I was so pleased to be invited over seas to Barcelona 080. Originally, I just thought I would go spend some time with some Spanish friends who I was missing very much. Little did I know I would be getting in touch with a more relaxed side of myself altogether. Granted there was the occasional confused point of view and the lewd and lengthly display of poorly spent money. Over all, I have to hand it Barcelona 080 for putting together a show that rivals many of the fashion weeks that are now all over the map. Not since Stockholm have I known a European city, that is not London, Paris, Milan, or Rome (I wish Rome still had a fashion week) to present a handful of designers with a vibe that could be counted as defining of a geographical aesthetic. Granted, some of these designers were out of towners who had made an emigrant decision of some sorts. Here are just three designer cohorts in a sort of laid back style surely rooted in seaside confidence. Not lacking, but free from frills and trappings that ills the fashions and inhabitants of more panicked metropolises. Barcelona may be hot but it is clearly not bothered.

Below in vertical rows: left column – Yiorgos Eleftheriades, center column – Josep Abril, right column – Jean Lu Mes.

More Below…

I initially imagined the duo, Cardona Bonache, as a very serious potential business. Something that would work on a global scale and aesthetically akin to classic Calvin Klein. A friend argued that it was more aligned with Balenciaga and the argument that these are really involved patterns is a point well taken. Taken out of the context of comparisons there is no comparing this teams sleekness in the abbreviated week and, credit due, they speak their own language. A decisive maneuver around the concept of bellows that followed through the collection down to the shoes.

Last Image: Victor Cardona and Israel Bonache, A couple of tattooed dudes who’s entire crew has been marked by Sang Bleu contributor, Jon Dix.

After the show, I overheard Stefania Borras telling the press that her collection was about Mediterranean life. There was also a detail reference to jellyfish. I imagine it somehow far away from the sea in the black box of a modern dance studio. I would really love to see her collaborate on a dance performance here in New York. I wanted to stick her in my luggage and bring her home to Bill T Jones. It may prove more affordable (and comfortable) to float her her own ticket.

My favorite example of this Mediterranean ease in menswear was Karlotalaspalas. Not only does the collection strike me as completely comfortable and completely comfortable with its Catalan identity, Karlota has a really nice way of making simple and sublime points. Wafts of smoking incense in the breast pockets of suits calmed the crowd  while printed burning ends emblazoned pieces in other passages. I suspect this kind of quiet no nonsense continuous thread is what cements Karlota’s essence. There was something in this collection that felt like it was the spell of someone that had travelled down from the Spanish countryside to wash the world with a cool calm. It only made perfect since to me, when I discovered days later while relaxing under the eye of the sleeping giant, that she was part Boris Bijan Saberi’s team for many seasons.

Just a little intermission from the minimalism to show some love to our dear friend and Sang Bleu contributor Ellen Von Unwerth aka Ellen Von Underpants. This is a special dedication to the queen of the fräulein lifestyle and all things boudoir. Ellen, I couldn’t help but think of you as I was viewing this labor of love by Bibian Blue. I wonder if Bibian and her tattooed crew of rock-a-billy beauties ever sleep. I imagine endless weeks of being knee deep in corset construction and careful placement of lace and frills. PS – I would be thrilled to see someone execute this make-up concept in the form of a real tattoo.

The team at Totem brought two very modern Korean designers as guests to Barcelona 080. Check out the clean futursitic flow of Juun J. (top half) and Songzio (bottom half). Korea is definitely flexing on an international level and I find the menswear from this part of the world especially promising. These guys are showing that just a touch of sci-fi on the right guy can be pleasing to the eye. Juun and Esther Kim were on hand to enjoy the festivities with us as well as Songzio’s family and his teenage son was working overtime as English interpreter… so endearing. Its a family affair indeed.

The top 4 rows above – Juun J.

The bottom 4 rows above – Songzio

It has been over a week now that I was in Barcelona for a long over due visit with some OGs and checking out Barcelona 080. It’s been a non-stop flow since I’ve returned to New York helping out our family over at V who are tirelessly producing what must be a record number of shoots in a record short period of time for the upcoming issue of VMan, shooting with our crew over at Public School who are gearing up for a new buying season, enjoying our UK/stateside posse that is now the Worldtribe that is M.I.A. as we collectively conjured up a deadly electrical storm under the moonlight on Governor’s Island, and a meeting with my favorite creative director, “Invisible” Macs Iotti, and a handful of designers who are already in the throws of New York Fashion week. This combined with the regular chores of credits, edits, and accounting have made for little rest in the testing heat of late July in BedStuy. Thankfully, life is a never ending work in progress and I know our friends in Barcelona know this, nonetheless, postings of 080 have been pending and I am just now kicking off what will be a weekend of postings from Barcelona’s fashion week with a few inspiring tattoos I spooked during the event.

Props to my man Isreal and his girl who drove me up to the sleeping giant for an all out carnivore fest at Boris and Lilly’s Belly R+B mountain maison.