Every Saturday night  hundreds of locals line up around the block from C/Bailen 22, Barcelona’s most notorious address, a space that has a long-standing association with pleasure and vice. It is only natural that a building with such a sordid history would be the best place to host Silvia Prada’s glam fest known as ” Who’s The Boss”. A magnet for creatives, musician,models and  artists. The night manages to bring together a healthy dose of fashionistas, clubkids and the people who follow their every move all under one roof.

PR gurus  Xavier de Balaguer & Alejandro Mateo manage to work the door with a warm smile and open arms for the long list of  VIP’s which hold court on the various sofas around the club. I scored an invite with strict instructions from Alejandro to be there before 2am to avoid waiting in line. At 1.30 am the line was already forming the secret to Cabaret Berlin success is the ability captures the very essence of  Barcelona- a place where highbrow mixes with lowbrow  under the lights of the dance floor.

 Upon entering the space, you are transplanted to a world with no boundaries  part Cabaret / part Studio 54, the disco ball turns and the club becomes a meeting point for Barcelona’s most outrageous personalities  all with one thing in common - the need to stand out.

Bimba Bose & David Delfin

Bimba's Red Bull Shoes

This weekly party has become one of the most sought after tickets due to the fantastic DJ’s which have taken the stage and have spun for the masses. Which is why it peaked my curiosity when I saw an ad announcing  David Delfin (Fashion Designer) & Bimba Bose (The Cabriolets) spinning together this past Saturday. Their set a heavy rotation of early 90′s house with classics by Massive attack and Bjork set the tone for a NYC style night of B-sides and an eclectic mix of grooves that kept Bimba’s winged shoes bouncing all night long.

Bimba & David

Pelayo Diaz

Artistic director GINA BURDEL, makes the rounds sipping  her cocktail and making sure the vibe is right while the cast of characters pour through the door. Air kisses are handed out like candy and everyone is on the list. For a glimpse into the people who make the party check out the slide show below.

Click to view slideshow.

At 3am I bump into Alejandro -dressed impeccably, he dabs his forehead with a napkin smiles and says “I think we underestimated the turnout, the line is around the block”. In a flash he’s gone again and out to the front  door of the club in order to make sure everything is going smooth. As the night continues this party turns up the volume and tears down the walls blending genres and creating an original vibe that is sure to make you smile and take it to the dance floor.

CABARET BERLIN- C/Bailén 22; 08010 Barcelona

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Picking up where Bread & Butter left off, The Brandery in Barcelona, has become one of the most important furban fashion trade shows, held twice a year in the FIRA BARCELONA. Now in its fourth edition- The brandery has evolved steadily into a more grown up event connecting buyers with new and emerging brands. An event which brings together the industry’s leading professional for three days of fashion shows, panel discussions, and the latest in retail trends.

This year we saw a tighter version of the show,  with more booths and a steady stream of visitors- it was evident in the increase of  buzz between buyers and brand representatives. Catering to fashionistas, trend forecasters and magazine editors, this show is injecting a much need energy into the Fashion industry in Barcelona. Keeping the well-heeled masses up to speed on retail merchandising and technology the Brandery is the starting point for any brand looking to break into the Spanish market.

For this edition the Brandery erected a three storied catwalk in the center of the pavilion and sent models down the runway dressed in Custo Barcelona, Salsa, Phard & Calvin Klien to name a few. I went backstage in order to photograph some of the models before hitting the catwalk. While normal backstage areas tend to be awash with frantic energy, this backstage was more relaxed atmosphere with models hanging out and chatting; reflecting the laid back unpretentious tone of this show as well as the city.

For more information on the Brandery visit www.thebrandery.com

*All images belong to PulsoBcn.com- to use any image please give proper photo credit.

It was in the 1960′s, in Barcelona, when Andrés Sardá decided to create his own company of women’s lingerie. Sardá, a textile engineer, belonged to a family that had been linked to textile industry since the 19th century. He dreamed of bringing his own ray of light to the industry and decided to break with the aesthetically dark conventions of the era.

This year represents his 50th in the profession and to celebrate, a tribute has been made in the form of a book entitled Andrés Sardá. Moda, Amor, Arte, that includes the collaboration of Margarita Riviêre, Mercedes Milá, Pedro Mansilla and Marius Carol.

Andrés Sardá Exhibition
Place: Hall. DHUB (Montcada, 12)
Date: from Tuesday the 18th to Sunday the 30th of January.
Information: Free entrance

Organizer: XXL / with the collaboration of DHUB

Here’s a recap of the night Enjoy!

Photos by David Naveira

Forever the multitasker, Alvaro has managed to juggle parallel lives as the creative director of 5 and as a well travelled photographer. His journeys in Italy and Morocco are a major influence on his work, and it is this creative balance that has allowed him to publish in international magazines: Flair, L´Officiel, Biba and Ponytail–to name a few.check out more about the magazine at

http://www.5-magazine.com

 A few weeks ago at FRIO09  I came across MATALAFRIA in Room 17 of Hotel Chic & Basic. The room was jammed packed with girls trying on clothes as the cameras interviewed the man in charge of fashion feeding frenzy going on in the  room.

Matalafria (Kill the cold)  is a  fashion house the specializes in knitwear for both men and women here in Barcelona and with temperatures dipping into the 30′s, Barcelona’s fashionistas have kept warm with the merino and alpaca wool pieces from Matalafria.

_KNITWEAR with a TWIST_

Antonio Calderon and his team of designers are revolutionizing the way knitwear is presented by experimenting with volumetric shapes in a contemporary context.  Each machine is hand calibrated and every step of the process is supervised by Antonio & Co. in an effort to produce limited edition pieces that are both durable and classic.

Apart from having a showroom close to the Mercat Sant Antoni, those outside la Ciudad Condal,  can obtain his one-of a-kind pieces by simply clicking on his e-shop. With an extremely modern take on scarfs and cable knit sweaters;  his accessories have become instantly recognizable  pieces of art hanging from the necks of the girls of Gracia to the skinny pant wearing hipsters of El Raval. Projecting a style that is totally versatile, it is entirely up to the wearer to control  how each piece will be interpreted.

With a colorful vintage campaign that reminds me vaguely of the series MADMEN, Matalafria is well on the way to becoming the talk of town with their original point of view and sense of humor. One part vintage with a touch of irony- Matalafria has caught the eyes of stylists by presenting a tight collection available in red and black for women with a range of darker tones for men. This company is definitely one to watch in 2010.

Click  here to unravel the delicate talent of MATALAFRIA

“THE STREET IS DANGEROUSLY CREATIVE”                                                                                             -Christian Lacroix 

         While others prefer the high-profile title of “Fashion Cities” such as Milan, Paris and London. Le Look keeps their eyes on the plazas, alleys and bars of Barcelona’s 5 different barrios which make up the mix and match fabric of the city’s  street fashion scene. LE LOOK’s cameras capture hunt down real people- nonconformists that happily mix H&M with Dior and can rock Alexander McQueen with the same ease of toting a 2 euro purse from one of the many vintage stores on Calle Carme. 

 This past Thursday Le Look invaded Vintage Bar in the Borne, and turned the space into it’s very own urban fashion incubator.  The venue which is a great space for parties is divided into several rooms and gives the feeling of stepping into a posh living room rather than a cramped Barcelona bar. Hosted by LELOOK and the folks at Fashionfreax  this event was the launch party for the latest collection of fashion designer and muse  ANNA K.   Normally a party like this would be filled with pretentious fashionistas but the party was incredibly laid back with more people talking face to face rather than into their cell phones.** Special Thanks to our man Martin Hesbert, for  documenting  the night’s vibe.

  DJ Mustache had the sounds in check while VJ Sacha provided the eye candy in the background.However, the cameras were turned on the crowds at this particular party- the dress code on the invite was in bold. The simple instructions printed in 24 font EXTRAVA K.

LE LOOK staffers  mingled around the room, picking out the most interesting looks and inviting the guests to strike a pose in front of their impromptu photo studio in the bars foyer.  At midnight, those looks that had managed to raise eyebrows (I am talking about you bearded man in a blue dress)  were invited to hit the catwalk and strut their lelook for cava sipping crowds.  

Barcelona’s  cool hunters, fashion editors, and stylist were out supporting LE LOOK  in full force. 

LE LOOK’s last event back in April made headlines and this seasons party was no different.  Michael Mueller from Barcelona’s MINIGUIDE* , summed it up best… ” It’s nice to see Barcelona finally coming into its own and setting trends rather than following them ”. 

For a  complete look at the parties most fashion forward looks click here 

Fotos by_Biel Capllonch

Barcelona based photographer Biel Capllonch , has been shooting images for nearly 15 years.  His body of work is extensive as it is diverse, he has shot campaigns for Ikea as well as covers for LeCool.  A master of composition, his work leaves you questioning what is at the periphery of his lens.  Both intense and shrouded in mystery his images are quietly chaotic and conceptually well restrained with a calm force of candor for his subjects at hand.

When looking at his images one gets the feeling of being an intruder in a world that only Biel has stumbled upon and one which only he knows what really happened that day. Are we voyeurs? Do the subjects know we are watching? Do they like it? Did we get there to late?

 His photography evokes a certain kind of awkward silence; a journey behind closed doors of the suburban, the glamorous and the elite.  It is a study in human emotion, fears, and the peeling back of veils. Nothing is what it seems. Nothing will ever be same.

TO VIEW BIEL’S WORK CLICK BELOW:

http://www.bielcapllonch.com

In continuing with my coverage of up and coming designers, Miriam will be answering some questions next week about her collection and inspiration. So stay tuned.

After a week of wild parties and the stress of designers vying for the public eye one image seemed to sum up the feeling at yesterdays closing.