“Mon coeur bat la chamade” is the new collection from Juan Avellaneda, presented during 080 Barcelona Fashion.
The designer explores classic silhouettes, taking them to unexplored territories. The result is a bold, flexible and contemporary elegance, paying homage to the fantastic energy that transformed fashion and beauty in the seventies.
We had a little chat with the designer and here’s what he told us:
How would you define elegance?
Elegance is the quality of being stylish and graceful in appearance or manner. Is the way you move, the way you look, there is something on the movements that make people elegant. It has nothing to do with clothes.
Your new collection makes me wanna go to a cocktail party and have a martini, (shaken, not stirred). Tell us more about the inspiration behind it.
The city roars. Amid the noise, traffic and people, a woman walks with feline confidence. The urban jungle guards secrets, passions, ephemeral romances, eternal promises and unusual moments of fun. My new collection mixes all of these elements into a cocktail, that pays homage to the fabulous energy that transformed fashion and beauty in the 1970s. Animal print becomes abstract and proud like a MoMA jewel. The nocturnal elegance deconstructs its codes in garments marked by determined gestures. The collection takes up features and silhouettes that are part of our classics but go into unexplored territories. The result is bold, streamlined and contemporary elegance.
In Spain, there’s no big suit tradition among the young people. Why do you think that is, and do you think things are changing?
I think that the pandemic has forced us to wear more relaxed clothing but that currently, I believe things will change because it reminds us of that moment locked at home. I think that now people have much more desire to shine, enjoy and dress up.
Who are your biggest influences?
My biggest influences are the ’70s for its textiles, and also parties such as the “Black and White” party by Truman Capote. I love the glamour of the ’70s. About designers, I love the work Yves Saint Laurent did when he started with his brand. For me, that specific moment was inspiring and is always something that makes me dream.
Which celebrity would you love to dress?
Julianne More, Cate Blanchet, Colin Firth, and Harry Styles.