The trends we have seen at 080 (and that you may have already glimpsed on the street)

BarcelonaThe 080 Barcelona Fashion closes its 37th edition with proposals from 26 brands, a clear international commitment, and its classic combination of established designers and young emerging talents. The move to Port Vell was experienced with a certain duality, as the spectacularity of the new location could not be fully enjoyed since the runway area was closed off by large black curtains that blocked the sea views. Nevertheless, we have selected some of the most prominent trends we saw over these four days of fashion.

Black has always been a symbol of elegance and discretion, and the fashion world periodically reclaims it. At 080, we have seen various brands that have strongly opted for black as the protagonist of their collections. This is the case of Manuel Bolaño, a designer who had not presented a collection at 080 for eight years and who has made black the absolute protagonist of his new garments. The designer of Basque origin Eñaut has also opted for this color - a true hallmark of his brand - in his new collection presented on the last day, and black has also shone in the looks of the designer Guillermo Justícia with spectacular plays of fabrics and volumes.

When we talk about prints, we have to talk about Benavente, a brand founded by the Valencian fashion designer Paco Benavente who champions craftsmanship applied to fabrics. In his new collection, he has gifted us some precious pieces with floral prints that he combines with satin fabrics and volumes reminiscent of ceremonial silhouettes. The Basque brand SKFK – which debuted at 080 – Coconutscankill, and the Catalan firm Escorpion, one of the most loyal to the event, have also joined the print trend. Escorpion continues to bet on knitwear as the star ingredient of its collections, in which it also incorporates discreet prints, especially geometric ones. Custo, in its usual line, presented a luminous collection with prints and plays of textures and shiny fabrics. One of the few brands that dared withanimal print in this edition has been Reparto, a Madrid-based firm born in 2019, which bets on this print in some pieces that it combines with transparencies or synthetic fabrics to create a proposal with a punk vibe.

In this edition of 080, accessories have taken center stage, evolving from simple add-ons to true stars. This was evident, for example, in Txell Miras's fashion show, which presented a collection that explores desire and pain not only through clothing but also with illustrations, and where models wore ceramic pieces as handbags designed by creator Anna Benet. Additionally, Miras collaborated with landscaper Pep Espelt, who created the maxi headbands with natural elements that the models sported on the runway. Other brands that have focused on accessories such as hats, bags, and facial jewelry include Benavente, with floral bags and hats; XV Strange, with maxi jewelry, scarves, and natural elements, and the Basque brand SKFK, with knitted hats, bags, and clutches. AAAStudio included maxi jewelry in its proposal; Bibencia, bags, jewelry, and hats, and the firm Habey Club also featured bags as an essential accessory.

The designer Dominnico, who has dressed celebrities like Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, or Rosalía, is one of the flagbearers of unisex clothing, and the collection he has presented at 080 bets, as always, on pieces that go beyond gender. In the same vein, Guillermo Justicia has presented a collection of dark tones where he plays with textures and volumes, and all of its pieces go beyond gender, like AAA Studio, which also bets on unisex clothing.

Adolfo Domínguez is synonymous with understated elegance, and in its debut at 080, where the brand celebrated its 50th anniversary, it has opted to bring classic tailoring patterns to the general public, with pieces inspired by sewing workshops that can be worn on any occasion. A collection with hybrid pieces that have simplicity as a common denominator. For his part, designer David Catalán, based in Portugal, has also opted for elegance in his new menswear collection with classic pieces, which can be combined with each other, to create a timeless and exquisite wardrobe. Elegant but a bit more daring is the proposal of the Doblas firm, which is based on the structures of classic tailoring that it adapts to a contemporary world.

AAA Studio are flagbearers of this trend, with young and informal proposals such as tracksuits and t-shirts that have a conceptual basis of freedom and a will to break the strictest fashion rules. Carrieri is another of the brands that has shown a very urban collection with proposals inspired by sports and "oversize" silhouettes. Boulard also presented a collection that includes some urban looks marked by simplicity and the classic combination of jeans and t-shirt, and Tania Marcial made a mischievous urban style proposal.

The world of fashion is still very much anchored in beauty stereotypes, and that's why it's surprising when an event like 080 Barcelona opts for diversity of models showcasing the pieces from different designers. In this edition of Catalan fashion week, we've seen an increase in model diversity, both in terms of all types of sizes and ages, in order to represent society and the type of person who will end up wearing those clothes much more faithfully.

That fashion is not just clothing is something we already know, but there are designers who have a very marked political discourse and use their creations to convey their message. In this vein, in the 080 edition that has just closed its doors, two names have stood out: Ricardo Seco and Nazal Studio. Seco is one of the most committed voices in Mexican fashion and has presented his collection "Orgullo Migrante" at 080, a title that is already a declaration of intent and which is a compilation of pieces he has made throughout his career and which share a vindicative message and a commitment to share the pride of being an immigrant, a message that is reflected in the form of slogans on t-shirts, sweaters, and pants. Nazal Studio is a Palestinian fashion and art studio founded by Sylwia Nazzal based in Jordan. It has presented a collection of pieces inspired by the Bilad al-Sham region and in which refugee artisan women collaborate, allowing them to generate income, so that fashion production becomes a form of solidarity.