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