If it shines it is more and better. This could be the slogan for one of the most daring trends this Autumn: metallic colours. Fabrics and materials with their own shine such as lurex or lame are the order of the day and are back in the limelight this season with strong influences of the 80’s and nostalgic disco. So, with the cold coming, we can retrieve our sparkling garments from the wardrobe and mix them with more basic clothes in neutral tones, creating impact attire. Pleated midi skirts, tight trousers, “Old Hollywood” style dresses with suggestive cleavages or blazers with a clear nod to glam rock.

Lamé is a hybrid fabric that contains metallic material and a filler-cloth such as nylon or polyester. These fabrics are woven together to create a shiny and light material. Traditionally lame was used in artistic garments such as cinema, theatre or dance costumes and worn on special occasions to be remembered. Used in tops, skirts or dresses and also as decoration in accessories and evening wear. Fashions pass and trends vary. Now, this daring fabric is no longer just for the Christmas season, but can be seen on the most striking everyday outfits. The bling bling style invades the high street.

In terms of colour, lame fabric usually comes in gold or silver, although this season copper, moss green and dark blue tones have also been seen on the catwalk. To get an idea of how to combine these -at first glance difficult fabrics-, you just need to check out the latest offerings of the luxury brands such as Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana or Saint Laurent.

In Gratacós we also have articles with lamé. Take a look and conjure up your metallic garment to sparkle up any occasion. There is no excuse not to!

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

A new initiative has been launched for the design sector in Cataluña which aims to interchange synergies through didactical meetings. It’s called Designers Fashion Experiences and consists of monthly meetings between designers, professionals and renowned celebrities of the sector both on a national and international level. It is an opportunity for fashion students to learn the business from different perspectives and enhance their professional career. An incentive for the students to pursue their careers with advice and new points of view through the voice of experience from those who have succeeded in the fashion industry.

In the 4th trimester of 2016, there will be 6 presentations carried out by the following designers: Dolores Cortés in swimwear, Llamazares y de Delgado, Miquel Suay, Jordi Dalmau in bridal fashion, Oscarleon and Txell Miras. The conferences will take place in Casa Gracia, situated in Passeig de Gràcia, 116. This multiplural space symbolizes a world of travels, comparable to the path the designers have to take to get to know the fashion world. Creativity, colour, composition, innovation and hidden textures amongst different cultures and destinations.

This space is ideal to transmit the experiences of the designers, explaining the details of the smallest and greatest moments, and sharing their experiences with the students who in the future will become fashion creators, nourishing a new generation of this creative industry.

Gratacós supports Designers Fashion Experiences. As a family business dedicated to textile and linked to established creators and new talents, every year we promote new initiatives associated with training and development of fashion students.

The first conference will take place the upcoming 28th September 15, 2016 and will last until December. The aim is to repeat the experience a second time round in 2017.

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

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/

Elisabet Vallecillo and Javier Blanco are the creators of Comillo de Morsa, one of the most sought after independent labels inside “made in BCN” design. The brand, born in 2010, marked a turning point at the fashion show EGO Cibeles Madrid. It led them to exhibit their creations at the Paris show “Who’s Next” aswell as other significant achievements. This marks the start of a slow but steady international expansion as now they are concentrating on consolidating their work within Spain. Colmillo de Morsa has its own shop in the unique neighbourhood of Gracia, but is gaining presence in other designer spaces. It must be for a reason…

Your brand name is surprising. How did you come up with it?

Elisabet- Our name is a reflection of the concept of beauty. The tusk is a reference to ivory, a precious and valuable material. If it comes from the walrus it adds a more grotesque tone. We like the symbiosis of ideas because it is a way of expressing that beauty comes in many ways and can be found in the most unlikely of places. It all depends on who is looking at it and what they can find.

How has Colmillo de Morsa changed since your first catwalk show in Madrid? How have you evolved?

Javier- The essence is still there. We have not changed our philosophy and we stand firm on our principles. Obviously there has been changes in structure because we have expanded and we adapt to the customer, but our way of thinking and approach to the brand is the same.

“We have not changed our philosophy and we stand firm on our principles”

What is this essence you refer to?

Elisabet- In each collection we look for timeless models, checking patterns and key garments with classic cuts. In terms of fabrics, we like to work with silk, cotton, cashmere…We also have a second line made up of basic garments with a more casual touch for day to day wear. Everyone looks for comfort and a carefree style.

So, the creativity is present but you listen to the customer’s needs….

Javier- Exactly, creativity and design remain intact. We have simply expanded our criteria and offer a more diversified product but always within the same parametres.

Really, and what are those?

Javier- Our fashion is quite wearable without being extreme. The clothes are made up responsibly here in the local workshop using environmentally-friendly materials. The customers confide in us because they now we offer design with quality.

 “Our fashion is quite wearable without being extreme”

That is the importance of finding your own personality within a saturated market…

Javier- Exactly. In Colmillo de Morsa we do not get carried away by trends. It is something we are very clear about and we like to do our own thing.

Elisabet- As we don’t compete with the fast fashion it seems pointless to be lagging behind market trends. What we strive to do is to make our product following our design and quality rules.

What role does Gratacós play in the creative process?

Elisabet- Firstly, it gives us peace of mind knowing that we are working with top quality material that will achieve amazing results. Also, the huge variety of products they offer. In Gratacós we can buy all types of silks, georgette, organza…also the jacquards when we are looking for a something special for the most detailed garments in the collection.

“Gratacós give us peace of mind knowing that we are working with top quality material”

Local brand with international expansion. Where are you heading?

Elisabet- Now we are in a transitional phase. It is true that a few years ago, we had international presence at fairs where we publicized our product, gained new customers and we sold in Singapure, Dubia, United States….The problem in the end was that by wanting to do so much, it limited our day to day because bear in mind we were a small team and we take of practically everything. Now we have an agent who looks after the international sales but we are concentrating more on the national market.

What are your goals for 2017?

Javier- Now Julia- Elisabet’s daughter-is with us, we want to concentrate more than ever on our shop. Even so, we are always on the lookout for new spaces to expand our workshop and we make new contacts to supply clothes to designer shops. We do not rule out the possibility of opening a new shop, but we will see.

Would you like Julia to be a designer?

Elisabet- Not at the moment – she laughs – she can decide herself when she is older…

The Gratacós questionnaire…

Your essential garment … A printed shirt

A fetish fabric… Any type of silk

A colour you would never forgo… Black

The designer you admirer… Sarah Burton (Javier) and Jil Sander (Elisabet)

An infallible style rule… Always have at hand a good coat or an oversized shirt

Your favourite space in Barcelona… The Korean barbeque Yalujiang situated in Roger de Flor

A piece of advice for designers starting up… They should be clear on the what, where and for whom before launching

Your “leitmotif” … Do what you like

080 Barcelona Fashion is back. From the 27th June to the 1st July, this Catalan catwalk show will exhibit the Spring-Summer 2017 collections of around 30 native brands. These include textile brands, dedicated designers and new talents. The objective of this event is to consolidate Cataluña as a benchmark for design in all its variations – creation, production, training and promotion and thus contribute to the internationalization of the sector.

The catwalk shows of this 18th edition will take place in Catalonia`s National Physical Education Institute based in the Olympic Ring on Montjuic. It is here where the training and culture values of sport that define the Catalan capital are reflected. This edition aims to “get Catalan fashion into shape” in a more festive environment and in a more participatory way.

As specialists in fashion, Gratacós have always worked side by side with designers, offering them their premises for enquiries, consulting and commercialization of fabrics that will be used to make the garments of the new season. In this edition of the Catalan catwalk show, Brain & Beast and Samuel Alarcón are two of the brands that have confided their trust in us.

Brain & Beast

This transgressive brand was created by Ángel Vilda in Barcelona in 2010. From the very beginning, his collections do not leave anyone indifferent. Messages, guessing games, juxtapositions of fabrics….Each season his garments emphasize the pop culture with agender silhouettes where sophistication goes hand in hand with comfort together with high dosis of humour.

Samuel Alarcón

This new design talent started out in the 080 Barcelona Fashion after receiving the Creativity Award at the Modafad show – the platform for the young up and coming. He set the bar high. Born in the Canary Islands but now based in Barcelona, Samuel Alarcón specializes in tricot, which he uses to experiment and innovate to achieve some surprising results. He participates again in the Catalan catwalk show with his collection ‘Etimología del Yo’.

Gratacós will attend both shows to support the designers who have confided in us. We are very much looking forward to seeing their new collections. Good luck!