Joan Pastor (Barcelona, Spain)

There's just one more store from last month's Barcelona trip I wanted to share. I will start off by saying the clothes aren't really my style, but there are many things about this indie designer (both the looks and the boutique itself) that intrigued me so much, it's still the most memorable shopping experience I had in the city. Imagine this... you're walking around the El Born district one sunny afternoon, one of those hip and cool places that wasn't always trendy but more industrial (like East London or NY's Meatpacking District). And though it's still not exactly picturesque, this area does have cute little streets and nice cafes. The majority of the stores reflect this: they either resemble vintage outlets (even if they aren't) or they have that typical spartan loft interior (exposed brick walls and metal piping) that seems to be so popular these days. The clothes they sell are edgy, modern and usually kept in neutral or dark shades.

How do they get the clothes over those heads...

In the middle of all of this, one boutique caught my attention more than anything else. The window displays featured mannequins with giant heads, resembling some kind of odd Japenese-inspired dolls crossed with Betty Boop and they were wearing the kind of outfits you would expect a doll to wear: frilly, girly and very cute. At first glance I wasn't even entirely sure this store sold clothes. I had never heard of Joan Pastor before. I was fascinated. And because I spied more giant-headed dolls inside, I knew I had to go in.

Runway looks from 2006 (images: vogue.es)

I have since found out that Joan Pastor is an Andorran designer and from what I understand, the store in Barcelona is the only boutique he currently has. For a while, he took part in the Gaudi Fashion Week and also participated in Bread & Butter. He started getting tired of the media circus and hype surrounding these fashion events and instead decided to focus on opening his own shop which would feature his designs, none of which are made for a certain season. Instead, you'll find some of his older creations along with new pieces he'll bring out sporadically.

Another giant-headed friend (left) and finally.... some black dresses! (right).

Entering the store, the interior was even girlier than I had imagined. All the walls and the ceiling were covered in black and white floral wallpaper. There was even a doll, who's entire (giant) head was covered in it. The furniture and silk curtains were white. And the clothes... well, I'll get to that in a minute. Just when I thought it couldn't get more feminine in there, the very friendly male SA, who seemed quite excited to have visitors, immediately started darting around the store with a bottle of perfume, spritzing every corner with a flowery scent.

Left: Short halter-neck dresses. Right: Overview of the store.

My first thought upon seeing the clothes was that this would be something Gwen Stefani (or her Harajuku girls) could wear. Which implies (to a certain degree) that the pieces are reminiscent of Galliano's work and of Japanese fashion. What makes Pastor's designs interesting is that they are more experimental than you would first think. There are a lot of floral pieces, but the structure of theses dresses was quite architectural and interestingly tailored. There were a few boudoir and Victorian-inspired pieces with ruffles, but combined with mini-skirts, Peter Pan collars or floaty chiffon capes. There were also a few pink brocade items, such as garters, corsets and tops, but again with a slightly modern edge. Some of the most intricate pieces were the cut-out coats and dresses... a few were kept in white, while I found a whole rack of brightly colored dresses which looked like they were assembled from pieces of fabric resembling big flower petals.

Left: Petal-dresses and part of the giant Martini glass. Right: Brooches.

There were a few accessories as well - mainly jewelry housed in a glass case. And a giant Martini glass was filled with transparent globes that contained hair accessories and brooches. A small selection of menswear was available, most of them in hues of peach or cream. A lot of the clothing might seem a bit over the top, but despite my aversion towards anything too girly or pastel-colored, there were a few pieces even I could have worn, such as a cream-colored silk blouse or the black satin dresses.

Left: Another giant doll with a wallpapered head. Right: My Stylist Kits on the table.

One more cool thing I should mention is the 'My Stylist Kit', which contains an item of clothing that can be adapted, e.g. a cropped top that can be lengthened to cover the hips or a tank top that comes with extra sleeves. Definitely one of the most practical pieces in the collection.

Left: Menswear. Right: Jewelry

I have no idea if Pastor's range will make it to a online store or international retailers soon, but if you're ever in Barcelona, I would drop by just to have a look. Even if you're more likely to wear leather and bleached jeans than anything pink, it's still a fun place to browse and once you take a look at the pieces, you're bound to appreciate the workmanship of some of these incredible pieces.

Left: More runway looks. Right: Bread and Butter looks.

Address: Carrer del Bonaire 4, 08003 Barcelona
Opening Hrs: Mon-Fri: 11:00-14:00, 17:30-20:30