The 080 Barcelona Fashion Week and its first-ever Digital showcase is over. From all the amazing talent featured during this past week, EÑAUT and its “Permafrost” collection was definitely a highlight. We met the Basque designer and talked about the digitalization of fashion, climate change, and sustainability.
How did the coronavirus and consequent confinement impact your brand as a company and how did it affect your creative process?
It’s true that at the beginning, it affected us because we were just about to launch the Newfoundland collection (the winner of the 080 award), and given the circumstances we had to delay it and make it in pre-order. But hey, step by step we have adjusted to the situation. Regarding the creative process, it did not affect too much, it even helped the fact of being at home and having more time to dedicate to the collection and learn new things to incorporate to it.
What do you miss about the pre-COVID world and something good (if any) that you have learned during this stage?
Well, I would say that the ease of doing various things or procedures. With this situation we live in, it has led us to pause everything and start doing things slowly. I understand the situation and that is why we see it now with more perspective and know better how to organize the time for everything. Despite the fact that many projects have changed or were canceled, I have learned to pamper more what I do.
The 080 this year like many other fashion shows worldwide have opted for a 100% digital support. What is the positive and the negative of this change?
I think the public is used to live shows, to live the experience with us. In addition, the feedback we received from them at that time was very gratifying, along with the adrenaline you feel on stage. That is why I believe that this new edition of 080 is more important than ever because we have the major task of reconnecting with people. In this sense, I think that 080 and ESMA have done an impressive job, they have created a lot of content and have been able to give it a twist to offer something different. And this is the positive side that this new scenario brings us, where we have been able to propose different ideas, more choreographed and we have had more time to plan everything. Also when recording we had the opportunity to try different things, without direct pressure. Apart from all this, we have the option of reaching more people and further, since we have become a great virtual window of continuous content and this idea of a 080TV with continuous broadcasting is very appealing.
Do you think that this way of presenting collections should be maintained in the future?
I think a mix could be made. I think losing the magic that fashion shows offer you would not be the right thing to do. But I think we should take advantage of this virtualization to grow in this aspect and expand the entire universe that 080 Barcelona Fashion created to go further. If I had to bet on something, it would be this way, without losing the traditional and continuing this way of digitization.
All this crisis in the sector has been reflected in environmental improvement. In what way does your brand try to be sustainable or contribute to a more sustainable operation in the market?
Well, in everything possible. We try to ensure that all the materials we work with are sustainable, whether they are organic, recycled, or materials from stocks that were going to be discarded. Then we take care of the entire creation process, betting on Km 0 and taking care of the waste generated in the creation of the garments. In addition, we like to direct the collection to a sustainable environment to take advantage of the opportunity as a creator and offer the consumer the option of thinking beyond clothing.
Do you think that the change in the consumer mentality regarding genderless and creative adjustments of brands in this sense can also contribute not only to the elimination of certain stigmas but also to this much-needed sustainability?
Yes, as a brand we have the task of offering different points of view and luckily the consumer is becoming more and more aware and labels are disappearing little by little. I believe that it is a very necessary task in which we all have to contribute.
What would you highlight from this collection that you present at 080 Barcelona Fashion?
It is my purest bet. I have worked with sustainable materials in white tones. It is the first time that I do not use black and I add patterned fabrics. I have also physically incorporated the water into the garments. With all this, I have tried to achieve the visual effect of the thaw. All this in contrast to alarm music, with the intention to generate uncertainty and making one think about the background. It has been a metaphor referring to how hypnotic the movement of water can be when it melts but how damaging it is in this scenario.
Are you already working on new projects that you can tell us about?
Well, there are not many projects in sight, at the moment I am working on the Exodus collection sales. And we have to continue with the work of reconnecting little by little with the public.
Take a look at the complete presentation below:
