted into digital format, thus via screen respecting the security measures imposed by the current health situation. Despite the difficulties, Colour Community was able to present the new colour chart that will serve as a guide for the Spring-Summer season 2022 in an orientation report that serves as a source of inspiration for creative professionals who are dedicated to fashion, design, advertising or architecture, among other areas. 

Within a current social and economic context marked by instability and uncertainty, the new broad and global creative proposal Wait… SS22. A concept that articulates the entire chromatic range and which symbolizes the preamble to an infinity of optimistic possibilities, guided by the real need to make better decisions as a society and also in relation to the environment. This “waiting” is essential, according to the association, “to appreciate and value life with humility and simplicity, and its functional daily life to structure the whole future.” For this reason, it will be necessary to design from practicality, but without forgetting beauty or creativity.

“The new creation symbolizes the preamble to celebration,

play and optimism”

“Wait…” also symbolizes the beginning of celebration, play and optimism, opening seamlessly to coexistence with digital reality. As for colour, it materializes like never before, conveying human emotions and being the conductive support of these senses.

In turn, the ‘Wait…’ colour scheme is structured through four ranges of colours, textures and materials named Wait… & Listen, Wait… & Wish, Wait… & Enjoy and Wait… & Grow Up. Colour Community sums it up with a claim to a final message of hope: “Wait… & tomorrow”. Wait and there will be a tomorrow.

Below, we summarize each creative proposal:

Wait… &Listen

This first range is inspired by attentive waiting: ” one that is willing to receive information and learn from it “. A proposal that is based on learning from the proximity of natural society and human knowledge. Wait… &Listen is built from neutrality and naturalness, presenting colour with renewed subtlety. That means that we speak of natural realism, of materials and finishes that connect with a well-manipulated origin, worked from harmony and sustainability. As for the colour palette, relaxing neutral tones abound, such as natural white, basic ecru and calcareous grey, among other soft colours that structure and soothe. The designs mark a return to the simplicity with linear shapes and geometric  basics such as the circle. Rough textures, natural and imperfect finishes, wrinkles and rustic aesthetics return. This trend is also seen in fabrics that are expressed without decorative excesses. Clean-looking matt cotton, linen, hemp, poplin and satin threads abound. Finally, natural fibres coexist with recycled and regenerated synthetics.

Wait… &Wish

The second range appeals to desire, this concept that cannot be materialized and that activates the most creative part of the human being. According to Colour Community: “desire is not satisfied with the tangible and looks for something else as far as possible”. Under this premise, Wait… & Wish seeks to rediscover the secrets of craftsmanship, revaluing all its specific features. In turn this range also focuses on the plant world, but this time it focuses its attention on that nature that we know, but that we rarely touch or experience consciously. The colour is inspired by the apparent chaos of natural beauty, its uniqueness and exuberance with rich, bright and contrasting chromaticism: vegetal green, bright blues, gold foils or crimson brushstrokes. The designs seek to seduce by their elemental, organic and abstract geometries, hand-drawn striped prints, paintings in their freest version and colour combinations that reflect the chromatic chaos of nature. As regards materials there are many works with artisan natural dyes, semi-gloss yarns, die-cuts and laser cuts, utilitarian clothing and satin looks. Finally, in fabrics we are committed to sustainability and comfortable and practical fabrics that do not abandon design. In the fantasy section, Jacquards abound with geometric structures, mesh fabrics, nets and refined weavings such as reliefs and embossing.

Wait… &Enjoy

The third inspiration is the opposite on a conceptual level to the first two: it wants to project the future in an optimistic and creative way, exploring concepts such as freedom, evasion and extroversion. A creative enjoyment that will become limitless, but consistent and thoughtful with the common good. In this range, Colour Community features a creation enriched and loaded with subjective personality, but always coherent and respectful with the environment. The colour palette is based on fresh, cheerful, playful and sensual tones full of positivity and ready to be combined with neutrals. Vital tones such as geranium,  fresh mint, chlorophyll, pink and vitaminised lime which combine with neutrals like white and sand-coloured. The designs are seduced by the power of the flowers and the magnetism of the most exuberant vegetation. Leaves, petals, gardens, green spaces … plant nature also takes centre-stage in summer fabrics. In addition to the flower motifs there are beautiful yarns for new colour sensations, shiny fibres, fluid fabrics that create transparency, textured organza with iridescent yarns, Jacquards with reliefs and piqué. In general, the fabrics express that intention to celebrate and dance again through movement.

Wait… &Grow Up

Finally, Wait… & Grow Up represents an evolution of the previous range. It is based on the imperfection of growth, the acceptance of the passage of time and integration of the past in order to understand the future. This range is “a reunion with the most chromatic geometry with a high expressionist content”. Products designed from a future perspective, with this range of colours, will be approached with a stimulating and light-filled mentality in which multicoloured harmonies generating multitone patterns will play a prominent role. The colour palette is thus multifaceted, symbolic, versatile and adaptable to all sectors: mauve, yellow, intoxicating pink, coral, orange, green, grey, blue and sophisticated brown. In designs a mixture of antagonistic, strange motifs and visual surprises is prioritized. With regard to fabrics this last range follows the line of the previous three and has a clear intention: to better production via recovered or recycled yarns, reducing the chemical impact and water consumption, in order to face a future with hope. Finally, the proposal is based on tactile fabrics that provide an extroverted, colourful and highly visible look.

Together we are stronger – and this is more necessary than ever in unstable times that shake the foundations of the current economy. The textile industry (national and international) could not be left out of the emergency caused by the coronavirus, and it is admirable how in recent weeks it has joined efforts to manufacture on a large scale basic medical supplies to help cut the chain of contagion of the disease, and thus slow down the pandemic.

In extraordinary situations shock measures are needed. In our country, Spanish textile companies, as well as cosmetics, automotive and beverage sectors, have heard the government’s call to convert production to make masks, gloves, assisted breathing equipment or disinfectant gels to the maximum speed. This reconversion serves to supply hospitals, residences and essential service workers who urgently need this material to face the battle against the epidemic. Until now lack of resources was one of the black holes that gave wings to the coronavirus.

In the case of the textile industry, the companies that are joining the initiative have gone from sewing pants or dresses to making surgical masks and “use and throw” gowns that are used by thousands in hospitals. To date the sector has the necessary machinery, patterns and fabrics ready and once they comply with all the requirements and approvals approved by the Textile Technological Institute (AITEX), mass production will begin. Estimates are indeed encouraging: they calculate that up to 160,000 masks a day and about 50,000 disposable gowns can be manufactured.

The big international fashion brands have also gone to work with special productions accompanied by financial donations dedicated to providing current resources in hospital centres and promoting scientific research to accelerate the race to find the vaccine that eradicates the coronavirus. For their part, the Spanish fashion giants (Inditex, Mango, Tendam and Desigual) also have an army of suppliers around the globe to obtain more medical supplies. Things are already moving in this regard.

An army of volunteers fights for the cause

Beyond unity, if there is something that is happening in a positive key in almost every corner of the planet and that is teaching us a valuable lesson in humanity these days, it is solidarity. Everyone wants to join in and help as much as possible to slow down the pandemic. Apart from private initiatives, which are many and diverse, one of the projects related to fashion that has contributed its grain of sand has been Modistas Solidarias, an initiative promoted by the designer María Cordero, alter ego of the Spanish firm Wolflamb. Its goal has been to convert all the cotton fabrics into masks to supply the hospitals near its workshop in Valencia, and for this reason all seamstresses on the team are involved. This small project has gained in strength by the addition of small workshops and individuals spread throughout Spain. Along with anonymous volunteers, well-known names such as Ariadne Artiles, Eugenia Silva, Blanca Padilla, Paz Vega and designers Vicky Martín Berrocal and Juan Avellaneda have also joined the initiative.

Gratacós is also committed

At Gratacós we have not stood idly by and we are aware of our social responsibility as a fabric company. We too wanted to join forces in the fight against the coronavirus. So far we have supplied and shipped dozens of cotton fabrics to local workshops and neighbourhood companies for mask manufacturing. We are aware of the state of emergency and in the coming days we shall be studying how to encourage more actions to alleviate this social, economic and health crisis. We will inform you through social networks. Look after yourselves at home!

No one denies the obvious. Culture and leisure in its most traditional exhibition formats have been one of the biggest victims of the coronavirus. The closing of movie and concert halls, museums, exhibitions, theatres and libraries, among others, and the subsequent confinement in the home have hampered consumption habits via physical methods. Even so, culture is subversive and in difficult times it has always found alternative ways to spread knowledge through other media. And, in this case, despite the confinement, cultural life continues behind the screen in fully digital terrain.

The virus has not stopped the immense power of culture with its multiple channels of expression that allow it to keep its objectives intact: to spread knowledge, contemplate beauty, stimulate the imagination and create critical opinion. In fact, in the last week confinement has put to the test the ingenuity and creativity of many artists who have devised new proposals to experience culture from the sofa at home. From sporadic festivals to virtual visits, streaming talks or improvised courses. Every day new and original small-format initiatives emerge, in addition to those promoted by the world’s main art centres, to expand the list of cultural activities offered as an alternative to entertain and animate the days when people are shut-in at home.

Here we suggest some ideas for continuing to feed the intellect from home.

Virtual art

Museums and cultural centres around the world are still open virtually. This is the example of the Thyssen, the Prado, the Reina Sofía or the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, which offer virtual tours, videos, audios, conferences and even online courses to enjoy the cultural activities of these Spanish cultural venues. Internationally the Uffizi in Florence, the Vatican Muses, the Louvre, the Metropolitan in New York and the National Gallery in Washington stand out, for example, which also show visitors their online collection. For its part, Google,via its app, Arts and Culture, offers virtual reality guided tours of museums, masterpieces and even the construction of the statue of Liberty in New York. In fact, the almighty Google collects more than 7,000 virtual exhibitions from all over the planet. The difficult thing in this case, is to choose the sample to look at. For its part the benchmark for contemporary art, the MOMA, is also offering 6 interesting courses related to fashion, art, photography and design, all for free and without leaving home.

Theatre and performing arts

The performing arts also offer facilities to digital users. The Teatroteca of the Ministry of Culture is available with more than 1,500 plays, circuses and dance with works available to users such as ‘The house of Benarda Alba’, ‘Life is a dream’ or ‘Blood weddings’. Anyone can access them through a free online registration through Bibliotecacdt.mcu.es. For its part the New York Metropolitan Opera is offering great classics of the genre in streaming such as ‘Carmen’, ‘La Boheme’, ‘La Traviata or‘ Il Trovatore ’.

Series and films

Digital payment platforms for viewing audiovisual content have experienced a new boom in subscriptions that show the increasing consumption of series, documentaries and films among confined users. Apart from the kings of streaming, there are also other public websites such as RTVE or Televisió de Catalunya that offer series and movies for free and legally. Other pages such as Efilm.online and Ebiblio.es have a catalogue of free movies, books and magazines for those who have a library card. Libraries, such as Nacional or Catalunya, and websites such as Google Books also offer free reading.

Live music

Music knows no borders. And less in difficult times, where it shows the great ability to break barriers and reach all corners and audiences. Initiatives of all kinds have emerged from social isolation: from sporadic concerts through Instagram grouped in hashtags that are running like wildfire on the Internet such as #YoMeQuedoenCasa to alternative music festivals such as the Quarantine Fest to make the state of confinement more bearable. This latest initiative brings together 50 bands that offer private concerts from their homes through YouTube. Some anonymous artists have even come out onto their balconies to perform songs a cappella, or with their musical instruments, to offer impromptu live concerts to their neighbours.

In the coming days, the cultural offer will increase to maintain a certain normality from home. Evidently the consumption format changes because coronavirus has reduced the aesthetic experience to the window of a screen. Also missed is that essential social component that sustains culture: to climb on a stage, to comment on some works that excite,to walk through an exhibition… but we are sure that when this situation is over we will perceive (and appreciate) beauty in another way and from all possible areas. One last tip: keep your wifi well-connected!

March, like September, is the month of rebirth. From the blooming of the new season that hitherto has been hibernating in our stores, waiting for its turn: the official presentation to society. And we really wanted to show the new collection of fabrics, this time absorbed under the Double Poetry concept.

Double Poetry appeals to poetry that hides duality. A dual year (2020) inspires a spring-summer collection that moves between two waters. On a creative level we are inspired by the antagonisms that are related to each other, especially in work processes: the mental and the irrational, technology and emotion, what develops in a cerebral way and what is guided from the heart. We provide the most advanced technology with poetry and human emotion to create a rational and tangible proposal, but with high doses of sensitivity.

Under this concept of extremes that complement each other, the Spring-Summer 2020 proposal is developed in two directions:

1. A turn to contemporary classics

The classic does not have to be predictable or boring, especially when it undergoes a transformation that shakes and rejuvenates it. We like to get out of our comfort zone with disruptive proposals. This line contemplates fabrics that retain a certain timeless primitivism. They are easily recognizable products, close to the domestic and that convey security and everyday life: wear a Jacquard out of the festive season or look for a type of cotton that conveys a message, why not? A range of traditional fabrics (drapery, tweeds and wool items are coming back), some of them rustic looking and which interact with the latest technologies to include us in contemporary fashion.

Within this line the tactile fabrics are grouped, with certain reliefs: granulated, obvious crepes, flamed, flexible volumes, synthetic glitters, silver lurex worked in a delicate way and without stridencies. These products stand out because they seek to enhance the beauty of the raw material. They are handmade and rustic fabrics, but at the same time technologically sophisticated and they show these imperfections (reliefs and volumes) with pride. In terms of design, contemporary classics are inspired by the ethnic universe in a minimalist key: in a natural folk style with firm strokes, sinuous and organic shapes. This category also abounds with repetitive, almost elementary geometries, with or without symmetry: clean frames and essential stripe patterns. Finally we are not forgetting floral prints with delicious compositions with petals and motifs that are inspired by the surfing universe of vibrant colours.

In this first block neutral tones abound, an earth palette with golden nuances, the unbeatable black and white or navy blue combinables.

2. An ode to the urban landscape

The second address of the Spring-Summer 20 collection puts us in an urban environment. The city as the core of human relations. We seek that direct connection with our glass and concrete home and within this line we embrace experimentation with surprising combinations of materials and textures with vital, luminous and energetic colours that can be confronted face to face to create an interesting dialogue in tune with the urban landscape.

In this second block fabrics of a young and fresh luminosity abound, with intelligent and emotional shades at the same time. We seek to appeal to the emotions with this mix and we let ourselves get carried away by intuition. Thus the fabrics we are suggesting stand out for their evidenced volumes, they are dense in appearance, with artificial compositions and elegant textures for a seduction that enters daytime terrain. Feminine and fluid fabrics with light and fresh reliefs because we want to communicate energy and spontaneity through the materials. In turn the products have a clean appearance, technical touches only in finishes and they have a spontaneous and energetic design for a look that stands out within the city. The fabrics seek some theatricality and joy with giant graphics for the outdoors, aquatic reflections and botanical-inspired prints. A line that encourages us to rethink aesthetic codes and experiment without questioning the beauty or the need for the final products.

In this second block mineral colours abound ranging from blue to pale pink or lavenders, oranges and a palette of greens and limes. Vibrant tones that are exhibited for their own sake.

We invite you to discover the new Spring-Summer 2020 collection through the online store or in our Gratacós space in Barcelona. Let yourself be seduced by the materials, textures and patterns of the fabrics!

They call it the new black for its versatility and functionality, appealing elegance with discretion. Navy blue was never a risky tone, nor did it pretend to be because it is precisely through harmony, balance and timelessness that it seduces, which makes it a safe bet inside the wardrobe, one which goes beyond the cycles and fashions dictated by the sector. And it is already well-known that the classic never dies. For this reason the colour in question borders on immortality.

Here are some curiosities about enigmatic navy blue:

The origin of navy blue

Navy blue owes its name to the dark blue that was used in the uniforms of several navies. The first to adopt this shade was the British Royal Navy in 1748 and subsequently it was extended to most of the world's navies. In fact it offered the advantage that being almost black the loss of colour was avoided. Thus during the 18th century it was used as a base to dye uniforms.

During the 19th century the use of navy blue extended to other professions and quickly conquered the street. Then the colour black continued to maintain dominance in clothing which was considered serious. However, dyers used Prussian blue and indigo pigments to launch the fashion of navy blue fabrics and dresses, which became a social phenomenon. Navy blue maintained the sobriety of black, but it proved to be less hard and above all cheaper. In fact the colour of the clothing was generally not a matter of taste, but rather of money. After World War I this dark hue displaced black in many professions such as sailors, military, gendarmes, fire-brigade, police or civil servants.

Dior adopts it as a feminist symbol

“Among all colours navy blue is the only one that can compete with black, by presenting the same virtues.” This phrase by Christian Dior has also guided the last stage of the French maison led by Maria Grazia Chiuri, the first woman to lead the creative direction since 2017. Navy blue was Chiuri’s second collection for Dior, rebelliously picking up the heritage of the French designer with creations brimmed with items never seen on the catwalk such as jeans or a black leather beret as a star accessory.

Thus evening dresses, with transparencies and brightness, alternated with other looks for trouserss and workers’ overalls, as if they were factory uniforms combined with printed handbags. Navy blue represents equality and uniformity for Chiuri. There is no distinction of classes or genders. “The worker’s look is a way of saying that we have to work towards equal opportunities,” she argued at the time. Since then this colour has become a common resource in Dior collections that in lesser or greater proportion have adopted navy blue.

The most classic blue will also be the colour of 2020

2020 will also be dyed in blue. The justify Institute, a world reference in chromatic themes, has chosen the Classic Blue 19-4052 as the colour that will influence next year in such creative sectors as design, fashion or advertising. According to the institution it is a “lasting blue shade for our times, elegant in its simplicity”. It suggests the sky at sunset and its calming qualities, such as the promise of protection, ”said Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute. 

According to the institution Classic Blue tends to surge at convulsive moments of change and this tonality evokes the desire to consolidate reliable and stable foundations on which we can build. In this sense, it offers us a refuge: “We live in an era that demands trust and faith, and this type of blue offers a solid and reliable feeling that encourages us to broaden our thinking and challenges us to see things in depth,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of Pantone.

The Pantone colour of the year is chosen by the directors of the company and about 40 experts from around the world, who take into account factors such as the economic situation, films and popular songs or social issues, among other variables. Thus Classic Blue is taking over from Living Coral, the colour of 2019.

Transparencies are associated traditionally to the mild or warm months of the year, where the high temperatures justify the apparent nudity these translucent fabrics given to garments. Until now, it was the norm or accepted by a majority and obeyed, in turn, to market demands and needs of the consumers. In the end, everything applied to a simple rule: more transparent and light fabrics in summer, more thick and opaque fabrics in winter. Nowadays, transparencies have lost their usual seasonality and designers of large firms have been responsible for the public wanting them at any time of the year by gradually including them in their collections. Laces, tulles, transparent embroideries … all the fabrics that show the skin in an insightful way. However, there is one particular one that grabs the limelight so far this year: the organza.

Brief historical evolution

Organza is a very fine silk fabric that is treated to maintain a certain stiffness that gives it that starchy appearance. Its name comes from Urgenc, a city in Uzbekistan and arrived in Europe from India in the 18th century. Despite being present in the continent and after its initial links to the maids of the aristocracy, it was not until the twentieth century when this fabric became popular to all social strata. The person responsible for this was Yves Saint Laurent who placed this fabric in the altars of the trends. It was in 1966 when Yves revealed his first look with transparencies. At first, the organza subtly revealed some parts of the body, but the scandal came two years later when she designed a bold dress that completely showed the chest. In the decade of the 80s, the organza allied with frills and volumes typical of that time to make exaggerated combinations, in line with the fashion of the moment that immortalized icons such as Molly Ringwald, Liz Taylor or Ladi Di. In the 90s, the fabric came back to life again thanks to the 1997 spring-summer Prada collection that homaged transparency and the triumph of minimalism. Interestingly, the Italian firm was among the first to rescue this fabric last year, probably influenced by the new furor that organza currently relives.

The revelation fabric of the season

This fine, translucent and rigid fabric has the peculiarity of adding elegance, delicacy and a certain romanticism and therefore, can boost any look with a simple garment. So far, the organza had also been linked in the exclusive field of celebrations, and although it remains there, the demand for this fabric, for other occasions, has not stopped growing.

On the catwalks today, organza has been present in the collections of Ralph Lauren, Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana Simone Rocha and Fendi, to name a few firms, but also in the chains of high street fashion that have democratized its use to make it accessible to the general public. For example, Zara presented in summer a collection of blouses, skirts and dresses made with organza that had a fulminating success, running out of stock.

From the catwalk to the high street

If a fashion is adopted in parallel by international fashion prescribers, success is more than assured and will end up arriving sooner or later to the general public. Thus, of all the pieces made with organza, the clear favourite is the blouse with puffed sleeves, being the best ally to reinvent a pair of jeans. This piece gives a romantic touch to the looks without needing other accessories. Despite the triumph of the neutrals (white, black, beige …), it also takes the colour that can range from the most vibrant palette to the pastels, our favorites. This garment works even with volume skirts or palazzo trousers.

From Gratacós we want to show you some organza from our current collection and the upcoming seasons. In our space in Barcelona you will find a good assortment of fabrics to decide if you want to use the organza on a festive occasion, or you decide to join the trend and dazzle with a garment made with this fabric for dayime wear.

Checks have always been present in the history of contemporary fashion. Moreover, they are part of those unperturbed tendencies, oblivious to cycles, which are repeated and renewed without losing their identity.

A priori, when we talk of a check print the British style comes to mind with its classic costumes, the tartan reminiscent of the Scots or the vichy checks that refer us to the age of innocence. It is always time to opt for checks, whether in the winter or summer collections. The novelty is that today many checks break barriers and leave their comfort zone as they take over garments, accessories or complements which hitherto were less conventional.

We are going to analyze the three most common check prints on the cat-walks of the new Autumn-Winter 2019/2020 season:

Prince of Wales

It is a type of two-colour fabric design in the form of complex frames, sometimes with a third colour as a profile. It alternately combines large checks with a milrayas design along with smaller squares in crow’s feet. Frequently the different grey scales (or muted colours) are used as base colours and sometimes one more colour is added to that base tone, usually blue. The origin of this print is popular as it is a fabric used by the workers, although it was the Duke of Windsor (Eduard VIII) who ended up popularizing it in the 1930s and spreading it throughout the world.

 When playing with the black and white binomial, this type of plaid print becomes a timeless classic, perfect in any wardrobe. This season, under a preppy style seen especially on cat-walks of Marc Jacobs, Prada, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Chloé and Marni, together with many others who opt for this pattern.

Tartan

It is perhaps the most identifiable picture. A fabric whose pattern is formed by horizontal and vertical lines that draw pictures of different colours. Of Scottish origin, tartan is associated with the clans that used them to distinguish themselves. Each family adapted particular designs, as well as colours that identified them as members of each clan. There are named tartans like McAndrew, McQueen, Douglas … even modern designs like the Royal Stewart, created by Vivienne Westwood. In its origin the tartan was made of wool, although today it is shaped through several fabrics. At present, with the appearance of new materials the word tartan has gone from defining the fabric to the design, regardless of where it is shaped.

Tartan accepts countless colours and different combinations, the key lies in personal taste. The most common are the most classic in red or green or black and white and in XXL size. In the late twentieth century tartan was also associated with a more transgressive aesthetic and found adherents in the punk movement of the late 70s with designers such as Vivienne Westwood and grunge and its nineties counterculture. To cite some examples, at this time John Galliano and Alexander McQueen adapted it.

Window frame checks

We are talking about a type of simple frame that makes squares thanks to the fine lines that make it up. Thus on a dark background a light line is added that draws a broad picture. As a base the window frame can have a tartan (with finer wool) or a tweed (which gives it a more rustic look). This type of check became popular in the 30s in Britain when people began to look for more daring and informal prints that maintained that classical dandy image, but with certain licenses.

Today window frame checks are widespread and are used almost equally in winter and summer fashion collections. We refer you to the last collection made by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel where you can observe these types of checks mixed with other fabrics and prints.

The current Gratacós collection also contains many plaid fabrics. Here are some references for you to get inspired.

It is not a novelty this season, but it is reluctant to abandon the podium of trends. It has no rival in terms of strength, brightness and daring and has gone from being a simply radiant colour to becoming a symbol for generation Z.  We are talking about the most shocking green: in neon, lime or pistachio. It is the true “king” of summer that permeates the street style with its rebellion and youth.

Almost a year ago this carefree colour began to resonate as a trend. Lime green in its fluorine version was slipping into the winter closet . The greatest impact was achieved through Instagram when it stormed surprisingly into the  timelines of various fashionable influencers. This gaudy tone caught everyone’s eye through one viral garment: a tight-fitting perkins-neck sweater that was displayed brazenly with the same blinding force of a lightning bolt . Fluorescent green in all its glory! This garment was shown in different versions and by several different companies – both design and low cost – who adapted it in their own way. The lime green jersey became the most coveted trend of the moment.

Subsequently this vibrant tone was one of the most repeated and adapted by those attending the international parades. It was worn in trousers, dresses and coats, also flirting with accessories-though to a lesser extent. The big brands reinforced their power by protecting neon colours -including the green in question – as one of the trends this summer. It is curious that of all the newly-popular colours this type of green was the best-acclaimed in the street, the thermometer which helps the sector to know what really people will wear or not, regardless of what fashion dictates.

A prominent role was played by the power of attraction of world-wide influencers and celebrities ,  who did not hesitate to dress in lime green: Kendall and Kylie Jenner , Chiara Ferragni and Blake Lively  dressed in looks favouring this colour and even dared to wear it in makeup. On the cat-walk this shade has seduced Balenciaga, Versace , Stella McCartney, Vetements , Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana, all of which have not hesitated to include lime green in their latest summer collections. Long live the most fashionable indiscretion!

And how is it worn ?

It is not easy to combine lime green. The key lies in the alliance of neutral tones such as the range of beiges and skin-colours or the incombustible white and/or black that represent the simplest and most practical option. Satin fabrics give the lime green more light and are flattering in flowing garments like skirts and dresses with movement. Smooth or stamped? Although the first option would be the most effective, it can also be mixed with prints and textures with relief . Our choice is for fabrics which play as different shades of lime green through geometric motifs, floral prints or embroidered sequins and in turn introduce other harmonious colours. Sometimes you don’t need to go for the strident version, you can still be trendy by discreetly opting for pastel colours. Here we are leaving you our inspirations in bold lime green. What do you think?

There are powerful alliances, which work perfectly because they arise naturally and spontaneously. And the result is most impressive when a whole team of professionals coordinates to achieve a single goal which goes beyond surprise or emotion. In this cTase we are talking about the union between fashion and music through our latest collaborations which can be seen in the latest edition of Primavera Sound with some talented names within each discipline. Yes, we are pleased to say that Gratacós has jumped onto the stage via the wardrobe of three young artists with a lot of potential: Rosalía, Nathy Peluso and María José Llergo.

What was the collaboration?

Following one of our principles as a company, which is to support future professionals within the sector, whether young talents or established designers, as well as to develop cooperation with them, we faced a very motivating challenge earlier this year. The companies Dominnico, headed by the Alicante designer Domingo Lázaro Rodríguez and Colmillo de Morsa, from Barcelona contacted us offering a collaborative project which had us hooked from the very first moment. These companies were going exclusively to design the costumes of Rosalía and Nathy Peluso, designs that the artists would exhibit in person during their promotional tours around the world. In the case of Primavera Sound we also had the collaboration of Manuel Bolaño who sought to surprise with a design created for the performance of the singer María José Llergo.

These companies, which are friends and customers, were looking for something innovative, exclusive and of high quality for the costumes of the artists, something that would cause a real stir for its creativity and exclusivity! They know that we as fabric designers can count on a range of creations which meet these needs. Moreover, sometimes it is through the raw materials – in this case the fabric – that from the start the craziest ideas take their shape. And that point of slightly mad experimentation is what  we adore and are entertained by ! In addition we firmly believe in the project of these three companies and the people behind them. So we were delighted to collaborate in the project of dressing three young divas of contemporary music at Primavera Sound .

For the occasion Dominnico chose a wonderful Jacquard padded in bubblegum pink with iridescent stitchings to create that stunning amazon look worn by Rosalia in her performance at Primavera Sound. That fabric was present in the corset which the Catalan artiste wore with pronounced shoulder pads . The outfit was complemented by a jacket and matching leggings, which were defined at the waist with gold appliques. This bold outfit,which was inspired by the ‘ Dirty ‘ style of Christina Aguilera also bore the design and styling of Daikyri , Rosalia’s sister.Nobody was left indifferent by this wardrobe . We should mention the sure value of Domminico , which already counts as clients other international fashion and show artists such as Lady Gaga, who has worn the brand on three occasions .

In the case of Colmillo de Morsa , the challenge was to dress Nathy Peluso , the Argentinian artist now based in Barcelona whose successful music ” is capable of making hip-hop danceable and accompanied by jazz”, and whose trap aesthetic  captivates the young generation Z. They also recently designed for Berskha a capsule collection which embodied their aesthetic references. The designer Elisabet Vallecillo chose a cotton embroidery to make the countless metres of ruffles that she used to design the spectacular cascaded skirt and the top with crossed neckline worn by the Argentine artist. The embroidery was white and the designer dyed it afterwards to achieve this reddish tone so exuberant for an outfit inspired by Havana.

Finally, Manuel Bolaño was commissioned to devise a spectacular coat for María José Llergo . The Cordovan singer of 24 years , resident in the Gràcia district of Barcelona, ​​is one of the young promises of singer-songwriting, as she writes and composes  with a very unique style of flamenco rooted in and linked to her land of origin. Bolaño chose  black taffeta to make for her a beautiful and impressive maxi coat that did not go unnoticed among the spectators of Primavera Sound .

The most appreciated is that in the three looks the designers respected the aesthetics of each artist, without losing their essence as creators. It is here when that magical fusion between fashion and music takes place. It is an art, through and through!

London pays tribute to Mary Quant (England 1930), living legend of fashion and guilty of stirring a whole era: the 60s with a garment of the most irreverent, the miniskirt. Although the authorship of such garment is disputed with the French couturier André Courrèges, “the mother of the miniskirt” knew how to popularize it and bring it closer to the whole world. “The goal of fashion is to make clothing available to everyone,” he used to remember. Now the Victoria & Albert museum praises this designer who revolutionized the fashion scene in that boiling decade so that the new generations know their great contribution up close. In the words of Jenny Lister, one of the curators of the exhibition, “Mary Quant is known as the architect of the democratization of fashion in the United Kingdom”.

The origin of the miniskirt is connected to the music, dance and urban fashion of the moment. It is said that he was born at the end of the 50s in North America and to dance the new rhythms of swing and rock, the skirts little by little were shortened. Who captured this progressive regression and this change was Quant, who in 1955 opened a small boutique called Bazaar in the street of King’s Road in the Chelsea neighborhood. To give visibility, Quant was among the first to adopt this garment that exposed the legs, knees and some calves, a real scandal in an era where conventions were challenged. Little by little, from her small store in London, the designer caught the attention of young people and the industry she saw in her miniskirts and brightly colored breastplates and brilliant finishes a glimpse of rebellion, transgression and freshness, three concepts that linked with the way of thinking of the new generations.

Mary Quant is the architect of the democratization of fashion in the United Kingdom

Quant had no specialized training in fashion and in fact her creations were the result of a personal apprenticeship that included experimentation with different materials. It was that courage and rebellious attitude that seduced the industry and became a reference for women of the time. Along with the modelTwiggy, Mary Quant made this short garment became the trademark not only of his clothing brand but also for a decade. A symbol was born. So much was his success that, in 1966, Queen Elizabeth II granted him the medal of the Order of the British Empire for his contribution to fashion, a distinction he picked up in Buckingham wearing one of his miniskirts.

The exhibition exposes 200 pieces in which the colorful and innovative identity of the British designer is reflected. It includes the famous skirts along with other designs, as well as accessories and cosmetics, in a striking chronological journey that covers from 1955 to 1975. Among accessories and dresses, the museum also collects a selection of clothing and photos of anonymous women wearing the designs of Quant which shows the importance of the miniskirt for a decade’s fashion. The exhibition will be open to the public until February 16, 2020.