The trends we've seen at 080 (and that you might have already spotted on the street)

Barcelona080 Barcelona Fashion closes its 37th edition with proposals from 26 brands, a clear international commitment, and its classic mix of established and emerging young designers. The move to Port Vell was met with some duality, as the spectacularity of the new location could not be fully enjoyed because the fashion show area was closed off by large black curtains that blocked the sea views. However, we have selected some of the most outstanding trends we saw over these four days of fashion.

Black has always been a symbol of elegance and discretion, and the fashion world periodically claims it. At 080, we have seen several brands that have strongly bet on 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 pieces. The designer of Basque origin Eñaut has also opted for this color - a hallmark of his brand - in his new collection presented on the last day, and black has also shone in the looks by designer Guillermo Justícia with spectacular plays of fabrics and volumes.

If we talk about prints, we have to talk about Benavente, a brand founded by the Valencian fashion designer Paco Benavente that champions craftsmanship applied to textiles. In his new collection, he has gifted us some precious pieces with floral prints that he combines with satiny fabrics and volumes reminiscent of ceremonial silhouettes. The Basque brand SKFK – which debuted at 080 – has also jumped on the print bandwagon, along with Coconutscankill and the Catalan firm Escorpion, one of the most loyal to the event and which continues to bet on knitwear as the star ingredient of its collections, in which it also places discreet prints, especially geometric ones. Custo, in his usual style, presented a luminous collection with prints and plays on textures and shiny fabrics. One of the few brands that dared with the animal print in this edition has been Reparto, a Madrid-based firm born in 2019, which opts for 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 had special prominence, going from being simple additions to true stars. This was seen, for example, at Txell Miras's fashion show, which presented a collection that speaks of desire and pain not only through clothing but also with illustrations, and in which the models wore ceramic pieces as handbags signed by the creator Anna Benet. Furthermore, Miras collaborated with landscape designer Pep Espelt, who created the maxi-hats with natural elements that the models sported on the catwalk. Other brands that have opted for 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 corsets. 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 flag-bearers 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 whose pieces go beyond gender, like AAA Studio, which also bets on unisex clothing.

Adolfo Domínguez is synonymous with understated elegance, and in its 080 debut, where the brand celebrated its 50th anniversary, it has opted to bring classic tailoring patterns closer 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 men's 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 from the Doblas firm, which is based on classic tailoring structures that it adapts to a contemporary world.

AAA Studio are flag bearers of this trend, with young and informal proposals such as tracksuits and t-shirts that have a conceptual basis of freedom and a desire to break the most rigid rules of fashion. Carrieri is another of the brands that has shown a very urban collection with proposals of sporty inspiration and oversize silhouettes. Boulard also presented a collection that includes some very 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 bets on the diversity of models showcasing the pieces of different designers. In this edition of Catalan fashion week, we have 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 clothes, 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, at 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 is a collection of pieces he has made throughout his career and which share a vindictive message and a commitment to share the pride of being an immigrant, a message that is embodied 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. She 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, thus turning fashion production into a form of solidarity.