Via Po, 53 – 10124 Torino (Italy) Tel. (+39) 011 6704917 - Fax (+39) 011 6703859 URL: http://www.eblacenter.unito.it/ WORKING PAPER SERIES URBAN FASHION POLICIES: LESSONS FROM THE BARCELONA CATWALKS Erica Chilese e Antonio Paolo Russo Dipartimento di Economia “S. Cognetti de Martiis” International Centre for Research on the Economics of Culture, Institutions, and Creativity (EBLA) Working paper No. 3/2008 Università di Torino Urban fashion policies: lessons from the Barcelona catwalks Erica Chilese University of Milan Department of Economics, Business and Statistics (DEAS), Via Conservatorio 7, 20122 Milan, ITALY. T (work) +39 0250321542 M +39 340 2237509 M
[email protected] Antonio Paolo Russo Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona School of Tourism and Leisure (EUTO), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, C/ J. Martorell 15, 43480 Vila-seca, SPAIN. T (work) +34 977 395294 F +34 977 392939 M
[email protected] Abstract Since at least a decade, Barcelona is on the world map of fashion: Antonio Mirò, Mango, Desigual, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada are famous Barcelona-based stylists teaming up with other large Spanish fashion firms, like Zara, and commercial outlets, like El Corte Ingles, to attract a large interest on local fashion and fashion-based events. Thus, Barcelona has become a straightforward “shopping destination” for millions of international visitors, developing a shopping-related image, various specialised “fashion clusters” for different market targets, and a number of fashion-related events attracting both professionals and a dedicated general audience, like the 080 Barcelona and Bread & Butter. Barcelona’s liberal and leisure-related image can be easily associated with fashion, so if the national capital Madrid retains its role of business capital of the country even in relation to fashion, Barcelona could be considered the emergent “catwalk” of the Mediterranean, challenging other fashion capitals of Europe like Milan and Paris.