Barcelona

After only a few days in Barcelona, Spain, it is safe for one to say that the fashion is not impressive. London has clear cut trends, but the case is not the same in Spain. In general, Barcelona is filled with a lot of self expression among the entire city. Crazy hair, piercings, tattoos, and trashy clothing appeared to be perfectly acceptable on the streets in Barcelona, almost as if everyone was shouting “look at me”.  The street trends spotted in London appeared as if items were thrown together to create a look, but the ideas were structured and collective as a culture; everyone has different approaches to capturing the essence of one look. For example, the idea of British street fashion is unconventional and it uses vintage styles with modern designs. This style is accepted as a whole and has some cultural guidelines. Fashion in Barcelona did not have the same cultural structure if any structure at all. Everyone seemed to be trying to outdo others with their crazy fashion sense of fashion, and it definite opinions could not be drawn after observing people on the street.

Barcelona focused more closely on having the highest quality fashion for the lowest possible prices. Paris puts their energy into expensive high end designers such as Dior and Chanel. England is famous for their tailored suits. The mango factory was a perfect example of how Barcelona focuses on quality, but also affordability. This company opened a new store everyday this past year, and despite the amount of merchandise they had to produce they were able to maintain their company motto of quality.  The mango corporation is a business that should be a role model to other businesses because they have about 600 people working there, but they are able to keep order and control among the company. Mango should implement their plans of working harmoniously on countries around the world because it is fascinating in today’s society that it is even possible. It is unlikely that so many people would work collaboratively together, but mango pride themselves on this ability. The executive in charge of the company puts everybody on an equal playing level and works beside his employees as a friend. Major fashion designers such as Burberry, Chanel, and Dior are all possibilities in the city of Barcelona, but the sense that these major designers had as much emphasis as they do in Paris was not there. A Mango store could be seen on every street corner and in every shopping mall in Barcelona, and in Paris or London the streets are mostly lined with high end designers. Barcelona serves a different group of people in their city; they are looking for clothing that is trendy, affordable and practical. Mango may be affordable, but they are serious about offering quality and also having one of a kind pieces for ready to wear. Every season Mango contacts new textile companies to decrease their risk of other companies copying their styles and fabrics. Mango wants their customers to have a sense of exclusivity even though they are a chain and the clothes are offered worldwide. Mango is one of the most exceptional chain clothing stores because of their concern for the customer, and quality. The outlet mall is near the Mango factory and has high end shopping to off such as Burberry, but there are also less expensive shops like North Face. Children’s outlets can be found by the dozen in this area. Some of the shops were native to Spain itself, which was good to find more unique pieces. There are also cafes to rest after a day of shopping and walking.

The department store that is in Spain is called El Corte Ingles. The headquarters are in Madrid, Spain and it is the fourth largest department store in Europe. This specific department store chain is the only that is left in Spain. The store could easily be compared to a Belks in a America and potentially even Self Ridges in London. They have an extensive collection of clothing and accessories from all the high end designers. They also have a grocery store section, which is unlike most department stores. There are about seven floors to choose from while shopping. The store is even accommodating to tourists that need souvenirs and do not want purchase items from street vendors. There are options to buy shampoo and conditioning products on the cosmetic floor. Most department stores are not so accommodating to their customers. This could be one stop shopping for the people of Barcelona rather than having to visit several stores in order to get all errands accomplished.

The Ramblas is an area full of tourist traps. There are kiosks lining the strip, people dressed in ridiculous costumes hoping for some money, and a market for food. The strip itself is a couple miles long and ends off the beautiful Mediterranean coast. There are several characters that can be found a long this strip. The styles are casual but at times they can be trashy. Oversized sweatpants, high-top sneakers, and t-shirts were paired with facial piercing, dread locks or other funky hair styles, and tattoos. Men were not dressed in structured suits as was seen in London and women were not dressed to the nines and wearing heels. The market on the Ramblas is the perfect way to get a dose of Spanish culture. There are stations filled with fresh fruit, vegetables, and most importantly the meat. Spain is known for having the best ham, and hanging along the stations were huge limbs of meat that were being freshly carved; the perfect way to get meat for sandwiches or an amazing dinner. Along the Ramblas men working at the tourist shops try to draw people into their shops, each one selling the same items but they can be convincing at times. There persistence can be comical. By the Mediterranean there is a statue of Christopher Columbus, which adds to the history of the city. There are other historic looking buildings by the ocean that add beauty. After walking down the stressful Ramblas the calm Mediterranean Sea is captivating and the perfect place to sit and watch boats come into port.  

The Sagrada Familia is the most breathtaking structure to visit while in Barcelona. The architecture was designed by Antoni Gaudi who died in 1926. The cathedral has yet to be finished, but the goal is to have it done in 2026; 100 years after the death of Gaudi. The church is still being built from the money of confidential donations. Before entering the cathedral it’s greatness can be seen because of the extremely intricate designs on the outside of the structure. It looks as if someone single handedly carved the designs out with a knife. On the back side of the cathedral it is evident that Gaudi was the designer because the lines of the building are curvy, and flow together. The front has straighter lines, but more intricate carvings. There are religious statues covering the entire back of the building and of course Jesus is included. Gaudi designed Jesus so that his eyes would follow all the people as they walked by. Fashion inspirations could be taken from the cathedral because it is an easy going building with little structure, this could be compared to the laid back fashion. The inside of the cathedral only gets better and more breathtaking. It is hard to believe that it is a cathedral because it could be mistaken for a castle. The inside structures model Gaudi’s style of architecture perfectly; there are curved lines, spiral staircases, and tall round pillars. All the pieces of the building seem to flow together much like the Mediterranean Sea. If there is any place to gain inspiration in the city of Barcelona, the cathedral is the place.

The museum of chocolate is a creative idea for chocolate lovers all over the world. Using art and food together is always a good idea, especially when chocolate is involved. Making artistic sculptures out of chocolate is amazing because tourists cannot honestly believe they are looking at chocolate. The museum not only had sculptures, but there were informational panels filled with history of chocolate and how it reached other countries. Antoni Gaudi inspired the chocolate museum with the replica of the Sagrada Familia and the Casa Batllo.  The casa Batllo is a famous building that was restored by Guadi. Not all of the sculptures were serious there cartoons made of chocolate. Tom and Jerry were sculpted and are relatable to adults and children. There were also current Disney movies on display such as Chicken Little, and Up. The gift shop gives on the opportunity to buy fresh truffles for friends and family while enjoying a glass of hot chocolate. The best place to buy a cup of hot chocolate is in the chocolate museum, but be prepared for the thick, and rich consistency.

Tapas are a type dish that is famous in Spain. They are small dishes that can be compared to an American Appetizer. Learning how to make some these delicious treats is the perfect gift to bring to friends and family because everybody loves food. Tapas are easy to make especially when working with a highly skilled chef. The restaurant is set up as is a home-style dining room and kitchen. The restaurant called Barcelona Kitchen is made to teach people how to cook while also enjoying a fine dining experience. They make their own brand of wine that can be enjoyed while cooking and of course eating. There are simple dishes to make such as baked cheese lollipops that taste as good as they sound. Also a gelatin with a melon soup is easy to make. It sounds adventurous, but the taste is refreshing and surprisingly delicious. The chef gives everybody a chance to experience different aspects of cooking, and learn important facts about making gourmet food. The kitchen has only been open for a couple months, but the concept is intriguing.

The textile museum and the Picasso museum are two ways to gain some insight into culture, but they are two very different outlets into culture. Everybody has heard of Picasso and it would be a shame to travel to Barcelona and not see his work. The museum in Barcelona timelines his entire life through paintings but most people know about Picasso because of his abstract work. Picasso has done so much more and it is important to learn about his other works. There is painting called ‘A Child in Bed” and in the museum if the painting is looked at from two different angles there are two different perspectives of the painting. The way the light hits the painting plays with the colors, and the direction at which the painting is being looked at changes the facial expressions and positions. Also one will learn that he progressively started signing his paintings with only “Picasso”, but that was not until his later work. There are also smaller drawings on display that Picasso is not necessarily famous for, but are equally as interesting to see. The textile museum is also an important aspect of culture, mostly for fashion majors because it takes students through the decades of fashion. There are videos that demonstrate when and how clothing was worn to put it in perspective. Charles Frederick Worth had dresses on display in the museum. He was extremely influential in fashion during the 19^th century with his need for custom dresses; he became the father of haute couture. Women endured fashion torture with their whale bone hoop skirts, tight fitting corsets, and the bustles. Designers such as Dior had dresses on display from the “new” look designs and it is interesting to compare this to the Dior that is being sold in stores today. Fashion has progressed tremendously and it is to make comparisons and relations when the progressions are displayed. Some of the items have actually come back into style. Vintage is very popular right now, and many of the Chanel, and Balenciaga dresses would be worn as vintage evening wear today.