Even though Carlota Barrera specializes in sartorial fashion, the designer wanted to explore a new field this time around. A soccer field, to be precise. “We built this collection in collaboration with New Balance Football, so we worked with references and colors linked to their four teams’ kits: FC Porto, AS Roma, Athletic Club of Bilbao, and Lille,” she explained.
Before this, the Spanish designer wasn’t much of a soccer fan, but she dedicated herself to creating a proposal as accurate and reference-filled as possible.“I did a good amount of research around the ’70s team uniforms and photographs from that time,” she said. “We aimed to push football out of its traditional frame, approaching it through a feminine lens as well.” That translated into a sophisticated yet sporty collection. Suits and clean-cut pieces coexisted along with raincoats, football T-shirts, and subtle details, like the black striped print paying tribute to a referee uniform, or the printed shirts that emulate the lines painted on the grass of a soccer pitch. Despite the new influence, the collection maintained Barrera’s main trademarks, such as the witty cut-outs and the fitted knit pieces.
But this more relaxed and casual approach to the brand’s DNA didn’t just translate to aesthetics. Barrera tried to emphasize the friendly and inclusive ethos of her firm not just through the clothes–presented on women, too–but also through the concept of the whole collection. “We included printed messages on some of the pieces with quotes like ‘Join out team’ because that is the core idea we worked on: the fact that everyone is welcome and that you can build a community through sports. That’s the message,” she said.
As for the biggest challenges, the designer pointed towards finding a balance between what the brand means and the surprise factor. But with suits fully crafted in technical fabrics and soccer supporter’s attire paired with tailored Bermuda shorts, the element of the unexpected was still there.
