Baro Lucas
Quiet luxury
There is a simple, responsible, minimalist and quiet luxury. Baro Lucas, the designer who won the Award for Best Collection at the last MBFWMadrid, represents this to perfection. An award he dreams of winning again with ‘110 dB’, his most personal collection. Classic elegance, artisan technique and sustainability come together in pieces by a creator who is attached to his roots and is passionate about telling stories.
The designer Baro Lucas (Tordesillas, Valladolid, 1993) is a storyteller. And he only needs two things to bring them to life: needle and thread. Each of his collections comes from a narrative spark and the next, which will launch on the 19th of March at MBFWMadrid—sponsored by Iberia—, will be no exception. In this case, it will be based on his own story and will be titled: 110 dB [decibels]. Before continuing, we have to mention that Baro has had severe hearing loss since he was a child. This has not kept him from what he loves most: fashion. From this story of overcoming comes a collection which, in turn, is born from introspection, from that feeling of quiet stillness he feels when he works. Far from outside noise, Baro has his own sensory experience when he creates. For him, silence is not a lack of sound, but rather another way of perceiving the world. Something that connects him to one of the muses who have inspired his new work: the deaf flamenco dancer Antoñita La Singla (Barcelona, 1948). “I found the parallels between her and me really exciting. She was able to interpret sound through dance. Antoñita set the pace by focusing on the clapping and the rhythm of the guitar. She learnt to dance without listening to music,” he explains.
From his studio in Tordesillas, Baro has created a series of pieces which he hopes will win him the Award for Best Collection again after receiving it at the last edition of the MBFWMadrid for Tempus Fugit. Because this designer stays true to his roots—his land, his family and his friends—, even though he hopes to open a second studio in Albacete or dreams of spreading his wings and flying even farther. “Given a choice, I think I’d choose Paris. It is still the quintessential city of fashion. Even though I’d also like to expand into the US and Asia,” he confesses. Baro does not like homogenous mass fashion and is always looking to create something uniquely special. To achieve this, he follows a simple motto: the luxury of simplicity. He observed this every time he went to Valladolid to the speech therapist as a child. In silence, he would be captivated by those women who’d walk along Calle Santiago, stopping to look at the window displays. But his passion for fashion was not born in Tordesillas, nor Valladolid, but rather the village where he spent his summers as a child: Béjar (Salamanca).
A child gets lost in a textile factory, and being among fabrics awoke an uncontrollable passion for fashion in him. It sounds like the beginning of a novel, but it is your story… What was that moment like?
The grandfather of one of my best friends in Béjar had a textile factory and next to it was a swimming pool we used to go to a lot. One day, I slipped away to see the inside of the factory, and I felt like I was stepping into The Chronicles of Narnia when they open the wardrobe. I went into this giant factory, with all those machines, rolls of yarn, of fabric… I decided to walk around and got goose bumps. In that instant, I started to dream about becoming part of that world one day.
“I believe that runway collections show the pure creativity of each designer. For me, they are the best way to get to know the identity of a brand”
That child turned into a designer and received the Award for Best Collection at the last MBFWMadrid. How do you face your return to the runway? Do you feel more pressure?
For me, it was a real honour to receive that award. More than pressure, it gave me strength to return to the runway with more excitement. I hope my new collection leaves no one unmoved
You’re a passionate advocate of creating collections for the runway. What motivates you about them?
I believe that runway collections show the pure creativity of each designer. For me, they are the best way to get to know the identity of a brand. The pressure of launching your collection like this involves maximum effort.
You always say that your brand seeks luxury in simplicity. How do you achieve something like that?
You achieve this by working with the best qualities and designing to suit and enhance the silhouette. These are the two actions that I carry out in each collection. You have always thought that quiet luxury equals elegance.
In the era of fast fashion, you defend unique, detailed and long-lasting fashion. Why?
Investing in designs that last many years or can even be passed down from one generation to the next is a safe bet. Slow fashion is also a way of supporting sustainability. Building a wardrobe with quality garments is a treasure, it makes it easy to dress well, comfortably and elegantly.
“Young people value handmade things more. I think that, finally, people are starting to reject dressing all the same and looking for special and timeless pieces is on the rise”
Do you think people will go back to valuing craftsmanship?
I see that young people value handmade things more (the made in Spain effect) because they are looking for something different. I think that, finally, people are starting to reject dressing all the same and looking for special and timeless pieces is on the rise. To invest in trends, it is important to know yourself well and know which are for you and which are not, which suit you and which don’t. Not all trends are a safe bet
Your studio is located in Tordesillas, proof of your attachment to your roots. What is it like creating fashion from a village in Castilla y León with less than 10,000 residents?
Tordesillas is a village full of life which receives a lot of tourism due to its historical significance. It is also a beautiful village that has served as a source of inspiration. Opening a studio in the place where I grew up helped me when starting out; people trusted me and I have always felt supported.
Your designs are steeped in the sombre and austere beauty of your region, as well as its colours. How inspired do you feel by your roots?
I think that the sombreness of my land is always present in my collections, even those garments that are designed to catch people’s attention are tamed to not be excessive. I think this is aligned with our way of being.
You are one of the role models of a new generation of designers. How do you see the present and future of Spanish fashion? How much talent is there?
Thank you for considering me a role model. Spanish fashion is riding high at the moment, but it’s also not easy. There is a lot of talent, both among young designers and eminent designers, mirrors to aspire to. The most positive thing is that craftsmanship, limited and high-quality production, is being valued more and more. I hope the future of Spanish fashion is led by sustainable luxury.
Speaking of talent, what does that word mean to you?
Talent is a tool that needs to be at the service of the work. Without work, talent becomes diluted. When someone works hard to achieve what they set themselves, and they are also talented, the chances of things going well are multiplied.
