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Custo Barcelona's Upbeat Tempo
By Sasha Wilkins
Photos by: Gruber-FWD
Jan 6, 2002/ FWD/ --- "Remember. Smile. You're having fun on a beach in Ibiza. It's 1970."
The catwalk instructions backstage at Custo Barcelona perfectly summed up the mood of the
upbeat presentation that closed London Fashion Week Saturday.
The Custo Barcelona show was a last-minute addition to the London schedule. Due to show in
New York last week, they managed to persuade the British Fashion Council to fit them in at
the last minute.
It's easy to understand why the BFC said yes. Virtually unknown in the UK outside of a few
hip boutiques, Custo Barcelona are huge in America and the rest of Europe, and the BFC have
a vested interest in getting such popular designers to present over here to attract buyers
and press alike.
Best known for his trademark boldly patterned, hangover-inducing T-shirts and tops for both
men and women, Custo also showed teeny tiny striped jersey separates, silk chiffon sundresses,
sea green braided rope belts and bottom skimming minis, which all worked well.
As usual, there was a strong Eastern influence with rickshaw drawings, Chinese calligraphy
and batik prints all swirling around in an uncontrolled riot of color.
This was not the high fashion one normally finds on a catwalk, but these are the exact type
of clothes that attract a celebrity clientele all looking for something a little bit different.
Their current customer list reads like the contents page in People magazine: Penelope Cruz,
Tobey Maguire, Gwen Stefani, Cindy Crawford, Calista Flockhart and Lisa Kudrow are all fans
of the label.
FWD caught up with a relieved Custo backstage, surrounded by his entourage. "I am very happy
to have been able to finally show the collection, and I'm very grateful to London for letting
me put my show on here, " he told us. "It has been a very difficult time for so many people,
and I am pleased that so many people are here to see the show."
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