Mans Concept & Menswear
It’s always a pleasure to visit 080 Barcelona Fashion, where – even in the depths of winter – the deep blue sky provides the perfect backdrop to the vivid colours of the Recinte Modernista Sant Pau. Here, 32 local designers and brands presented their AW18 collections over the course of five days. We were pleased, as always, to see the latest offerings from Schön! favourites such as Brain&Beast and Krizia Robustella, but also excited by several newcomers to the catwalk – including Mans Concept & Menswear and the quirkily named Jinksieminks by Mr Jinks. Here are our some of our highlights from both the emerging and the established at 080 Barcelona Fashion.
Jaime Álvarez only graduated from IED Madrid and launched Mans Concept & Menswear last year, but his ready-to-wear – which combines classic Japanese tailoring with an avant-garde aesthetic – already displays the confidence of a much more established designer. The topically named collection, Make America Great Again!, is based on New York school uniforms; juxtaposing closely fitted tailoring with voluminous silhouettes.
amt.
amt. was launched just two years ago but has fast established itself as a serious contender in Catalan fashion. Designed by Adrià Machado, the label aims to cater to a “contemporary, determined woman”, and all pieces are made sustainably and locally, using only European fabrics. The choice of fabrics was key to the collection, named Komorebi – a Japanese word with no literal translation in Spanish, but that refers to light filtered through trees. Tencel and cotton, combined with foil, brought light to the garments; whilst heavier materials represented the trees.
Brain&Beast
Brain&Beast is always one of the most hotly anticipated shows of the season during the event. Established in 2010 and claiming the prize for Best Collection in 2013, the brand is heavily influenced by pop culture and infuses its creations with a healthy helping of humour and, this season, it did not dissapoint.
Krizia Robustella
Sports Luxe brand Krizia Robustella also utilises humour and irony in its collections. The results are always young, fun and vibrant. This season, the label collaborated with illustrator Susana López and used a trompe l’oeil technique to create a “satirical take on current youth, aesthetics, trends and fakes”.
Pablo Erroz
Pablo Erroz produces all his garments in Spain and was selected by Woolmark as the best Spanish menswear designer; although he also designs womenswear and “clothing that straddles gender”. He takes pride in his use of quality materials and attention to detail, mixing classical concepts with modernity.
Miquel Suay
Miquel Suay is one of the more established menswear designers at 080 (he also has womenswear and childrenswear lines) and won the Best Collection Award in 2016. Suay is influenced by Italian style and tailoring, but this season he also drew inspiration from Spain’s Baroque architecture and the abstract works of American painter Robert Motherwell.
Through its continued support, 080 Barcelona Fashion is helping its designers to evolve and establish themselves in the region and beyond, while a healthy injection of new talent each season ensures the future of Catalan fashion.
Don’t miss our backstage report on this season’s 080 catwalks.
All images courtesy of 080 Barcelona Fashion. For more information about 080 Barcelona Fashion click here.
Words / Huma Humayun
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