"We want to dress confident and strong women."

BarcelonaCoco Chanel once said that black was the most elegant color of all, a shade that the French designer distanced from the symbolism of mourning and endowed with refinement through her creations. It's a union—that of black and elegance—that remains alive today and could be seen this Tuesday in several shows on the first day of 080 Barcelona Fashion, where brands decided to tell stories through their clothes and reclaim the identity-building role of fashion.

Throughout the day, the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site featured proposals from veteran brands faithful to the 080 era—Escorpion, Simorra, Lola Casademunt, The Label Edition, and Eiko Ai—in an edition that will mingle with those of emerging designers and also with the emerging designers.

The day began with the official opening by the Minister of Business and Employment, Miquel Sàmper, who highlighted one of the catwalk's strong points: its internationalization, emphasizing that "080 Barcelona Fashion projects fashion onto the international stage, positioning Barcelona as a benchmark." The organizers of the event see this year's edition as a "recognition" of the sector, which has shown its appreciation for the commitment to a "pairing" of the most established and emerging brands, with the intention of serving as an international springboard for new talent.

The first brand to parade was one of the most veteran and loyal to the Barcelona catwalk, Simorra, which presented a collection inspired by the Japanese concept of Ma A collection that celebrates the beauty of empty spaces and conceives them as places to stimulate creativity and reflection. The runway featured elegant designs that combine layered fabrics, transparencies, and volumes with materials taking center stage—embroidery, denim, organza, crinkled chiffon, and guipure—creating distinguished silhouettes with the aim of ensuring that each garment tells a unique story.

Eiko Ai, the brand by designer Gloria Lladó—who previously worked at Givenchy—has presented a collection true to her spirit, always combining comfort and sensuality. This time, Lladó wanted to explore the relationship between nature and fashion with this proposal. Garderner MistWe have seen floral prints combined with gradient patterns and prints animal print In suits made with flowing, sheer materials. The colors, while retaining the classic black and white, aim to reflect this natural diversity in all the garments, which aim to enhance feminine beauty through a casual.

In the middle of the day, Escorpion, a historic Catalan brand founded in 1929, presented a collection with knitwear as the main focus and with a dual personality: a first part with dark tones—from black to navy blue—and softly draped dresses that recall the essence of the Scottish Highlands; and a second, more daring and powerful part with which they wanted to pay tribute to the designer. Vivienne Westwood, where the color palette shines above all with all the shades of red.

The new collection by Lola Casademunt by Maite presented in the afternoon is the first after the death of the brand's founder in DecemberMaite Casademunt, her daughter who now heads the company, explained that she prefers to believe that "she's still here, by our side, and is present in everything we do." "It's a time to reclaim her legacy," she emphasized. The collection remains faithful to the brand's signature prints. animal print, combined with some festive designs featuring sequins and bold colors like lilac and green. But this time, there's also a focus on black with elegant, understated garments. "We like to dress women with confidence and strength," said Casademunt, summing up the spirit of the collection.

The day was closed by The Label Edition, a brand led by two women who champion a certain rebellion against fashion restrictions and propose effortless elegance. This Tuesday they presented Rogue, a collection based on simplicity and elegance with an irreverent and daring touch. Inspired by the greatest rock icons, the collection offers garments suitable for any occasion, from tailored designs to asymmetrical silhouettes. Black, white, and navy blue form the basis of the collection, which also broadens the chromatic range with garments that provide contrast and luminosity.