Barcelona launches at the Museum of History of Catalonia the exhibition Moda i modistes, a show that extols the craft of fashion designers and their contribution to fashion throughout the 20th century. This traditional and craft occupation was carried out by women who represented at the time a platform for female emancipation in the workplace, with regard to both business and creativity. It was an activity, connected with fashion, that helped develop the textile and commerce industry of the time. Their intensive work has always required knowledge, skill and dedication, and sometimes all this know-how has remained in the shade, apart from the big names of design and brands. For this reason Moda i modistes represents a broad look at the work and career of many women who have remained anonymous apart from in the spoken memories of their immediate family or traditional clientele.

The exhibition is divided into several sections, where the profession develops through the history of clothing, social changes with the emancipation of women and the evolution and know-how of the trade during the past century to this day. Below, we will give you a brief summary of what can be seen in this sample.

Needle workers

Women managed to claim their own space in the art of making dresses at the end of the 19th century. Before it was a trade reserved for tailors, and women hardly had access to clothing if it was not via their family or as collaborators. It was at this time and in the first decade of the twentieth century, when the work of dressmaker became one of the main forms of employment of women in the workplace, apart from factory work and among certain other professions such as teaching

Dressmaking spread because to learn the trade one did not necessarily have to go to any school, but it was sufficient to learn in a workshop or even self-taught from manuals of dressmaking , and also because this learning offered the possibility of working independently once the technique was mastered.

This time also coincided with the beginning of feminism and the birth of several initiatives aimed at protecting workers in the sector.

Dressmaker by profession, an expanding trade

Dressmakers represented a very varied group that were often outside the guilds and workers’ organizations: they could work in a small workshop of their own, in that of an established dressmaker, in a haute couture house or go to sew in private homes. In the trade there were many categories, depending on the skill, good taste, and, above all, the clientele they had.

Until prêt-à-porter expanded globally many dressmakers needed to make clothing for the different social classes. The capitals of province and county and large cities brought together a large number of dressmakers, but also each small town and each town had its dressmakers, with a very loyal clientele. In the scale of the trade there were many categories, from the caretaker who also worked as dressmaker, because she had enough time at work, to renowned dressmakers, alternatively those with a humble clientele, those who worked for others, whether at home or in the different workshops, those that did their sewing at home, those that had a certain reputation, though not a label, either out of discretion or to save money, or those that, with the pride of a job well done, put their name on each piece.

And what were their sources of inspiration? As a general rule dressmakers were more followers than non-creators and interpreted in their own way the fashion trends of each decade and, in turn, adapted it to the tastes, size and different economic means of each client. The magazines, the parades where the trends of each season were made known, the cinema, with the irruption of iconic stars and the street were constant sources of inspiration.

In fact, from the work done by the dressmakers, you can review the fashion of almost the entire 20th century until prêt-à-porter became consolidated. The haute couture houses of Paris, Milan or Barcelona dictated the trends, they invented models and had a reduced and elitist production. Dressmakers, who were then counted in thousands, were the main customers of the textile industry because they bought or recommended buying fabrics and materials fabrics for their clientele. This in turn favoured commerce, generated income in the big fashion-houses by buying patterns and glasilla, encouraged workshops specializing in embroidery and pleats, generated jobs in a process of development of the craft down to the present day.

The legacy stays alive

Times have changed and today this profession is the strength of yesteryear. Even so, the legacy of dressmakers is still alive, it has simply been transformed. The new dressmakers continue to make clothing adjustments for stores and individuals, they also work for clothing factories and carry out pattern making and prototypes for large companies that are then manufactured outside. In parallel, there has also emerged a new generation of young designers offering a limited handicraft product which is a counter to industrial production on a large scale and of dubious quality. The work of these dressmakers is to revalue hand-made fashion, personalization and exclusive garments for a customer who values ​​the art and effort that goes into hand-made garments.

The exhibition Moda i Modistes opens today at the Museum of History of Catalonia and can be visited until 13th October 2019. It is a good opportunity to discover the legacy and evolution of this craftsmanship centennial.

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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.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Spanish.

Sorry, this entry is only available in European Spanish.

The Colour Community has just presented the new report of colours and materials that will influence the Autumn-Winter season 2020-2021 in the world of design and fashion. The initiative, led by three colour professionals , was presented, as usual, in the Old Estrella Damm Factory in Barcelona  before the watchful eye of a hundred enthusiasts from the sector. We remind you that the founding team is made up of the architect Pere Ortega , the designer specialized in Colour & Trim , Eva Muñoz ; and Rosa Pujol , Textile & Colour Stylist from Gratacós . In each issue new partners are added to this “mother team”who bring their vision and help shape the new range of colours and materials that will inspire the new season. It is an initiative that is repeated twice a year and that has our support. ” Gratacós always has the doors open to our fashion- area, for every lover of fabric, texture and colour,” declares Juan Gratacós at the beginning of the presentation of the report .

Juan Gratacós : ” Our fashion-area is always open to lovers of fabric, textures and colour”

On this occasion the season is based on the concept of ‘ Multiple ‘ and consists of a reflection in a positive key about the future society where the line between the real and the virtual will be more diffuse than ever . ” Currently  this virtual reality exists on social networks or in videogames  but little by little it will become as tangible as what we now call reality,” explains Pere Ortega in presenting the report. The ‘ Multiple ‘ proposal , in turn, is articulated through four colour ranges and materials which are named On , Inside , Balanced and Metronome .

Pere Ortega: “Currently this virtual reality exists on social networks or in videogames but little by little, it will become as tangible as what we now call reality”

1.- On

The first inspiration appeals to dynamism, to the creation of a dialogue with new realities that are virtual. It is a dynamic and versatile range that creates products connected to the human being in a digital environment. The shades chosen to conceptualize it are the cold ones in their most attractive version: metallic greys, iridescents, smoky blues, bright blacks and touches of yellow that play in contrast. The range of industrial and futuristic themes plays with plastic, oily materials, straight and curved architectural lines and artificial shapes. Fantasy under control.

2. Inside

The second range is more dense and theatrical than the first. It works with the realities that look back at the past, in a kind of retrospective. The shades that are used to give it shape are the browns, purples, deep blues and the metallic range that always appears in each of the four inspirations as a common link.  Floral prints, organic shapes, sinuous lines, elements of nature, upholstery … all these elements influence this intimate range that takes as its model the baroque of Versailles in its most contemporary version.

3. Balanced

The third inspiration is based on the concept of balance and chromatic harmonies. It is a modest range that is inspired by the shapes and textures of nature and works with craftsmanship in a very folky way. The predominant colours refer to autumn: the beiges, earth-coloured , whites, metallics and forest greens mixed with vibrant blues.  Rough surfaces,skins, the most basic geometric elements and tribal influence are also treated in this folk range.

4. Metronome

Finally, the fourth inspiration is based on the metronome’s rhythm, with elements in movement that follow its beat: it is a work of colours that come and go and in turn play on the contrasts. This range belongs to the world of the city: it is urban, cosmopolitan and youthful. It is inspired by all the multiplicity of people, tribes and individuals that coexist within the same community. There are plenty of grey shades, silver and metallic details on smooth surfaces that contrast with graphic elements and arty patterns. Denim and overlays of garments, understood as a show of expression, configure the different identities that make up the same city.

Are you ready to play? To play the game in its broadest sense. The game as fun, where there is space for experimentation mixed with hints of entertainment and large doses of curiosity. In this new season that we are premiering we pay homage to leisure, to recreation, to freedom in a collection that is inspired, as could not be otherwise, by the concept of ‘ Play ‘. It is a presentation which is both sophisticated and casual, which focuses on colour, movement with light fabrics and craftsmanship for the warmer months of the year. This Spring-Summer 2019 collection has a large dose of creativity and ingenuity on the part of our design team, who make Gratacós a luxury fabric company with a defined style and personality. So let’s enjoy the latest creation we have prepared with the intention once again to surprise and excite. Let’s play together: Let’s play!

“Play is a sophisticated and casual presentation which at the same time goes for colour, movement and craftsmanship”

General concept

‘Play’ is a sympathetic collection that seeks at first glance to combine apparent simplicity with products that are attractive and appealing. It is an aesthetic presentation based on timeless articles far away from extravagance and artificiality, but these have to provide a distinctive feature, a certain personality. We are not seeking the versatile and basic, which is somewhat insipid, but rather to give it a creative turn. In parallel we are bringing back the characteristic features of folk culture and opting for craftsmanship to present traditional fabrics with rustic aspects and manual details.

“We are seeking to combine apparent simplicity with attractive and seductive products at first glance”

Fabrics

The objective of this collection is to revitalize the luxury of textures and materials. To achieve the new basics we use impeccable fabrics with clean and serene appearances. We also go for colourful Jacquards with tactile reliefs, fluid fabrics of silk or polyester of delicate appearance, gauzes with transparencies, dense satins, iridescent materials that captive the light or floral prints of watercolors. At the same time, within the folk trend, we are bringing back granular textures, fibrous and light aspects that show the relief through the thread-work, the hand-made reliefs and the embroidery with motifs inspired by nature.

“We are revitalizing the luxury of textures and materials”

Colours

The range of colours evolves from the natural to the artificial. Thus pastel shades and soft,sweet shades give way to the most vivid colours in a smooth transition and in a key feminine way . The most vibrant tones are used for details. ‘Play’ is also a collection dedicated to light, that’s why it also opts for the iridescent, transparent and nacreous with a nod and a wink to things nautical.

Discover some inspirations in our new lookbook Spring – Summer 2019! click here.

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Pink is no longer just a colour traditionally attributed to femininity, charm or politeness. The shade that comes from the name of a flower has been stripped of its delicate attributes to present brand new symbolisms that evoke courage, strength or bravery. Pink Power has arrived in the fashion industry. We are not talking about just any pink. This shade of pink refers to a shocking pink, the strong and bright pink that has something of violet and that the colour experts call “magenta “.

Did you know…

Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli , who brought the ideas of surrealist painters to fashion, launched a new colour in 1931: shocking pink , a mixture of magenta and a hint of white (similar to fuchsia),a colour that the designer used in fashion to provoke and challenge the established norms. In parallel he also created a perfume with the same name and it was sold in a box of that colour, inside which was a bottle with the shape of a female bust. This launch literally left the audience in shock because nobody had believed that pink could be so aggressive. This pink does not have any of the traditional feminine qualities.

The pink revolution

Pink is and still is in vogue. Apart from the shade linked to a generation, millennial pink, the fashion industry has taken advantage of the pull of popularity of this controversial colour to increase the presence of the shade in clothes, complements and accessories with its brightness and a certain rebelliousness. Pink shows charisma. It was not for nothing that it was one of the favourite colours displayed on the red carpet of the 2019 Oscars. And it is well-known that on the most powerful and influential red carpet in the world there is nothing left to chance.

The actress Julia Roberts wore pink when she presented the award for best film ‘Green Book’ clad in a dress by Elie Saab, a design with asymmetrical cut, gathered at the waist and low with ruffles of different length that put the finishing touch to the gala. Also in vibrant pink was the much- commented styling of Linda Cardellini signed by Schiaparelli made in tulle with V-neckline, asymmetric length and a delicate tail that extended along the floor. Or the stunning design by Valentino with a raised neck worn by British actress and model Gemma Chan.

Pink was also the favourite color for Sarah Paulson, the actress of ‘American Horror Story ‘ who succumbed to its power with an expansive dress with a cut- out opening by Brandon Maxwell. For her part the British actress Helen Mirren wore a flowing dress by Schiaparelli, a creation with V-shaped neckline and ruching at the waist that played with different intensities of pink. Angela Basset, one of the actresses in the film ‘Black Panther ‘ also opted for the brightest and most metallic version of this colour in a ReemAcra model with asymmetric neckline.

There is no doubt that pink will give us much to talk about in 2019.

The news left the fashion industry in shock. Somehow it is orphaned after losing one of its flagship (and controversial) contemporary designers. The era of Karl Lagerfeld has come to an end and perhaps it is still hard to believe that there could be limits for this tireless mind that stayed in the business until the end . The iconic couturier of German origin died last Tuesday at age 85 in Paris. There were rumours that Karl’s health was weakened or that his retirement was imminent . In fact his absence from the spring-summer 2019 fashion show last January had already triggered the first alarms, since the Kaiser of fashion had not missed any of his appointments since his beginnings in Chanel in 1983. He was considered the longest-living designer to be at the head of a maison de couture. Together with Armani, who remained active and a creative director well into his 80s , he was a recognized artist world-wide. We should never forget that homage was paid to Karl Lagerfeld and his career at the British Fashion Awards in 2016.

Condolences for the loss of Karl Lagerfeld have poured in and prominent among the avalanche of celebrated personalities in the sector who have expressed their grief and praised the genius of the Kaiser are the statements put out by the three companies for which he worked right up to his last moments : Fendi and Chanel .”We owe him a lot: his good taste and talent were the most exceptional I’ve ever seen,” declared his friend Bernard Arnault , president and CEO of the luxury empire LVMH. “I will always remember his immense imagination, his ability to conceive new trends, his inexhaustible energy, the virtuosity of his drawings , his carefully guarded independence, his encyclopedic culture and his unique humour and eloquence.” For its part , via a statement Chanel has also expressed grief for the loss, praising the figure of Karl as key to the process of resurrection of the French maison . In the words of Alain Wertheimer, CEO of Chanel…. “thanks to his creative genius, generosity and exceptional intuition, Karl Lagerfeld was ahead of his time, which greatly contributed to the success of Chanel throughout the world . ” Karl also headed the company with his own name. Pier Paolo Righi, CEO of Karl Lagerfeld stated… “the world has lost an icon. Karl Lagerfeld was a creative genius, influential, inventive, strong and passionate. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as one of the great designers of our time. “

The man who resurrected Chanel

With his extensive and prolific career, the versatile Karl Lagerfeld , the Kaiser has gone down in history as the artistic director who managed to resurrect a company that was considered antiquated. Yes, we are talking about Chanel , a business that 36 years ago was in decline. “We have lost an extraordinary creative mind to whom I gave carte blanche at the beginning of the 80s to reinvent the brand,” Chanel president Alain Wertheimer recalled in the same statement. Thus Karl inherited the creativity of Gabrielle’s empire in January 1983 and with it the most difficult thing: he managed to modernize the classics of the famous maison without losing its essence: the tweed ensembles, the black dresses, the iconic handbags, the pearls, the two- coloured shoes , the camelias … Everything that happened under the lens of Karl received a new re-focus in accordance with the clientèle and the needs of each era. This positioned Chanel again as a global and transversal business model that marked the foundations of the current luxury industry.

His work had no end and the rhythms were tachycardic. Lagerfeld created 10 annual collections for the French house and another two for the Italian Fendi. Now the artistic direction falls to Virginie Viard , his right hand. Viard worked hand in hand with the Kaiser for more than 30 years and in the same statement Chanel commissioned her ” to continue the legacy of Gabrielle and Karl. “

Nothing by halves

Karl Lagerfeld never left anyone indifferent. Neither by ethics nor by aesthetics. He was not a man who did things by halves. His style was his arms and exterior armour : always dressed in black, spotless white shirt , hair with short ponytail , dozens of rings, mittens and his unmistakable sunglasses. “I’m a caricature of myself, and I like it. For me, the carnival in Venice lasts all year, “he said. Nor did his controversial judgments pass unnoticed, a real “ kick in the teeth ” for those who received them. Decribing the singer Adele as “a little too fat” or controversial phrases like “I hate children”, “The middle class does not have enough class”, “Buy small sizes and eat less food , “ Floral prints are for fat middle-aged women “, ” Be politically correct, but don’t bother other people rest with conversations about being so… were some of these pearls from Lagerfeld .

With regard to successors: To Viard it is already clear that she will succeed on Chanel’s throne, although the question now is whether she will become a transitional designer in the face of the pool of names that are always lurking in this constant ‘Game of Thrones’ of fashion. And as far as inheritance is concerned, Karl was single and without children, although surely his mediatic cat Choupette  will inherit some of his fortune.  He certainly was bearing her in mind: “ Choupette is like a reserved woman. She has personality. She has lunch and dinner with me at table with her own food and doesn’t touch my food. She doesn’t like eating on the floor. She sleeps on a pillow and even knows how to use an Ipad . “ She knew his most tender and homely side.

Foto portada y making of de la campaña 2019 con Penélope Cruz: Cortesía de Chanel