The Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week is finalizing the details of its most international edition, with 80% of the participating brands coming from more than 35 countries. "Barcelona will be, more than ever, the global epicenter of the business and trends of the sector," defends its director, Albasarí Caro. The professional fair, organized by Fira de Barcelona from April 17 to 21, this year focuses on Australia, one of the big markets where it still does not have much incidence, after having established itself in Asia, Latin America and the United States.
Big names will showcase their dresses in Barcelona, among which stands out the Italian designer Giambattista Valli, who has chosen the Catalan capital for his first exclusively bridal fashion show. The presentation of his third Love Collection is scheduled for Thursday, April 18, at the Llotja de Mar and, as he explains, "it will show the abc" of his work, with dresses that will each have a different personality. "It is a boost for the Barcelona brand to get these haute couture figures who do not parade outside of Paris to come," remarks Caro, recalling that a year ago another milestone was set, with the fashion show of Lebanese designer Elie Saab, who also presented his bridal fashion collection on the runway for the first time. In this edition, Elie Saab will return to Bridal Week and will be present in the exhibition area.
Bridal Week expects the participation of some 21,000 attendees, still a little below pre-pandemic figures, when 22,000 attendees were registered in 2019. This year's edition will feature 37 fashion shows in Pavilion 1 of the Montjuïc exhibition center, where five brands will debut and a total of 900 dresses will be showcased, and with 400 firms in the commercial hall. Among the participants will be Jenny Packham, Tony Ward and Ines di Santo, among whom the arrival of the Lebanese Georges Hobeika will stand out. According to the organizers, an economic impact of 61.5 million euros is expected.
The director of BBFW anticipates that some of this year's main trends will be dresses that will once again define the silhouette, based on fluid materials and crepes. The purchase of more than one dress will also be consolidated, not only the one designed for the ceremony, but at least one more for the pre-wedding or for the after-party.
La Fura dels Baus pays tribute to brides
Bridal Week will expand beyond the Montjuïc exhibition center and open up to the public with an artistic installation conceived by La Fura dels Baus. During the five days of the fair, a large rotating hanger will invade Paseo de Maria Cristina and display different dresses from Catalan brands, from large firms to small ateliers, including Pronovias, Jesús Peiró, YolanCris, Novia d'Art, Mariano Moreno, and Olga Macià. "We have a fascination with mechanical instruments that do things, and this time we wanted to pay tribute to dresses. We wanted them to show themselves and fly around. We also wanted to pay tribute to the nightmare of ladies who have to choose one," says the director of La Fura dels Baus, Pep Gatell, "it will be ephemeral like the wedding day."
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