Fashion shopping in Spain
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Gamaya
A breath of fresh laid-back Ibiza air runs through this new ladies’ wear store tucked away on a street that has gone from near abandonment in the 1990s to become a delightful shopping lane today. The lady who runs this shop designs the breezy summer dresses, pants-and-tops combinations and prints herself.
reviewed
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Coquette
With its spare, cut back and designer look, this fashion is automatically attractive in its own right. Women will love to browse through casual, feminine wear by such designers as Tsunoda, Vanessa Bruno, Chloé Baño and Hoss Intropia. To complement the clothes there are bags, footwear and costume jewellery. The store is a leading light on a street replete with fashion outlets.
reviewed
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Mango
At home in the basement of a modest Modernista town house (check out the white, cast-iron columns inside) and a dozen other locations around town, Mango offers locally produced, affordable and mostly casual fashion for women and men. Smart but easy evening wear, skirts, jackets, high heels and leather bags for her contrast with collarless shirts, jeans, khakis and T-shirts for him.
reviewed
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Adolfo Domínguez
One of the stars of Spanish prêt-à-porter, this label produces classic men’s and women’s garments from quality materials. Encompassing anything from regal party gowns to kids’ outfits (that might have you thinking of British aristocracy), the broad range generally oozes a conservative air, with elegant cuts that make no concessions to rebellious urban ideals.
reviewed
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Siete Besos
A bijou store surrounded by bigger and shriller competition, the ‘Seven Kisses’ is an attractive treasure treat for women’s fashion. Styles can be cheeky and nonconformist but not at all vintage or jeansy. Pretty, light-hearted dresses vie for your attention with pants and tops, all at pretty reasonable prices, considering the part of town you’re in.
reviewed
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Armand Basi
Local design star Basi appeals to a thirties and forties crowd with a slick line in casual elegance. Suits that are perfect without ties and made to impress at dinner or in the town’s top clubs match with stylish evening dresses. More casual shirts, trousers, tops and frocks broaden the range. Leather jackets and footwear complete the picture.
reviewed
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Érase Una Vez
‘Once Upon a Time’ is the name of this fanciful boutique, which brings out the princess in you (and not a pumpkin in sight). It offers women’s clothes, almost exclusively evening wear, to suit most tastes and occasions. Local designers such as Llamazares y de Delgado and Zazo & Brull are behind these sometimes sumptuous creations.
reviewed
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Holala! Plaza
Backing on to Carrer de Valldonzella, where it boasts an exhibition space (Gallery) for temporary art displays, this Ibiza import is inspired by that island’s long established (and somewhat commercialised) hippie tradition. Vintage clothes are the name of the game, along with an eclectic program of exhibitions and activities.
reviewed
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Lefties
Don’t mind being seen in last year’s Zara fashions? Lefties (ie leftovers) could be the browsing spot for you, with men’s, women’s and kids’ cast-offs from the previous year at silly prices. You could fill a wardrobe with perfectly good middle-of-the-road threads and your bank manager would be none the wiser.
reviewed
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Bea Bea
In a bright and spacious locale, women find something to suit most generations and a range of tastes. Younger, carefree styles sit side by side with more classical skirts, jackets and accoutrements for uptown dames. Shoes and bags can also be had, making this a potential single stop for a full outfit refit.
reviewed
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Loewe
Loewe is one of Spain’s leading and oldest fashion stores, founded in 1846. It specialises in luxury leather (shoes, accessories and travel bags), and also has lines in perfume, sunglasses, cuff links, silk scarves and jewellery. This branch opened in 1943 in the Modernista Casa Lleó Morera.
reviewed
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Purificación García
Ms García has an enormous spread of offerings over two floors in this generous corner store. Not only is the building extraordinary but so too are her collections, if only because of their breadth. You’ll find women’s cardigans and men’s ties, as well as light summer dresses and jeans.
reviewed
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Loft
Of the numerous hip fashion stores that have converted this once-slummy alley into a threads mecca for young men and women about town, Loft is one of the longest-established and biggest. It carries labels such as Diesel Style Lab and other cutting-edge names.
reviewed
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Gratacòs
In town for a wedding and left your dress behind? Perhaps you should pop by this luxury women’s clothing store, a classic in Barcelona since 1940. Specialists in top-class materials, it produces lavish dresses for the most exclusive of cocktail gatherings.
reviewed
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Davidelfín
This young Spanish designer refuses to be pigeon-holed, with predominantly dark colours and military chic interspersed with surprising splashes of colour. If there’s an overarching theme, it’s casual, upmarket clothes with a rebellious spirit.
reviewed
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Outlet del Born
Discounted fashions from the previous year from designers like Gonzalo Comella, Hugo Boss, G-Star, Armani Jeans and Viktor & Rolf find their way into this chaotic store, where you can look forward to anything up to half price.
reviewed
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Q
Sita Murt
A Catalan fashion company, Sita Murt produces light and sexy women’s fashion for summer, and young, striding out outfits for the girl about town in winter. Much of it is aimed at nights out rather than a day in the office.
reviewed
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GI Joe
Recently moved to this new address, this is the best central army-surplus warehouse. Get your khakis here, along with urban army fashion T-shirts. Throw in a holster, gas mask or sky-blue UN helmet for a kinkier effect.
reviewed
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Antonio Miró
Mr Miró is one of Barcelona’s haute-couture kings. He concentrates on light, natural fibres to produce smart, unpretentious men’s and women’s fashion. High-end evening dresses and shimmering, smart suits lead the way.
reviewed
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Rag Shop
Light dresses, tops and other items, mostly a mix of cotton and modern fibres, like elastane, appeal to those seeking a casual, unfussy look. Skunkfunk, a ballsy Basque Country brand, leads the way here.
reviewed
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Martel Kee
It’s a strange fact of Spanish life that French Connection has yet to open its own store in Spain. Until it does, head to this small boutique, which also has other stylishly casual lines.
reviewed
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Espacio de Creadores
For a broad selection of cut-price women’s fashion and accessories by a long list of Spanish and some international designers, this outlet store claims to slash original prices by up to 70%.
reviewed
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Red Market
Several funky fashion boutiques dot themselves along this street. Here you’ll run into bright, uninhibited urban wear and accessories. Red dominates the decor more than the threads.
reviewed
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Lurdes Bergada
Classy and original men’s and women’s fashions are the work of this mother-son designer team from Barcelona. It’s stylish in a very Chueca kind-of-way.
reviewed
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Custo Barcelona
Custo bewitches people the world over with a youthful, psychedelic panoply of women’s and men’s fashion. It has several branches around town.
reviewed
