Are these small town brands some of Spain’s best-kept secrets?

The coronavirus crisis is a turning point for the fashion industry. With global fashion weeks canceled, pending orders and retailers file for bankruptcy, questions about the current model seem to multiply: Is there another way to produce fashion? Should brands necessarily be based on large centers to succeed? Do we really need so many annual collections?

The answers are yes, no and not as many as we think. At least for these four Spanish brands, who enjoy the budding international success despite having their headquarters in small cities, having an ultra-localized production and working in slow cycles … Or maybe for those exact things. All of them inspired by the culture and traditions of the Balearic Islands, they are in contact with the world at large.

Cortana

Possibly the secret of Spain’s best-kept fashion, Cortana was born in 2001, when Rosa Esteva, born in Mallorca and newly graduated in fine arts and fashion design, decided to try her luck by opening a shop in the island’s capital, Palma. It was a risky move, but it also felt like the right time. I had been drawing since I was a child, and had tons of ideas that matched the spirit of the Balearic Islands.’

Nearly two decades later, Cortana is known for its understated elegance, long linen robes, silk palazzos and draped evening dresses in a palette of sandy tones, Mediterranean blue, terracotta, ivory and sun. ‘I never get tired of exploring the landscape of this island. Its landscape, its marine life and its changing winds are really what inspires all my collections’. Although most of his studio is now in Barcelona, where he has two more stores, along with his Madrid and original Palma outposts, he still returns to Mallorca every season to draw each new collection.

The production takes place in small artisan workshops near Barcelona, with a focus on the artisanal experience. “Finding those craftsmen definitely wasn’t easy,” Says Rosa. ‘When I started the brand I didn’t know anything about production, and fashion experts aren’t very likely to share their secrets! I had to do my own research, but I ended up finding some amazing professionals. There is something in Spanish craftsmanship, a touch of imperfection that makes the end result so unique ”.

Despite the blockade of Spain, one of the strictest in Europe, and its effects on local manufacturing, things have not fundamentally changed for the brand. “Fortunately, being already a fairly small structure and producing all our pieces extremely close to home, our business model has not been significantly challenged, only diminished.” Which, she says, hasn’t been entirely bad. ”I was lucky enough to be locked up here in Mallorca, and that gave me the change to pause and hear the silence. Now I feel refreshed.

Masscob

“We were so innocent and unhinged when we started this brand … I wonder if we could do it again!” No one is more surprised by Masscob’s longevity than its two founders, the very talkative, very sincere Marga Massanet and Jacobo Cobián. Born and raised in La Coruña, the Galician city best known for the fashion industry for being just around the corner from Arteijo, the couple graduated in law and subsequently spent time traveling, but never crossed paths until they sat down. side by side on a plane back home.

‘We were about 24 years old then. Needless to say, we’ll never be lawyers,’ Jacobo says. An incipient personal relationship led them to discover a common creative curiosity, and Masscob was born in 2003. ‘We decided to settle in La Coruna, which at the time was crazy, as it is a small town away from Paris or London. as it gets But it felt like the right decision to make, in terms of production’, says Marga. ‘There’s a great textile tradition in the region. But still, it was hard to find the right workshops for us. We were looking for craftsmanship at a time when it diminished ‘

Things have changed now. “We work with some fantastic Galician manufacturers and we also have our own small workshop, where we manufacture all our prototypes”. The brand also has a presence in international department stores (including Liberty) and small local stores (“we love small businesses! It’s what gives each city its own distinctive character,” they get excited.” They also have independent stores in La Coruña, Madrid, Barcelona and Palma.

‘Marga’s family comes from Mallorca; we spend time there and the islands have inspired our aesthetic from the beginning’, explains James. Designed with an artistic girl with secret boho chic tendencies in mind, Masscob’s collections range from workwear-inspired trousers to architectural trench coats, deconstructed outfits and abundant dresses in vibrant nature-inspired tones. ‘We like juxtapositions.’

At Berriz Masscob and Cortana are the state brands we have long supported and you can buy them online at: berrizmoda.com/shop

Source: wallpaper.com