The bridal sector is in the process of transformation to adapt to the comings and goings imposed by the restrictions of the pandemic and the easing of lockdown phases. The coronavirus crisis has exploded directly and overwhelmingly, affecting all sectors: from restaurants, beauty centres to the textile sector. And for a year now, the world of wedding ceremonies has been stepping on the accelerator to adapt to these precipitous changes. 

The data speaks for itself: in 2020 around 125,000 events were postponed, according to data from the Association of Wedding Professionals of Spain (A PBE). Each of these cancellations has led to losses of about 25,000 euros and a total of 2 million jobs that could not be generated. Today, it is very difficult to predict when normality will return in the bridal sector: the pandemic and its consequent economic crisis will again generate uncertainty in 2021, and it is very possible that it will disrupt the calendar for the next two years. 

Within the textile sector, our main concern, the absence of new brides and the decrease in the number of guests at weddings, which are currently a lot more smaller and intimate, has led to a reduction in purchases of wedding dresses and also of raw materials, that is, fabrics. Reductions that have also harmed by extension wedding guest outfits and evening wear. 

Therefore, given this process of change and adaptation to the current situation, will it modify the traditional aesthetics of the dresses, the way of buying them or the amount of money that the brides invest?

It is not easy to know where the sector will go, but from Gratacós we continue to offer our bridal fabrics to all brides who are committed to getting married in these difficult times. As fabric manufacturers who analyze the large firms and specialized designers, we forecast some trends in dresses for brides of 2021 and 2022.

• The traditional bridal aesthetic loses strength

The traditional bridal aesthetic is maintained, but loses its steam. This trend is due to two factors: brides, both millennials and the first generation Z, prefer to break with the classic, daring with new silhouettes that go beyond the one-piece dress, such as the tailored jacket, whether it be either with trousers or with a tube skirt. An opportunity to blur the classic conceptions about how a bride should be dressed. On the other hand, the more intimate, private and informal celebrations influence the wardrobe with more relaxed outfits that avoid the rigid and corseted.

In terms of styles, two antagonistic trends converge: the return of minimalism with its elegant simplicity versus overloaded romanticism. The first style involves plain dresses with clean, structured and reusable lines. If the economy in 2021 and 2022 will be more austere, it is consistent that this shall be reflected in wedding dresses. This minimalist trend is also committed to simplicity and comfort through pieces that facilitate movement and can be adapted in multiple contexts. At the other extreme, the romantically inspired dresses with their volumes, overlays, lace and ruffles refuse to disappear. A type of outfit for dreamy brides who want to enjoy their wedding in a memorable tailored dress. These dresses are rich in fabrics with special attention to those that provide greater opulence: tulle, embroidery, ornamental effects, floral applications …

If it is true that, halfway to minimalism and opulence, there are endless proposals that balance the scales with dresses that merge the two trends and go out of their way for the detail that is perceived in the pleats, in the drapes, the details on the shoulders or unexpected openings. Also gaining importance are dresses with volume and wide skirts through patterns which expand at the hem to give them more prominence

In parallel, in recent years ready-to-wear collections have emerged that complement the dress with much more informal and versatile pieces. These can be custom-made or mass-produced. There is also an upward trend in vintage accessories that give a new retro to the bridal look. For autumn and winter weddings, outerwear has found a new source within instability: capes, cardigans, coats in the same fabric as the dress …, as well as various accessories that adorn the bride.

• Focus on the detail

The detail is what matters. Regardless of the bridal style chosen, there are some trends that have taken hold in recent years. One of them has to do with the sleeves that are taking centre stage in wedding dresses. Long sleeves, puffy sleeves, tightly gathered at the elbows or cuffs, puffed sleeves, and sleeves with very pronounced shoulders are worn like blazers inspired by the 80s.

As for collars and necklines, pronounced cuts coexist with closed ones and overlays gain importance. In turn, the reign of flowers is threatened by a new detail that is gaining presence in more and more bridal designs: feathers. A resource that adds elegance, delicacy and movement to the wedding dress. Finally, something curious we want to mention that we have perceived within the Baroque style: the veil is back in fashion and everything indicates that the trend will continue and increase in the coming years.

• Trends in fabrics

As textile manufacturers, in Gratacós we have a specific collection , which is renewed every year, so brides can order their own design of dress. In terms of consumer trend, we do see certain changes. Organza is one of our star fabrics if we take into account that the most popular wedding dresses are those with volumes, layers and transparencies. This organza is worked with embroidery, net lace and even 3D flowers. Crepes with rustic touches, wrinkled-effect fabrics and brocades also gain relevance. In fact, there is a growing demand for handicrafts and a return to details such as trimmings and embroidery. At the other extreme, satin fabrics are ideal for plain, lingerie-type dresses.

Come to our shop in Barcelona to discover the new collection of bridal fabrics!

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And after Madrid it was the turn of the fashion week in Barcelona with the new edition of 080 Barcelona Fashion held, as usual, in the Modernist Venue of Sant Pau. This year the Catalan catwalk did not have as many designers or brands as previous editions, but the initiative covered these local absences by reaffirming its commitment to international companies and the inclusion of new exhibition formats of the collections that adapt to the needs of the smallest of small designers. Once again at Gratacós we are following some fashion shows of designers who rely on our fabrics to come up with their proposals for the next Autumn-Winter season. These were the most hunted looks!  

Eiko Ai

This young Barcelona firm debuted on the Catalan catwalk with ‘Quantum One’, a collection inspired by quantum energy and the unity of the cosmos that represents an evolution of its previous proposal. It was a feminine creation with a galactic theme, where several Gratacós fabrics were on display in a range of textures and transparencies: organza, flocking, jacquards, metallic finishes, sequins, technical fabrics, steams, satins and crepes combined with floral and geometric-inspired drawings with a print that precisely evokes those magical worlds. 

The stars and flashes of the Milky Way influenced the colour palette with shades full of light, artificial colours, lilacs, mints and off-white looks. From out of the immense darkness of space emerge jet black and midnight blue. And from the planets and cosmic materials come the reds, nudes and deep pinks.

En su conjunto, Eiko Ai designed a whole collection inspired by a daring and feminine woman with delicate designer clothes and a contemporary spirit which stand out for their artisanal creativity as well as for the quality of materials and local production.

Menchén Tomàs

The sophisticated note of the latest editions of 080 is added by Menchén Tomàs. This time Olga Menchén was inspired by the busy night-life of Manhattan in the 70s, just at that time of sunset, when lawyers, brokers and office workers have left the streets and when with nightfall other characters appear on the scene, from diverse classes, cultures and origins such as millionaires, the homeless, artists, DJs, pimps and prostitutes … A mixture of disco, decay, drugs, the gay scene, the mythical Studio 54…

To shape this amalgam of people and nocturnal inspirations, Menchén Tomàs came up with a creation full of flared trousers, sleek jackets, billowing short dresses, oriental-inspired pieces, never-ending collars, embroidery, bias and lace finishes. They highlighted fabrics that radiate light, others hand-produced and embroidered, together with unique prints.

The colour palette used was intense and contrasted with impossible mixtures of great visual impact: pistachio green with fuchsia, pink with purples, glitters, sequins, and, of course, black and white.

Juanjo Villalba 

Juanjo Villalba Bermúdez opened the last day of 080 dedicated to capsule collections presented in more free and open formats than in traditional parades, with more scope for the creativity of each designer via presentations that resemble artistic performances. This designer took advantage of his participation in the Catalan catwalk to present his personal project: ‘Emotional mythology’ through 12 looks which at first sight seem unrelated but whose detail maintains their essence. Each look represented a love story told through the costumes and where each model represented a divinity. At the end of the parade attendees could view the collection from close-up and touch the garments directly.

Emotional Mythology was Villalba’s letter of introduction as a designer -before that he was working in fashion marketing- and it was a throw of the dice which opened up new professional opportunities in the fashion industry.

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If anything has defined us since our beginnings, it is our firm commitment to the windows that decorate the shop we have in Barcelona. We are aware that they are our cover letter, the first visual point of attraction and “conquest” of the customer and represent a unique opportunity for designers’ creativity to flow hand in hand with our seasonal fabrics, creating dreamlike scenarios. Faced with this expectation, who can resist letting the imaginative madness of current fashion designers flow? Moreover, we like them to experiment, surprise and captivate us at first sight. An innovative staging of Gratacós fabrics in combinations that exceed our expectations. Moreover, the more disruptive the shop-front is, the better!

In 2019 we had the support of several artists who left their mark via our shop windows and to close last year, we want to recall them with a small tribute. Do you have any favourite? What did you like most? We review the most prominent:

February 2019. Rainy weather

Rain was the main feature of the most ephemeral month of the calendar in a work signed by Antonio Iglesias.The Barcelona interior designer wrapped the mannequin in a delicate plumeti tulle in pale pink to give it a fragile and nostalgic hue, in contrast to the black umbrellas with polka dot pattern that accompanied the model. A colour contrast with the same common denominator: patchwork.

March 2019. The floral awakening

The beginning of spring marked the theme of a floral showcase that coincided with the presentation of the new fabric season. Antonio Iglesias captured the essence of all this renovation via a shop window in pink tones in which a tulle curtain with inserted petals surrounding the mannequin stood out, dressed in one of the most successful floral crepes from the last collection.

April 2019. Bridal Moulage

April is the month of brides and at Gratacós we reserved this shop-front for one of the winners of the moulage competition among IED Barcelona wedding dress design graduates. A unique opportunity to publicize the work of the new generations in bridal design. In this case it was the student Katia Combatti who developed a spectacular wedding dress with large volumes on the sleeves, following the steps of this unique cutting and sewing technique.

May 2019. Fashion illustrated

When fashion dialogues with other disciplines such as illustration, you can find creatives as fascinating as the one that Joel Miñana prepared in order to showcase the month of flowers. The renowned Catalan illustrator, capable of capturing the essence of fashion moments that escape photography, showed how he wanted the mannequin to be dressed: with textured fabrics contrasted in greenish tones and modern complements. Just take a look at the results!

June 2019. Brain & Beast Essence

Ángel Vilda, designer and most visible face of Brain&Beast transformed the Gratacós shop-front into one of his creative illusions, marked by the criticism and dualities that his rebellious streak loves to play with. There was no lack of elements of popular culture, contrasting colours and a luxury of detail that is part of the unique Brain & Beast universe. Anyone who is familiar with them knows full well what to expect…

September 2019. The Dominican Harajuku Kids

2019 has been the year of take-off for Dominnico. Apart from his collaborations with Rosalia, the young designer from Alicante, in July he won the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Talent award from among the young companies that parade in the EGO of Cibeles. The award-winning ‘Harajuku Kids’ collection, inspired by the histrionic urban tribes of Japan, was made with some of the most special fabrics from the last spring collection. The shop-window reproduced some of the key looks of this surprising creation.

November 2019. Youth Eclecticism

At Gratacós we like to give an opportunity to new talent. That is why our shop-front is also sometimes an experimental support where it is the young talents who set their own limits. Design students from the Institut Català de la Moda (ICM) created an eclectic showcase of some of their most identifying outfits with amazing fabrics from the current autumn-winter 2019/2020 collection. A creation that was both fresh and eclectic.

December 2019. The dazzling angel

The last showcase of the year was sublime, starring a look inspired by the strength and goodness of an angel to express the most glamorous and sophisticated femininity, coinciding as it did with the Christmas festivities. It was conceived by the students of IED Barcelona who created an impressive feminine look in pink tones that empowered and attracted all eyes. An unforgettable showcase!

A tribute to design, creativity and emerging talent. That is exactly what was celebrated this week at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao with the 25th anniversary of IED (Higher School of Design) in Spain. Among other activities the renowned fashion and design school wanted to record the event with an impressive fashion show in which national and international designers who have trained in the classrooms of IED Madrid and IED Barcelona participated, since the institution was founded in Madrid in 1994. Gratacós also participated in this exhibition of young designers collaborating through fabrics that took the form of lush garments on the catwalk. It is indeed part of our commitment as a company to support schools that help instruct future designers.

A parade of promising young designers of Spanish fashion

Under the name “25 designing the future”, the IED school grouped in the same parade 25 different collections signed by ex-alumni of IED Madrid and IED Barcelona who were responsible for capturing the past, present and future of the school. This event was part of the TopArte programme of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, on the occasion of the celebration of Bilbao Bizkaia Design Week. Recognized names that regularly participate on the main Spanish cat-walks such as Moisés Nieto, Carlota Barrera or Cristina Tamborero paraded together with other emerging brands in an eclectic exhibition of garments and visions that highlight the individuality of designers from different parts of Spain and also from countries such as Italy, Brazil, Romania, Israel, Mexico or the United Kingdom, among others. “Fashion is the most powerful means of expressing the identity of human beings. It is the connector and collector of dreams, urges, worries and personal inspirations …, therefore, we want to show a mosaic representative of IED talent of the last 25 years” declared Alessandro Manetti, CEO of the IED in Spain in justification of this powerful parade.

 

“The IED has left as inheritance an important generation of designers that promote the culture

and sensitivity of design worldwide” – Alessandro Manetti

 

The chosen looks of each participating designer were intended to define the future of fashion and reflect the challenges that the sector currently presents with creations designed for a sustainable look, conceptual and avant-garde designs, delicate handmade items produced locally or party dresses for large celebrations which follow haute couture techniques. “The IED has left as inheritance an important generation of designers that promote the culture and the sensitivity of the design worldwide”, added Manetti. In addition, for the occasion a former student of IED Madrid, one from IED Barcelona and another from IED Milan each created two looks for the event in honour of the 60th anniversary of the construction of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, designed by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright . The curved spiral shapes, the delicacy of the pieces of art exhibited in it and the opulence of the building’s architecture have inspired the designs, some of which have been manufactured with our fabrics that we offered for this celebratory event.

An event full of familiar faces

This parade commemorating the 25 years of IED also counted on the support and assistance of important celebrities linked to the fashion world such as actress Rosy de Palma, the  American international critic Diane Pernet,  the Belgian fashion expert Francine Pairon or the designer Custo Dalmau, who accompanied Pilar Pasamontes, IED scientific director of Fashion and Julia Weems and Mosiés Nieto, directors of the fashion area of IED Barcelona and Madrid respectively. Among the casting of models was Palito Dominguín, sister of Bimba Bosé and daughter of Lucía Dominguín, and the model Bet Callieri, all of whom participated in the closing parade.
It was a pleasure to collaborate in this unique event of celebration of the IED and at Gratacós we are eager to see everything planned for the future. Here’s to 25 more years!

Fashion shows are appealing at any time of the year. They represent an opportunity to reflect on the sector from multiple points of view and covering topics as different as those we suggest below: the dialogue established by garments and their fabrics in migratory societies, the importance of sustainability, the history of footwear or a vision of fashion photography via one of the great contemporary artists.

On the eve of a new holiday, All Saints Day, we are offering you a new cultural route throughsome European exhibitions that we have not yet mentioned in this blog: interesting fashion shows in cultural capitals such as Antwerp, Florence, London and Paris, so that like us you can also find inspiration, knowledge and new ideas that enrich you in your respective jobs. Take note!

1. Antwerp: ‘Textile as Resistance’         

The exhibition ‘Textile as Resistance’ at the MoMu (Antwerp Fashion Museum) asks interesting questions of the public: What messages and stories can the fabrics convey? What does an item of clothing say about the person wearing it? Can fabrics weave the past with the present? Can they be acts of resistance? The journalist Samira Bendadi and the photographer Mashi Mohadjerin reflect on the values ​​that fabrics can provide (shelter, resistance, hope, happiness, tradition, beauty, spirituality and decolonisation) and try to answer all these questions through this challenging sample. It is a joint photographic project that began through stories from immigrants in the Belgian fashion capital and that soon spread to other parts of the world. Thus in ‘Textile as Resistance’ this creative couple invites you to discover clothes and textiles as an excuse to learn visual and written stories that transcend religious, cultural and national boundaries. Migration marks social, aesthetic and personal change.

Momu ‘Textile as Resistance’.Until February 16, 2020.

2.Florence: ‘Sustainable Thinking’

Sustainability is neither a fashion nor a trend: it is a real necessity. Aware of the move towards green issues that we are also promoting from Gratacós, we are especially interested in recommending this exhibition that houses the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence. ‘Sustainable Thinking’ invites reflection through art and fashion.

The term “sustainability” defines the human capacity to meet “the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” It is a challenge that is not limited to production methods but also implies a greater focus on the environment in general. Balance must be restored, beginning with a more conscious and shared way of thinking that is capable of generating new development and coexistence strategies. For this reason, ‘Sustainable Thinking’ exposes the work of numerous artists who reflect on sustainability. Some projects focus on recovering the link with nature, the use of organic materials, the need for a creative reuse of materials, the connection between sustainability and technology … An opportunity for artists, fashion designers, textile and yarn manufacturers to offer a plurality of views to inspire new sustainable projects.

Salvatore Ferragamo Museum. ‘Sustainable Thinking’. Until March 8, 2020.

3. London. Tim walker

Coinciding with the exhibition dedicated to the talented designer Mary Quant, “the mother” of the iconic miniskirt, the Victoria & Albert Museum opens a new exhibition in parallel, this time dedicated to photography. As the name implies, ‘Tim Walker: Wonderful Things’ represents an immersive journey into the fantastic worlds created by this contemporary fashion photographer who is one of today’s most interesting profiles. Specifically the exhibition shows Tim Walker’s creative process via his pictures, films, photographic sets and special installations. The exhibition also includes an exclusive photo session made with some of the museum’s iconic garments

GOES. ‘Tim Walker: Wonderful Things’. Until March 8, 2020.

4. Paris. “Marché et Démarche: Historie de la Chaussure”

The Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris reschedules a new fashion exhibition to capture the attention of visitors. On this occasion the focus of attention is footwear and its history. From the complement itself to a reflection on the act of walking. The sample is based on a 1792 shoe attributed to Marie Antoinette which was only 21 centimeters long and then, little by little, it delves into into the history that lies behind each accessory displayed. The sample of 500 works includes shoes, paintings, photographs, works of art and films in order to reveal more about this garment which covers our feet.

Museum of Decorative Arts. “Marché et Démarche: Historie de la Chaussure”. Until February 23RD, 2020.

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We kick off the season talking about another exhibition that extols the female figure and gives a new vision of the “body-fashion” relationship. Its title is evocative: ‘El Cuerpo Inventado’. (The Invented Body). A sample organized by Collectors Collective in Madrid that highlights the aesthetic canons that have remained in fashion since the early twentieth century to the present day, providing a new dialectic of evolution and changes that are especially appreciated in women’s clothing .

4 silhouettes and a century

The silhouette is responsible for creating the spirit of time beyond colours, fabrics or trimmings. It is precisely the silhouette that captures the aesthetic canon of an era.

In spite of its apparent richness and variety, the history of Western feminine dress has been repeating its forms throughout the centuries: there are only a handful of silhouettes with which the dressmakers have invented their creations. For example and focusing on the last 100 years, the silhouettes that have had more relevance in the twentieth century are four: tubular silhouette, triangular silhouette and double triangle silhouette, globular silhouette and anatomical silhouette. In addition, all of them have a history in previous centuries. Of course: the prevalence is not exclusive. The silhouettes can coexist in time, although the protagonism of one of them will be the one that defines the era.

In turn, the exhibition also proposes a reflection on “the tyranny of the invisible” and the naked body, a movement that has been consolidating in recent years to reach today unsuspected limits.

Collections and creators

‘The Invented Body‘ is formed of pieces by important fashion collectors (Antoni de Montpalau, Quinto, Maite Mínguez and López-Trabado), as well as three prestigious international renowned museums such as the Costume Museum of Madrid, MUDE : Lisbon Design and Fashion Museum and the Fashion Museum of Santiago de Chile.

The exposed designs are part of the most relevant names on the international scene such as Lanvin, Chanel, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Mainbocher, Versace, Yssey Miyake, Azzaro , Azzedine Alaïa , Pierre Cardin , Yves Saint Lauren, Pucci, Christian Lacroix, Commes des Garçons or Gucci. There are also first-class Spanish designer models such as maestro Cristóbal Balenciaga, Pedro Rodríguez, Lorenzo Caprile , Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada, Jesús del Pozo, Leandro Cano, Ernesto Artillo , Antonio Velasco or Josep Font.

Trendy icons of yesterday and today

Throughout the history of the suit, fashion has used influential people to spread itself. Until the nineteenth century, it was the aristocracy who used to have this mission, but at the end of that century this trend begins to change and it is women in the field of culture and entertainment who become fashion prescribers for the dissemination of fashions. Next to a specific silhouette there is usually an influential woman legitimizing it: how could we disassociate the silhouette that narrows the waist, projects the breasts and widens the hips of actress Marilyn Monroe?

Therefore, the exhibition also includes the role of these famous women who have consolidated the different aesthetic canons, taking a tour of the most influential names in fashion of the twentieth century, with dresses that belonged to Madonna, Claudia Schiffer, Rita Hayworth, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Lady Gaga, or even her majesty Doña Letizia, among other relevant women.

‘The Invented Body ‘ of Collectors Collective opens next Thursday, September 12th at General Perón Avenue in Madrid and can be visited until December 15th.

Fotos: Alfonso Ohnur

The rise of Dominnico was foreseen . It was just a matter of time for his meteoric career to take off. And this ascension has only just begun. Now, the restless Domingo Rodríguez has landed himself a new achievement that consolidates him within the map of young promises of Spanish fashion : becoming the winner of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Talent.

“Winning this award means fulfilling a dream.It represents the start of my firm and the beginning of a new stage for this project “, explained the young designer after winning the prestigious award.In fact, the designer has already begun to gain fame outside our borders.At only 24 years of age, Dominic has dressed personalities from the world of entertainment such as Lady Gaga, Rita Ora or Rosalía, who have worn the outfits ,made in part with our fabrics on tours around the world.

His impeccable dressmaking, his huge national and international projection, his early maturity and his commercial outlook have been some of the attributes that have fascinated the jury. A project with a speech of its own and true to its essence that has made him the winner of the 14th edition of this contest that rewards young talents.

Domingo Rodríguez: “inning this award means fulfilling a dream and the beginning of a new stage for Dominnico”

An ode to Generation Z

The award-winning collection , presented on the Madrid catwalk , is called Harajuku Kids and it is inspired by Club Kids, the London generation of the nineties, but also in the new digital era, centreed above all on social networks. Artists like Andy Dixon, Antoni Tudisco, Six N. Five, or the influencer Ruby Gloom have also been taken into account in the conception of the collection. A proposal that also takes into account the urban tribes of Japan and is conceived as agender, away from labels with extravagant shapes and silhouettes that are an invitation to individualism and character.

The collection, replete with Gratacós fabrics, is impregnated with textures, sequins, laminates, tulles, overlays and volumes wrapped in a range of pastel colours. In this way, inheritance, actuality and even future mix thanks to a sweetness and femininity unusual in Dominnico that advances to gain maturity in its style.

Next stop Georgia

Beyond the recognition, the prize includes the possibility of a catwalk next November at the international Mercedes-Benz Tilti Fashion Week in Georgia. A moment in which the designer from Alicante will already be presenting the winter collection of the following year. In this way, Domingo Rodríguez joins the successful group of great young talents who got this award back in the day, such as Outsiders Division, Célia Valverde, Juan Carlos Pajares, Ela Fidalgo, Xavi Reyes, María Clè Leal, David Catalán, Ernesto Naranjo or Pepa Salazar.