BRAVO BARCELONA

TECHNO

A unique event – a gala with catwalks, fashion and music in front of the Montjuïc fountains – put Barcelona back in the spotlight of global bridal fashion

With an annual event that has in the past unfailingly hit the international headlines, Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week (BBFW) looked to create a new-form spectacular this year, as the world has eased out of stresses of lockdown.

October’s Bridal Fashion Week Gala was, unsurprisingly, another feather in the organiser’s sparkling cap, a specially-created one-off event during which the stunning collections of 20 leading design houses went on show in front of the waterfalls of Montjuïc’s Magic Fountain. The show, staged to support the Save the Children charity, was streamed around the world and attended in person by more than 500 guests.

The Gala, organised by Fira de Barcelona’s Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week (BBFW) in partnership with the Ministry of Business and Labour of

SET TO DAZZLE And a dazzling setting for the event that brought glamour back into the world of bridal YolanCris

the Generalitat of Catalonia under the heading ‘The New Beginning’, fulfilled its goal of bringing together highly-respected designers and professionals from the world of bridal fashion to contribute to reactivating and revitalising the sector while promoting their work.

According to Jesús Díez Betriu, the president of BBFW and owner of the Jesús Peiró brand: “The aim of this event was create a true celebration, a ‘return to life’ following the difficult period beset by the pandemic. The Gala has proved to be a resounding success, and without question that success will help the sector to continue working with enthusiasm and renewed strength.”

The show featured more than 80 iconic designs from leading brands such as Pronovias Group, with its Pronovias, House of St Patrick and Nicole Milano brands; Jesús Peiró; Yolancris; Isabel Sanchis; Sophie et Voilà; Ramón Sanjurjo; Marco y María; Lorena Panea; Olga Macià; Carla Ruiz; Cristina Tamborero; Antonio Riva; Amelia Casablanca; Carlo Pignatelli; Carlo Pignatelli for Pronovias; Justin Alexander; and The Atelier.

Influencers, models and celebrities

Barcelona has always been a magnet for names at the heart of the industry, and those surrounding it, attracting

Cristina Amborero à

Olga Maci

Marco y Maria Isabel Sanchis

Carlo Pignatelli for Pronovias

Pronovias

some of the biggest names on the red carpet, and those whose opinions are sought out, and respected. The gala was attended by some 30 of the most important influencers on the international scene, who boast between them a combined total of more than 14 million followers. Some of them, such as Melyssa Pinto; Marta Sierra; Daniel Illescas; Italian Andrea Dal Corso; Mexican Patricia Gloria Contreras; and Chenyue Wang from China paraded on the catwalk with designs by Lorena Panea, Yolancris, Ramón Sanjurjo, Carlo Pignatelli for Pronovias, Amelia Casablanca, The Atelier, and Marco y María.

Among the key attendees at the Gala were government representatives and big society names including actors Hiba Abouk and Macarena Gómez, models and presenters Judit Mascó, Martina Klein, Fiona Ferrer and Elsa Anka, while model and influencer Desirée Cordero, took to the stage for Pronovias.

Event director Estermaria Laruccia said: “It’s been a pleasure to see so many representatives of the bridal world together again in such a magical setting. We’re particularly thrilled about helping to support Save the Children and its Stop Child Marriage project.”

Yet again Barcelona has set new standards. Its sheer inventiveness never fails to stun.