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
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
Mircoles 02 noviembre 2016
Teresa Helbig is having a year full of celebrations and it’s no less than she deserves. She has been in the job for 20 years, in a world she has felt part of since childhood, amongst the fashions and fabrics of the haute couture studio where her mother Teresa worked. Her main mentor and together with her the rock base of the company. After an initial period in window display where she displayed with elegance the Gratacós shop windows in the legendary shop in Paseo de Gracia, the call to creativity crept up on the designer almost imperceptibly. It was at a party and all down to a spectacular dress with hand sewn feathers that she herself created. From there the first orders came and the made to measure outfits that she herself produced with her own personal style: feminine and rebellious at once. The phenomenon spread rapidly by word of mouth into the top spheres. It was then in 1966 that Teresa Helbig opened the doors of her studio in Barcelona Eixample, where it still is today. With a mixture of happiness, vertigo, a degree of fear, but really with a huge amount of happiness.
In these two decades in the job, Teresa Helbig has continued to enjoy her many successes and to learn from her disappointments, always remaining true to her coquettish “battle” style – for her warrier princesses – and her philosophy, which combines workmanship and passion for detail, seeking perfection via accessories and fabrics of the very top quality. And here we are proud that the designer is a Gratacós regular when it comes to selecting fabrics to later convert them into stunning dresses, draper shorts or 70s style blouses. Her famous “jewel garments” inspired in the muses of the sixties and seventies such as Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin, amongst other specific cultural references. Nowadays the “Helbig Gang” –the Helbig girls – are no other than the actresses Macarena Gómez or Úrsula Corberó, fans of her designs. Together with the Barcelona firm the latter have filmed a new short fashion film –which will soon see the light of the day.
Standing out amongst all the new elements of this year, and after a stunning commemorative parade in September on the Madrid catwalk which paid tribute to dance, is the launch of her first line of perfume. These are three fragrances inspired by the designer’s universe: “Teresa”, “Bullfog” and “Tanger” created jointly with the firm Carner Barcelona. Teresa Helbig also makes use of her online shop to further promote national and international sales. The icing on the cake of the celebrations of this memorable year, was a touching party and exhibition in the Sants Hivernacle of her most iconic dresses, accompanied by 20 thoughts that sum up the essential Helbig. Elegant and seductive models with that hint of rebelliousness such as the Medusa dress or the Little Black Dress which never fails. It’s not for nothing that this woman Teresa Helbig never goes unnoticed.
*Photography: Nuria Cienfuegos
Jueves 22 septiembre 2016
José María García has spent the last 4 years in charge of his female fashion brand, designing dresses and suits for special occasions in his workshop in Barcelona. Ze Garcia is synonymous of affordable haute couture for the modern, sensual and elegant woman. Each and every garment is made to measure, taking into account the style, personality and silhouette of the customer. Ze Garcia must have something special considering all the fashion instagrammers follow him. Including Dulceida who has confided her trust in the young Catalan designer and given him the task of designing her wedding dress. An online phenomenon that has caused a lot of sensation. Beyond this passing boom, Jose María García presses forward with his work at a steady pace and with very clear ideas…
Did you expect to be a dying sensation with the wedding designs for Dulceida? The social networks are still raving on about it….
These past few days have been crazy and we did not expect this media coverage. The number of my followers has increased drastically. I’d already worked with Dulceida in the past with other designs for different events she had attended, but it is true that the wedding has been a complete boom.
The big wedding brands such as Pronovias or Rosa Clará were chasing after the famous dress…
I know, I know. However, Aida and I are friends and she has always trusted me; both as a designer and as a friend. I have been working with her for many years and I know her tastes and her measurements and I know I won’t let her down. It was a great pleasure for me to be given the the responsability of designing her two wedding dresses and also her girlfriend Albas´. This has allowed me to do three styles: one princess style dress with 40 metres of tulle, another more bohemian one like what is in fashion now and the third a tailored suit with a V-neck body which is what Im most used to doing.
«Dulceida has given me the responsability of designing her wedding dresses»
This has allowed you to experiment with a variety of styles….
Exactly! For me, the most important part of this experience has been that I have not been pigeon-holed into one concrete style, but I’ve been able to adapt the style to each girl.
With so many admirers, have the complements or criticisms affected you?
Its been fine, because my main worry was if the dresses were made up correctly at a technical level and also the brides’ expectations. Obviously everyone has different tastes so there will be people who like them alot and others who do not.
The fabric for the wedding dresses was bought from Gratacós, but its true that you often confide in us…
I’ve confided in you for a long time now. The quality of fabrics in your shop is the best. It is true that I vary where I buy my fabrics from, but you have always been a reference for me. When you need a “top” fabric, you can find it in Gratacós.
«When you need a “top” fabric, you can find it in Gratacós»
How did you start out in the design world? You mentioned that you were born with it in your blood….
I always wanted to be a designer and I was sure of this ever since I was little. I started sewing classes at 12 and I later realized I needed to learn the trade so I began studing at the Technical Art Fashion School in the Ramon LLul University in Barcelona. When I finished my studies, I began working for Emporio Armani in charge of visual image – shop window displays and styles. After working with several brands, I decided to begin my own.
How do you differentiate yourself from your competition?
The designers approach, personal taste and the things you bet on are important. Every brand has its creators signature and in ZE García its me myself.
What do you offer your customer?
I always attend to them. In fact, I always do this; I assist more than I design. Nowadays it is more important to know how to sell than what to sell.
«Its more important to assist than design»
How do you work in Ze García?
Always upon request. The customer comes to our showroom in C/Tuset and there they can take a look at our best selling garments that are on show. These are generally single garments rather than made up dresses, because the type of customer who comes to us has many events, so what we aim to do as a brand is that from one dress we can do various options.
What type of customers do you have?
A typical customer is a young attractive girl from 20 to 35 years old. Im really lucky!- he says smiling.
Which other celebrities have worn your designs?
The majority of fashion instagrammers such as Belén Hostalet or Inés Arroyo and actresses such as
Thaïs Blume who came here to Gratacós. Im quite selective when it comes to actresses and I always decide who I want to wear my designs.
What challenges lay ahead for the upcoming years?
At the moment, stay as I am at a sure and steady pace. My brand has been running for 4 years (he is now 28 years old) and I want to mature as a designer with it. I enjoy everything a lot more if things just happen without planning.
Questionnaire Gratacós
An essential garment… For a girl, a Vneck
A fetish fabric… Something that is shiny and conjures up the night
A colour you could not live without.. Black and red
A designer you admire… Tom Ford. I find him good in design and also at selling
An infallible style rule… A masculine-feminine mix
Your preferred space in Barcelona… I know so many different places that right now I cannot answer
A piece of advice for those starting out… Focus on what you want to do
Your leitmotif… Slowly but surely
Jueves 01 septiembre 2016
Striped fabrics are one of the trends this season in their most colourful and eyecatching version regardless of the thickness of the stripes and the tones used. Creativity above all.
The Spring-Summer 2016 Brain & Beast collection presented last year at the 080 Barcelona Fashion maintains the spirit of the Barcelona born brand created by Ángel Vilda. Peculiar guessing games with styles inspired in contemporary culture. Amongst the multitude of looks that are included in the ‘Decalogue, part X Insomia’ collection, the mikado striped skirts stand out by adding a theatrical tone to the already dramatic outfits. On the catwalk, it is known that the show is priority, more than the attention to design details.
These original skirts come in various forms: poppy, pencil or asymmetric cut and are elaborated with Gratacós fabrics. Plain mikados cut in multicolour strips to create this graphic print.
Actually, Brain&Beast is one of our regular customers and year after year renews their trust in us.
Gratacós has different coloured mikados to create new combinations, as explosive as your imagination will permit. You can find them here.
He has been in the sector for more than two decades, but he maintains the same passion as the day he begun. Santos López is the designer for Santocostura. Fom his workshop in Barcelona, he directs an artisan bridal brand with made to measure garments using quality fabrics and unique embroidery. His collections know no trends or fads and maintain a sophisticated timelessness with perfectly cut silhouettes. The Santoscostura dresses have appeared in a number of magazines and have been centre of attention on the red carpet. Nevertheless Santos López knows that being in the spotlight is one thing, but to get to the top, one must work very hard.
You define yourself as an artisan, rather than a designer.…
The value of our brand comes down to making artisan dresses with unique details that can only be done by working with one garment at a time. I like to preserve the traditional way of working with my hands, because handicraft is something that is coming to an end in Alta Costura.
Why?
At University, they forget to teach the most essential part of a business and I am not referring to the designer, who I do not deny is the soul, but they do not show the work of those who sew. They do not show the students how to sew and this is a skill that is disappearing. There is a general belief that it is a devalued job that does not require training, but this is not the case and the truth is we are losing workforce. When the seamstresses no longer exist, Alta Costura will disappear because this art that can not be exported to China nor India.
Despite this, we are going back to our traditional ways, or at least we are more conscientious …
Here is the inconsistency. Consumers value handicraft and customisation, but we are missing artisans to carry out this type of work.
«Consumers value handicraft but we are missing artisans»
Did you inherit your passion for sewing?
Yes, but not in a professional way. I studied Fine Arts because there were no specific university degrees for fashion. I later did various pattern and garment making courses and I learnt by myself. I never doubted this was meant for me.
Do you have any childhood memories?
I remember when my grandmother and I sewed laces together.
What was the first thing you sewed?
A bridal dress for one of my sisters dolls. I think it was a Nancy doll.
What did you learn in your first job?
That you need to work hard. The catwalks and the attention from the media are secondary,. You concentrate on designing and producing. It takes a lot of hours and a lot of effort.
What appealed to you about the bridal sector?
When I was 12, I read a book on the history of fashion and I recall being fascinated by it, especially two pages that talked about brides. When I finally decided to launch the Brand, I wanted to do something very artisinal. In the bridal sector there is always a lot more margin for handicraft and on top of that you are offering a daydream.
«In bridal, aswell as offering handicraft, you are offering a daydream»
What creative process do you follow in Santos Costura?
We work in two different ways. Firstly, we decide on a leitmotif and as from there we work on the collection with previously used fabrics that we join together with other embroidery that we make ourselves. The structured way would be think of the idea, draw the design, the patterns and prototypes. Secondly, we talk to the customer and gather up her ideas and tastes and we modify the garment in the collection until it meets her expectations.
What is the Santos Costura bride looking for?
They are looking for exclusivity and something that reflects their personality. It is true that our collection has a specific style to it but we adapt to what the customer wants so that that the bride does not feel like she is wearing fancy dress. The dress has to be in line with her style.
…And more so in the bridal sector where more than dresses, it is emotions that are sold.
Exactly! That is what we sell. Our work process with the customer is always very close and even though it is my team that starts dealing with the customer, I am always present at some time. I like to meet the brides and attend to them personally. I also like to be there in the dress fitting because it is important that they feel comfortable and I check that nothing has been missed.
What are the trends for 2017?
In the last few years we have gone from vintage to boho-chic gypsy style. This has completely changed now. At least with the brides I deal with. Now we find ourselves with a much more sophisticated bride, that does not want such a big dress, that likes transparencies to insinuate but now to show, with much more elaborated details like gemstones on the dress. These brides want a long sleeved dress, a closed neck and a large opening at the back. There is also a tendency to go back to the basics with a closed plain crepe dress. In general, there is retraint in manners and a sophistication in the small details.
«In general, there is restraint in manners and a sophistication in the small details.»
What are you goals for next year?
The brand is growing alot and I am thinking of things that I did not contemplate when I launched the company. People ask me for dresses from all over the world and my goal is to maintain demand without missing the little details. It is true that in exterior sales points we cannot offer customisation of the dress. We are currently thinking of designing a small collection so that brides that live abroad can have a bit of scope to modify the dress.
The Gratacós questionnaire…
An essential garment…. Some stilettos
A fetiche fabric… Lace
A colour you could not live without… Black
A designer you admire… The maestro Balenciaga and Josep Font de Delpozo
An infallible style rule… Dont look like you’re wearing fancy dress, be true to yourself
Your favourite place in Barcelona… The port
A piece of advise for designers starting out… Be prepared to work hard and never lose your passion
Your vital slogan… Above all honesty
We love brands with their own style. Those that have originality with emerging or reknowned designers who dedicate all their passion to the needles to create garments that transmit their knowledge and personality within the sector.
For a few years now, a lot of these brands get together in one ephemeral space and exhibit together their latest seasonal offers in order to gain international recognition. It is known that unity is strength…This pop up store is called Barcelona Designers Collective and is sponsored by La Roca Village with the commisiary of FAD (“Fomento de las Arts y del Diseño”– Arts and Design Promotion). The aim of this store is to discover, promote and sustain emerging talent and entrepreneurial vocation.
This ephemeral shop situated in the La Roca Village, houses in one space 300 products of up to 62 catalan creators specialized in fashion, graphic design, illustration, product design, crafts and jewellery . With a casual modern air, these articles fits in very well with the luxury offered in this famous outlet.
In this third edition, participation included designers such as Less-Filling, PeBe, Congo Studio, Naguisa, Après Sky, Zazo&Brull, Georgina Vendrell, Mireia Playa, Romina Gris, Casa Atlántica, Sampere or Safura, amongst others. These were sponsored by well known professionals from various design and creative fields such as Benedetta Tagliabue, Biel Capllonch, Lázaro Rosa-Violán, the chefs Hermanos Torres, Claret Serrahima, Eugeni Quitllet, Miriam Ponsa and Marc Monzó.
All good things come to an end and this temporary shop will be open until the 16th August. It is a good opportunity to get to know the strength and creativity of emerging talent with fresh and summery proposals. We welcome the initiative!
It awakes passions and drives crazy the professionals of the sector. Shoes are a lot more than a fashion obsession. They are the essential accessory to complete a look or more so, define one. In the busy quarter of Gràcia, renowned for its designer shops, there is a space that is leading the way with the originality of its creations.
With a French name, a Spanish origin and a British inspiration, Les Chausseurs is one of those brands whose shop bears the same name, and where one can find genuine works of art. Situated in the Martínez de la Rosa 67 street, it specializes in men and women’s footwear and reinterprets the classic English styles such as the Oxford shoes or the Chelsea boots. This project was launched in 2015 by the entrepreneur and designer Lambert Perera –renowned for also being the creator of the shoes and accessories brand Mus&Roew. Together with his partner María Reyes, they dedicate all their efforts in maintaining the business afloat, and so far it is booming. Thanks to their presence in specialized trade fairs, the network of international customers is continually growing and next year they are already planning to open a second shop and a corner in a shopping centre in Korea.
The footwear is designed in Barcelona and produced in Almansa. It is intended for the modern day dandy looking for the comfort of a good sole without forgoing style. City dwellers that wish to combine elegance with sport for every day wear and appreciate the value of exclusivity and beauty this handicraft bears. Aswell as the shoes, there are other accessories in Les Chausseurs that maintain the same line. For example the Bulgarian silk scarves by Shevitza, the Many Mornings unisex socks, jewellery made by the Madrid based brand Pena Jewels and the interior design pieces by the Basque brand Banoa.
In Gratacós we appreciate design, brands with their own name and charming businesses like this one by Lambert Perera who we have had the pleasure of seeing purchasing in our shop. Who knows…perhaps in the future we will see a new model elaborated with our fabrics!
Banoa,
gratacos,
Lamebert Perera,
Les Chausseurs,
Made in BCN,
Many Mornings,
Mus&Roew,
Pena Jewels,
Shevitza,
TeJidos Barcelona,
Zapatos de diseño
Samuel Alarcón has once again shown his talent for knitting needles with his new project ‘Etimología del Yo’, presented last week at 080 Barcelona Fashion. The young designer from the Canary Islands –who currently resides in Barcelona, reflected on identity through the agender trend. He did so by making the common theme of his project clothes that do not differentiate gender. This groundbreaking project marks a turning point for the current canons of beauty that are displayed on the catwalk.
Knitted garments are the main form of expression in his collection. Actually, it forms part of Samuel Alarcón’s identity. Aswell as the star fabric, the young talent used other materials to define his style on the catwalk, some of which were acquired in Gratacós. For example the wool crepe in brown, off white and pink shades, that he mixed masterfully with other colours such as black and yellow creating inviting colour blocks.
His collection for next summer also included details that did not get left unnoticed. Romantic key hibiscous flowers on the chest, endless tassles that portrayed movement and voluminous waists in trousers for both men and women. For Samuel Alarcón there are no distinctions because fashion is the same for everyone.
Find the Gratacós fabrics the designer has used here: http://www.gratacos.com/shoponline/en/
