Xevi Fernández

Jueves 14 junio 2018

(Español) El 080 Barcelona Fashion más marítimo

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Martes 13 junio 2017

Alone with … Xevi Fernández


Xevi Fernández is taking off with his own brand-name. From his atelier in Barcelona he works by order with a team of suppliers and soon he will be beginning international marketing.  This September he will present in Madrid his third collection.  It is an offering which presents fabrics, textures and colours that do not abandon the essence of the Empordà designer who has already won prizes in reputed competitions in Berlin and Bilbao.  Let’s get to know more closely this disciple of Josep Font …

Your passion for fashion began in a haberdashery shop…

Yes, as a child I spent every afternoon in the family haberdashery in Bisbal de l’Empordà and I was surrounded by the women of the town who came to sew.  I watched carefully what they did and I started to become interested in this world.  Later I studied a style course and in ICM (Catalan Fashion Institute) I made patterns, which was what interested me the most. That was in 2010.

Little by little you found your place…

I went in for in several competitions and won them and this was an incentive to start my career as a designer.  In the future I do not rule out collaborating with other brands, but now I want to focus on creating my own clothes.

“In the future I do not rule out collaborating with other brands”

What is your identity?

I have a hard time defining it because I do a little of what I like and the clientèle I cover is quite broad.  Men, women, young or more mature.

Do not you think that diversification can be a handicap?

I do not see it that way myself although I have to confess that if it were only for me I would focus on men’s fashion.

So why do not you specialize?

As far as customers are concerned, women are the ones that people most design for, although this is changing and it seems to be balancing out.  Men are more and more demanding and want to have the same possibilities as women.  That is why I do not discount focusing on men’s fashion in the future

“Men are more and more demanding and want to have the same possibilities as women”

When did you start doing catwalk shows?

Last year with SAMSUNG EGO at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Madrid.  Now next September I will be presenting the third collection of young designers on the catwalk.

Why did you decide to go for Madrid?

Because right now it’s the only platform out there that gives visibility to emerging talent. The experience has always been very positive and I want to continue in the city.  Yes, it is true that I appeared in a Modafad long ago in Barcelona, but it was not a competition and when I wanted to participate, the platform was already being dismantled.

What has it brought you?

A great deal!  If I’m where I am, it’s thanks to EGO.  They deal very well with the press and contacts … For me it has been a very good platform to get my work known.

“EGO is a very good platform to get my work known”

Can you give us more details about the new collection?

What I offer is much more commercial than experimental.  I’ll leave aside some materials such as latex which on the catwalk are very flashy, but then don’t sell.  In this new collection there will be a couple of pieces of latex so as not to break with the style, but the fabrics and colours that I will use will not be so acidic, but more neutral.

You’re going to tone down…

Without leaving aside the identity.  First you seek to get attention and afterwards what you do is commercialized.

How do you work day to day in order to produce the orders?

I work in my atelier in Barcelona with a team that is not fixed because we work to order and I am collaborating with several professionals to produce each garment.  I am in my studio alone and I organize things according to demand.

“First you seek to attract attention and afterwards what you do is commercialize”

You do not have marketing points, I suppose you live by word of mouth …

Now I will be starting an online marketing strategy with designer platforms and in parallel I will be looking for specific sales points.

We’re interviewing you when things are taking off…

Exactly.

What is your link with Gratacós and why are they worthy of your trust?

I discovered the shop when I was studying and always came looking for some fabric for my first collections.  Then for me it was a little inaccessible given the prices compared to other businesses, although the quality of fabrics they have here is very high.  When I was accepted to parade in Madrid I went straight to the shop and I took your advice when looking for the fabrics that had in mind.

“When I was accepted to catwalk in Madrid I went straight to Gratacós and took your advice”

Apart from the premium quality the proximity..

Totally and it is very easy to talk to you.  The place is very cozy and aesthetic ally it is fantastic.  I’m very happy!

What challenges do you give yourself after September?

We’ll see, I am now focused on making the collection that will be called ‘The Bird Boy’ and soon I will be entering into collaboration with a footwear brand.

The Gratacós questionnaire …

Your essential garment … A coat

A fetish fabric …  The silk georgette

A color that you will never abandon … Yellow

The designer you admire … Josep Font

Unerring style rule … Use plenty of black

Your favorite area of Barcelona … Walking through the Eixample

A tip for designers starting … Consistency

Your ‘leitmotif’ … Follow your instincts

Martes 11 octubre 2016

Xevi Fernández, fashion in this digital age

xevi fernandez - samsung ego - gratacos

Xevi Fernández made his personal mark in the last edition of the Samsung Ego catwalk show at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Madrid. Something which is very difficult given the creative proposals that are exhibited in each show. The Empordà designer, who trained in Barcelona, chose once again a futuristic theme as his focus point in a masculine and feminine collection that was both contemporary and 100% wearable.

Under the name of “Delay”, the Spring-Summer 2017 collection is inspired in the most common errors of this digital age –glitches, gliasing, bugs – that upon reading form erroneous figures or images due to files wrongly coded or damaged. Xevi Fernández bases himself on this paradox and reflects these errors in textures, fabrics and prints, depriving them of their negative connotations and showing their constructive and generating potential.

It is precisely in this collection that there has been exceptional work gone into the textures and different materials that become distorted using different techniques. Latex is presented pleated, the leather is altered using moulds that deform it, neoprene is printed on and the tulle acquires more volume by using various layers. The designer has used Gratacós fabrics to elaborate some of the looks exhibited on the Madrid catwalk show for original young talents.

In Delay, the colours are inspired also in the glicht, even as a print, pastel tones such as yellow, pink and pale blue mix together with lilac and black. Shapes range from narrow garments that completely show off the figure to oversize clothes such as kimonos or parkas, aswell as straight cut A-Line style garments.

As a final touch to the show, the all-round burlesque artist Vinila von Bismark was in charge of opening and closing the show with two of the most representative looks of the collection.

This is the second edition of the Samsung Ego show that Xevi Fernández has participated in following his debut with “The Last Future”. A promising creator that will go far. In Gratacós we will keep a close eye on him.

xevi fernandez - samsung ego - gratacos

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FOTO UGO CAMERA/IFEMA

FOTO UGO CAMERA/IFEMA

FOTO UGO CAMERA/IFEMA

FOTO UGO CAMERA/IFEMA

FOTO UGO CAMERA/IFEMA

xevi fernandez - samsung ego - gratacos

xevi fernandez - samsung ego - gratacos

Martes 13 septiembre 2016

A lease of renewed momentum for Spanish Fashion

September is the month of Fashion with new editions of the most prestigious fashion catwalks worldwide. After New York, the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid takes place in the Spanish capital. This upmost important event with the “made in Spain” design, takes place from the 15th to the 20th September in the exhibition hall 14.1 of the IFEMA Madrid trade fair.

The show brings together 41 Spanish creators (and 1 international designer from Kiev) who will present their Spring-Summer 2017 collections in an innovative way. The novelties include the incorporation of the creator Leandro Cano and also Malne, a brand created by Juanjo Mánez and Paloma Álvarez of unique and elegant garments. These conclude the catwalk shows of established designers in this edition.

Gratacós would like to highlight the participation of Catalan designers who confide in the family business. For example Andrés Sardá or Teresa Helbig and also other Spanish creators that receive their support such as Ángel Schlesser, Roberto Torreta, Juan Vidal, Amaya Arzuaga or The 2nd Skin Co, amongst others.

As is the custom, the last day of the catwalk show is dedicated to emerging design with a new edition of Samsung EGO. Furthermore, 15 young creators will present their designs in the Cibelesespacio Samsung Ego Showroom, with direct sales to the public during the days of the event. In this category, Gratacós would like to mention two young designers with a promising career:

1. Xevi Fernández

This designer from Empordà, studied in Barcelona in the Institut Català de la Moda. During his training, he won various competitions including ‘Young Talent Prize Bread & Butter’ 2009 in Berlín. His first collection “Nuclear” was awarded the prize of Best Masculine Collection by Creamoda in Bilbao. Xevi Fernández carried out his first work together with the designer Josep Font and this is where his interest began in the handicraft aspect of Haute Couture. The young designer has already participated in the Madrid catwalk show with his latest collection “The Last Future”, a collection with futuristic airs that reflects upon technology and society.

Xevi Fernández - gratacos

Xevi Fernández - gratacos

juan carlos pajares - gratacos

Xevi Fernández - gratacos

Xevi Fernández - gratacos

Xevi Fernández - gratacos

Xevi Fernández - gratacos

2. Juan Carlos Pajares

This 23 year old designer from Guadalajara is one of the fashion entrepreneurs with most influence. He studied in Saint Martins school in London and debuted last year in the Samsung Ego catwalk show with his collection Form Follow Function’ that did not leave anyone indifferent. So much so that some Spanish celebrities such as Nieves Álvarez, Berta Vázquez or Dafne Fernández have already been seen wearing some of his outfits at different events.

juan carlos pajares - gratacos

juan carlos pajares - gratacos

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid - gratacos

juan carlos pajares - gratacos

juan carlos pajares - gratacos

juan carlos pajares - gratacos

juan carlos pajares - gratacos