Some lessons are worth learning again and again. Georgina Vendrell taught me to shut the f*ck up and be present. Going into spring-summer 2016 reviews for 080 Barcelona Fashion Week, I skimmed show invites, designer bios and collection statements. This menswear artist is Catalonia born and trained, cool! Her collection is titled “Urban Warrior”, hmmmkay. The word impeccable is used twice within a five-line promo description, oh no… More often than not, impeccable urban warrior is catalogue code for Dis/Comfort of Power or worse, something utterly bland. And let me tell y’all how many times I’ve… brain goes on and on ok, but what about Vendrell?

The cut was unrestricting without turning garments saggy-baggy-shapeless. Color blocking off-white, moderate grays and bright red against requisite black looks did not provoke (de)moralizing pseudo-sexy references to fifty-shades and/or scarlet lettering. The tuxedo-butler layering exhibited zero tackiness. Even knit-mesh pieces, which typically should be restricted to locker rooms by fabric default, appeared street-appropriate. In other words, this urban warrior’s dress code hails Comfort the only Statement worth making. With minimal fuss. Of course.

Let me quote from Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman as if it were a training manual for surviving in the world of Fashion. “If you don’t get what you want, you suffer; if you get what you don’t want, you suffer; even when you get exactly what you want, you still suffer because you can’t hold on to it forever.” With subtle visual eloquence, Georgina Vendrell reminds us that while fashion is something transitory, style is a lifelong skill in training… Blessed be he who masters his Self.

P.S. White parachute shirt & black shorts-suit officially launch my SS’16 #WishList

Check out 080 Barcelona Fashion Week official site for more information!