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080 Barcelona Fashion Draws Record Crowds in Port Vell Debut

Organizers say the new seaside venue sets up bigger sales opportunities with a wider international profile.

Overview

  • Organizers reported the edition closed at its new Port Vell site with more than 15,000 people attending runway shows, up from 11,400 in the previous edition.
  • The public Open Area drew about 3,600 visitors and shifted to direct sales through two on-site zones focused on retail and craft.
  • The lineup broadened globally with Nazzal Studio, a Palestinian label based in Jordan, drawing the Palestinian ambassador and actress Hiba Abouk to the front row.
  • Designers brought overt social messages, including Ricardo Seco’s migrant-focused retrospective with DACA-themed slogans and ICE-issue plastic bags used as props.
  • Leaders signaled more activities beyond the venue next edition, casting the port setting as a gateway for global buyers in a Catalan fashion sector of 953 firms generating €17.5 billion and 73,660 jobs.