Merriam Webster
dictionary defines haberdasher as a noun with its definition being a person who
owns or works in a shop that sells men's clothes
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When growing
up, men’s shops were not just shops that carried the newest, the latest and the
greatest fashion of the times, rather they were places where men went to
wardrobe themselves. Simply said, a haberdashery, a purveyor of fashion, otherwise
known as a clothier, catered to every need that any man could have/need and
Juan Avellaneda seems to be a 21st century incarnation of a
haberdasher disguised as a brand.
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Do not be
deceived by his youth as his modus operandi is much the same as those who came
many decades before him and paved the way for the likes of this man. He has
reinterpreted the classics in ways that retain the original DNA of menswear’s
past and but his collection offers an unmistakably au courant twist whether
achieved by tweaking proportion, detail, color or fabrication.
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What Juan Avellaneda offers to his retail and bespoke clients is
best explained with the Italian word whose definition is copied below; think Cary
Grant, Fred Astaire, Lapo Elkann, Steve McQueen, Gianni Agnelli, Marcello Mastroianni,
Alain Delon and many other men who crafted the act of dressing as an art form
and means of self-expression.
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“sprez·za·tu·ra (spretsəˈt(y)o͝orə) noun defined as studied carelessness, especially as
a characteristic quality or style of art or literature. Sprezzatura is an
Italian word originating from Baldassare Castiglione's The Book of the
Courtier, where it is defined by the author as "a certain nonchalance,
so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be
without effort and almost without any thought about it.”
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Jeffrey Felner: Can you please describe your journey in the menswear
business?
Juan
Avallaneda: Avellaneda began in 2014 as a long cherished
project in which I wanted to translate my concerns, interests and demands in my
own fashion Brand.
I was linked to the textile sector as I worked as a
freelance designer specialized in accessories for men luxury brands and I have
been always fascinated by fashion, the history of costume, crafts and clothing,
contemporary art, Asian culture, among many other things which are directly
related to this industry.
I also studied Creative Direction at Central Saint
Martins and majored in Business Administration. It was at this point when I
strongly thought about starting this adventure, which has led me to the point
where I am right know and I could not be prouder and happier of the journey I
have been through. Since the launch of the first collection in autumn
2014, which marked the entry into the menswear market, everything has been
really extraordinary.
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JF: Since your clothes are those of great distinction, can
you speak to the topics of inspirations and how you decide to merchandise the store?
JA: It came a time when I realized there was room on the market for an
upscale yet relaxed men’s label, a label with a strong Mediterranean identity
that would address an international clientele.
The showroom
we’ve been working on in Barcelona encapsulated this Mediterranean style: it’s
a place that “breathes” Barcelona, a city which is very cosmopolitan. It is
very important to me since I truly believe that a brand is much more than just
clothes, it is also about lifestyle. “ A fully assumed jet setter, Avellaneda
designs clothes for a man who resembles him, sophisticated yet casual, self-confident
and without any complex; A Mediterranean
version of the famous “American casual-chic style”.
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JF: Besides being your own best model and spokesperson,
how do you balance your personal tastes versus what you think you will sell? Are your
designs now available to other stores and where?
JA: Every piece that I design is made from my taste and my instinct.
When I see a
fabric, if I fall for it, I end up creating something with it. At the end,
there’s something inside yourself that tells you either to do it or not.
Nevertheless, it is obvious that not every creation has its commercial side,
but from my point of view, it is crucial to design pieces that I would wear,
because otherwise, what sense would it make?
Our
collections are currently available in different stores. Santa Eulalia and Jean
Pierre Bua, both located in Barcelona, sell our designs, and Yusty, located in
Madrid, does it too. We selected these shops because of their history and
luxury vocation.
Nonetheless,
our Showroom is our main point of sales since our private clients are able to
customize their pieces.
Last but not
least, we have done some Pop Up Stores, where clients can find our designs in
unusual places, or the other way round, unusual designs in our current point of
sale locations.
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JF: Let us speak to the future of here and ask who would be your
dream collaboration and where do you see the brand and yourself in 10
years?
JA: I would love
to have multi-brand points of sale all around the world, but they should be
always the best ones. Moreover, I would love to be able to collaborate with
pioneer/heritage brands and do some co-branding projects, for example in jewelry, footwear or something more
“lifestylish”, because at the end, the kind of man dressed by Avellaneda lives
in a certain environment and frequents certain places, etc.
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JF: If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would they
be and why?
JA: Instead of a dinner, I’d rather throw a party
in which I could chat from Yves Saint Laurent and Tom Ford to characters such
as Alain Delon, Dali, Diana Vreeland or people who could give me good pieces of
advice.
At the end, I
would end up inviting people whom I admire for their work, such as designers,
editors, photographers, businessmen, etc.
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