Fernanda Blasco: It’s about elevating the brand through premiumness and materials. This season we’re launching our first dedicated leather line – jackets, pants, shoes, and bags – with special washed leathers that are truly unique. Beyond leather, we’re introducing fabrics we’ve never worked with before: 100% silk, cashmere, mohair, wool, and new knitwear. For us, the message is clear – we want to communicate premiumness. The goal is to bring together quality, craftsmanship, and design at the right price point, so customers feel they’re getting something exceptional. We study the competition carefully, but our vision is distinct. We’re not mass market, and while we’re not luxury either, we’re carving out a confident mid-market position and beginning to build in that direction.

For example, the denim you see there. It has all the elements, it’s our DNA, because we are casual. And I want to communicate that we are casual. Denim, for us, is mandatory. Think about the very first jacket for Desigual from 1984. Thomas Meyer, the owner, made it by upcycling a jacket.. It’s a very unique statement piece you’ll love to wear. This was also key in creating this part of the collection: every piece has some handmade element. For example, this leather piece, it goes through four processes: first the leather is painted, then fur is added, then treated, then removed. It’s spectacular. It costs around five hundred something, but honestly, it could easily be two thousand. This is exactly what we want to provoke: We’re more expensive with this line, but still accessible.

We’re not producing on a massive scale. This collection is curated. It’s only going into around ten stores. It will be online for every market, but we carefully chose the stores where we want to position it. The idea is that the uniqueness of the piece means you’ll have to search for it, try to find it. We didn’t want too many pieces. We wanted to start small, stay exclusive. And it’s also super important for us – the connection with the producer. We really want consumers to feel there is somebody behind the garment, dedicating a lot of love and time to each piece.

What I’ve learned from other experiences was key. When I started in January I knew it was mandatory to go to the archive. To spend time there, study the details, the shapes, what we used to be, and bring that into the contemporary era. To build it into the next level of what we’ll be in 2030. Bringing the archive into the contemporary world and the future. That was essential. So: details, shapes, prints. All the things you see talk about the sea, Barcelona, the inspiration. So it’s really full of love and meaning, even in just one dress. That’s a very important piece for me.

The most important thing! We are a brand from Barcelona. Talking about Barcelona is absolutely mandatory. So when I initiated the line, I asked myself: why do I like Barcelona? Why stay here? And I realized – it’s the sea and the mountain. So the collection reflects that. You have the rustiness of leather, denim with a coated finish – that’s the mountain. And then the other part, for us, is the sea: softness, mohair, cashmere, silk – the opposites. We play with this duality. That’s part of the collection’s inspiration. But beyond that, Barcelona is also about understanding where we come from, what kind of brand we are. It’s really back to the roots. Barcelona is from the street. It’s streetwear, but also by the sea. All these components shaped the line.

Absolutely. Vintage, when Thomas started the line, was spectacular. And I think it’s the heart and soul of the brand. So yes, we went to our archive and other archives, to compose and make it new. More trendy, more fashionable.

The surprising part – in the best way – was the team. The spirit of Desigual really touched me, because everybody was so happy to initiate this new phase. Everyone put in their heart and soul. What you see is a lot of dedication. That was fantastic. The challenge was whether the vision could become reality with our suppliers. Whether we had the real capacity to achieve this level of premium. And today, I can say very happily: yes, we can. Normally, a runway collection takes one year. We did it in four months. So the team and the suppliers are the most important part of this collection.

I think she would say: wow. She would be very proud of the road that brought me to this beautiful stage. Because I’m in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I’m happy to be here. And I think this happiness translates into the collection.

The finale. Because you know how it is: when you are creating a line, you’re composing, you’re always 360. The designers, the people in charge – it’s always 360. And the finale is the moment when you see the whole line at once. That will be very rewarding, I think – for me and for the team. We’ll all be there, and everybody’s so happy.