The 080 Barcelona Fashion is one of the most anticipated events for the fashion sector in Catalonia. For 38 editions, the runway becomes the center of attention in the Catalan capital, to the point that this year there is a whole ecosystem dedicated to bringing it to the residents of Barcelona. This time, they repeat the setting: Port Vell, from where —in the words of Carla Salvador, deputy general director of Commercial and Marketing of the Port of Barcelona— the daily views change: "The runway replaces the ships." This Tuesday, the event kicked off, which includes a program with proposals from consolidated and emerging creators, as well as parallel activities linked to fashion and its cultural dimension, and will feature 26 designers and brands. The first to walk were the models from 080 Reborn, the proposal focused on circular fashion and the reuse of textiles, carried out in collaboration with the Catalan Waste Agency.
Port Vell was filled with outlandish outfits and trends on a midday designed to enjoy fashion. Moisés Rodríguez, director of the Consortium of Commerce, Crafts and Fashion of Catalonia, opened the day by celebrating the space and its "natural connection with Barcelona and its textile industry context." In this way, he praised the port and its "inhospitable and brutalist" spirit. It is not the first time that 080 has been held at the port; in fact, the idea began in the first edition of this year, but in this autumn edition, the Marina Seca space has been incorporated as a novelty. All with the intention of making this Barcelona fashion week bigger, more accessible, and different, seeking to "open Barcelona to the world," said Salvador.
The fashion industry is not small in Catalonia; in fact, it is one of the great engines of the economy and has a clear conviction for growth and internationalization. For years, the country's designers have reached red carpets, international stages, and institutional presentations. In figures, the Minister of Business and Labor, Miquel Sàmper, explained that the fashion and textile sector moves 17.5 billion euros in Catalonia and directly employs 74,000 people. Barcelona projects a very personal understanding of haute couture and is increasingly recognized, especially thanks to 080, which hosts a large part of the Catalan fashion ecosystem and attracts both the public and foreign designers.
It is evident, then, that there is a clear will to make Barcelona play a role in the world of international fashion from 080, but also for this event to have a return for Catalan society. Nàdia Quevedo, Commissioner for Economic Promotion, Commerce, Restoration and Fashion Plan of the Barcelona City Council, took to the podium at the inauguration to remind that this fashion show is much more than an event; "it is a collective project," she confirmed. In this way, and thanks to the public-private collaboration with the Barcelona City Council, the event includes activities outside the catwalk that are part of the PLEC-Barcelona Fashion Culture initiative, promoted with the aim of bringing fashion closer to citizens and reinforcing its cultural dimension.
Firm commitment to sustainability
The 080 Barcelona Fashion has opened with the fifth edition of 080 Reborn, the circular fashion project promoted by the event itself. This circumstance is not accidental, as from the fashion show itself, sustainability is seen as a real and necessary value, beyond a passing trend. Currently, the proposals of established designers, but also emerging ones, are much more environmentally conscious and, therefore, 080 has also made a clear commitment to sustainability. During the fashion show, collections created exclusively from pieces recovered from second-hand shops, social entities, vintage markets, and textile reuse circuits have been seen. In this sense, the initiative seeks to give a new life to the pieces and reclaim recovered clothing as material for fashion creation: "It is not enough to follow trends, we must mobilize," Salvador remarked.
Thus, the 080 returns to Port Vell with traditional designers and emerging artists. Over the next few days, guests will be able to enjoy the new collections from Custo Barcelona, Dominnico, Surkana, Skfk, Escorpion, Outsiders Division, Guillermina Baeza, David Catalan and Aleixandri Studio, among others, to show that the Catalan capital also knows a lot about fashion.