ESSENCE.com caught-up with Custo Barceolona’s designer Custo Dalmau at his New York showroom in SoHo as he went through the final fittings and casting calls for his spring 2010 “Air Show” collection. Get behind-the-scenes scoop and exclusive Custo runway access.
As Told To Qianna Smith
“I come here a couple of days before the show in order to review all of the looks, agree on the casting and review all of the exits.”
Last minute finishes are made on site as models come in the Custo SoHo showroom for fittings.
Alter twelve years showing at the Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week, Custo Barcelona presented his spring 2010 collection, for the first time at the largest venue at Bryant Park, the tent, before a crowd of 1,000 members of the press, opinion leaders, celebrities and VIP’s.
The collection showcased both men’s and women’s designs. Backstage models exchange info on their phones.
“In the Promenade we are never able to fit everybody, and the Tent provides the right venue to hold all of the people and fans wanting to see the show. We have great energy and music and the Tent is a perfect place for showcasing what Custo Barcelona is all about.”
Women of color dominated the walk like never before at Custo Barcelona’s spring 2010 show.
Dalmau’s inspiration for his spring collection was movement and lightness.
“The consumer right now is not really interested in shopping. But, in order to excite them you have to give them new things, something completely new. That is our idea. The other designers become very conservative, but not Custo Barcelona,” shares Dalmau about how he has changed production to keep Custo’s prices down.
The Spain based designer has made prints and color the DNA of his brand, which makes Dalmau’s contemporary designs recognizable and sought after worldwide.
Custo Barcelona is flighting off the recession by “being very creative.”
“The consumer right now is not really interested in shopping. But, in order to excite them you have to give them new things, something completely new. That is our idea. The other designers become very conservative, but not Custo Barcelona,” shares Dalmau about how he has changed production to keep Custo’s prices down.
All the material in the collection Ais perforated, providing a certain transparency to the material and clothes.
“Everything is completely new in terms of graphics and colors. But especially the way we mixed the colors with the fabrics, because we used very lightweight fabrics,” says the designer on what’s different from his previous spring collection.
“The prints in this collection we bet on very feminine, sensual, womanly prints but in a very contemporary way.”
