As the fashion world slithers it’s sneaky tentacles into ever-broadening areas, (sometimes with good results, other times not so good), literature seemed to be safe and off the radar due to it’s passé demeanour, much too low-key for the flash and dazzle of seasonal trends. So could it even be possible to join the two disciplines? This is not books written about fashion, this is fashion inspired by books.

Barcelona has finally been deemed worthy of the 20 Trajes itinerant exhibition that has travelled all over the world. 20 Designs – Dialogues Between Fashion and Literature opened this past June 11th at the Roca Barcelona Gallery. I was invited to attend the press conference on the 16th, (strange to have a press conference after an exhibition has inaugurated). Luckily, I was well-accompanied by Jorge of Trecool and I have no problem admitting that we really appreciated the catering available after the conference. So obvious that we were up in the good part of town…

This is not the first time that the Roca Barcelona Gallery has dabbled with fashion; there was the interesting Cubexperience by Josep Abril event held the beginning of 2010 and they are currently housing the Armani – Roca bath collection. Don’t get excited, the collection is not soaps and bathrobes, more like toilets, shower plates and sinks. For those of you who need designer items not only in your closets… The 20 Trajes exhibition is spread over the Roca Gallery’s three floors and comprises 20 different garments each created by a Spanish fashion designer and based on a literary character.

Angel Schlesser

Miriam Ocariz

Amaya Arzuaga

What could be the link between literature and fashion? Creativity and imagination, my friends. Using the language of shape, volume and colour, the 20 designers, all members of the Association of Creators in Spanish Fashion – ACME, brings his or her chosen character to life. Fiction becomes reality. The aesthetic implications of this exhibition are grand and the bridge seems to have been gapped between the two disciplines.

Hannibal Laguna

Jesús del Pozo

Ana Locking

The theory sounds nice, but in practise? Not so good. There are several problems, one which is quite serious and has to do with the assembly of the exhibition itself. The sub-floor is great: the walls are black and each lightbox and accompanying garment can be viewed to perfection. The problem arises on the ground and first floor. If you have already visited the Roca Gallery then you will know what I mean, otherwise, please check out the top photo once again. The Roca Gallery is a rectangular, translucent box constructed from glass which makes it very difficult to view the garments. In some cases, the garments are surrounded by a halo of light, making the pupil contract, which results in loss of detail as the garment is in shadow. This situation could and should be remedied by placing dark backdrops behind each piece or a dark back panel.

The other problem is that some of the designers just don’t seem to grasp the true essence of their chosen literary character. The garment is just a sample of what the designer normally shows on the catwalk during fashion week. Others are excellent, without a doubt. Amaya Arzuaga and Miriam Ocariz were two of my favourites.

Devota y Lomba

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada

The other problem with 20 Trajes is that, mixed in with the Roca audiovisuals and Armani bathroom collection, it seems to fade in importance. There is all this other clutter going on, not to mention the building itself, which is great as a flagship site for Roca but distracting for other ventures.

What was good? Any time there is a coherent dialogue between fashion and another discipline there are usually positive results. The key concept behind the 20 Trajes itinerant exhibition is brilliant, especially considering the manner in which they have managed to involve the local designers in every stop along this journey that they began in 2004.

It was great to sit at the conference table and listen to many of the fashion designers who were present, such as: Lydia Delgado, Ana Locking, Duyos, Hannibal Laguna, Juanjo Oliva, Roberto Torreta and Modisto Lomba himself, president of the aforementioned ACME. The curator, Concha Hernández, talked us through the different pairings and there was a final, poignant moment when the author, Olvido García Valdés, read her poem “She, The Birds” that Ana Locking had been inspired by.

The show will be on until the middle of October, so I strongly recommend waiting awhile, maybe until after summer, when the sun starts to set a little earlier. That is the moment to go and see these literary garments without the dazzling halo of light. These pieces that bring fiction to life.

Here is the full list of fashion designers, authors and books:
Loewe / Miguel de Cervantes / Don Quijote
Duyos / Lev Tolstói / Anna Karenina
Roberto Verino / Anna Ajmátova / Lot’s Wife
Hannibal Laguna / José Ángel Valente / Latitude
Ana Locking / Olvido García Valdés / She, the birds
Juanjo Oliva / Marina Tsvetáyeva / Muse
Lemoniez / antón Chéjov / The Teacher of Literature
Devota & Lomba / Gabriel García Márquez / One Hundred Years of Solitude
Agatha ruiz de la Prada / Mario Vargas Llosa / The Feast of the Goat
Jesús del Pozo / Carlos Fuentes / The Years with Laura Díaz
Victorio & Lucchino / Juan Gelman / Suns
Davidelfín / Antonio Gamoneda / Exempts II
Miriam Ocáriz / Ana María Matute / Forgotten King Gudú
Ailanto / Miguel Delibes / Five Hours with Mario
Custo Barcelona / Mercè Rodoreda / The Times of the Doves
Miguel Palacio / Carmen Martín Gaite / The Snow Queen
Roberto Torreta / Antonio Muñoz Molina / Carlota Fainberg
Amaya Arzuaga / María Zambrano / Delirium and Destiny
Lydia Delgado / Rosa Chacel / The Maravillas District
Ángel Schlesser / Nikolái Gógol / Plays and Petersburg Plays

Roca Barcelona Gallery info
Address: Calle Joan Güell 211-213
Telephone: 93 366 1212
Web: www.rocabarcelonagallery.com
Metro: Maria Cristina L3
20 Trajes: 11/06/11 to 16/10/11
Opening hours:
Mon to Sat 10:00 to 20:00
Sundays 10:00 to 14:00
Free entrance

Organized by Cristina del Prada and Nina Pawlowsky, Barcelona milliners, the event is inspired by the American Easter Parade. especially popular in New York, every year 5th Avenue is cleared of traffic and people take to the streets with their best hats. The Passejada amb Barret has been growing in popularity and last year there were around 250 people participating. Interested? Then make sure to join the group this Sunday at noon. The starting point is Rambla de Catalunya with Diagonal. Don’t forget your hat!

As the slow-food movement slowly starts to trickle into Barcelona’s consciousness, so too the trend for slow-fashion. There seem to be more and more fairs and fashion events focusing on those who produce hand-made, quality fashion items. Either due to the crisis, the growing sensation of frustration at mass-consumerism or a need to be more creative, exquisite pieces seem to be popping up all over the city.

Organized by Duduá, Festivalet has just celebrated their third edition this past weekend. Held at the Miscelanea gallery, the event was packed. I firmly believe that Festivalet is the best fair on the current hand-made scene in Barcelona. The first edition was held at La Central bookshop in Raval and the second at the new Duduá space. Maybe my only complaint is that the spaces are usually a bit too small for the amount of people that show up for every time.

I Love Muffins at Festivalet by Manel Marqués

I greedily had two I Love Muffins cupcakes which were absolutely delicious like always!  There was a heavenly mix of accessories, clothes, cute crocheted items and food, among others. I was especially impressed with the Olivia soaps. I was given their Chocorgasm soap by the friend that I had dragged around with me all day. It smells so chocolaty that it really is a great temptation to take a little nibble to see how it tastes! The packaging is beautiful, pastel sea-green paper, ribbon, wax seal stamped with an O for Olivia and a lovely label.

Olivia Soaps

The atmosphere was buzzing, there was sushi upstairs and crepes downstairs and quite a few people shopping. Of all the fairs this past weekend, hands-down this was the best, most varied, lovely and successful. I’m already looking forward to the spring-summer edition.

First up is the annual Drap Art 2010 – 2011. From the 17th of December to the 9th of January, the CCCB will host this recycled art and design fair. This weekend and the weekend of the 3rd to the 5th of January are the dates for the recycled market. Artists come together in the CCCB hall to sell their eco-friendly wares. Bordering on the slightly hippy, the art exhibition is usually a much better option. Save your centímos for the fashion markets. Free entrance. Check out CCCB’s opening hours.

Saturday 18th is the date for the winter edition of Changing Room at Hotel Chic&Basic in Borne. Aptly titled Frío 2010, (Cold 2010), each of the hotel rooms houses a different designer for the day. The concept is very interesting but… in practice is a bit more difficult. There is little room to navigate through the corridors with a bottle of beer in one hand, coat and bag in the other. The rooms are quite tiny, standing room for only about 2 to 4 people depending on the different sizes. If you’ve never been, it’s interesting to check in for awhile and see what is going on. This is also free entrance. 11:00 to 21:00pm

Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th are the dates for El Zapato Rojo at the Convent Sant Agustí in Borne. I’m looking forward to going as this is always a great chance to see Nuria of La Virgen de los Broches and Judit of Leccien. Both are extremely talented and creative! make sure you pop by their stall. 1 euro entrence fee. 12:00 – 21:00pm

I like to leave the best for last, so here it is, Festivalet at Miscelanea. The selection is interesting and varied. This is the one that scares me, I never leave empty-handed. And the very best bit? Jenny with her I Love Muffins will be there to feed us with her lovely sweet confections. (Jenny, can you hear that sound? It’s me, swooshing down to have some cupcakes!). Free entrance. Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th. 12:00 to 20:00 both days.

I would suggest having lunch and then starting at CCCB with DrapArt, down to Festivalet, over to Changing Room and finishing with El Zapato Rojo. That means drinks in Borné! Yes, it’s cold out… But there are so many things to do. Why not support the local talents this Christmas and instead of wasting cash at those big-name stores, have a stroll around theses markets and fairs, talk to the designers, really impress those people in your life with the perfect gift.

Today is the inauguration of the Montpalau’s textile exhibit at Palau Robert. I’ll be there in the evening and will have a longer post during the week. The show will be open to the public on Tuesday. See you there!