CURIOSITIES AND HIDDEN STORIES
BEHIND OUR WINDOWS
DID YOU KNOW THAT IN 1940 SANTA EULALIA WAS A CO-FOUNDER OF THE SPANISH HAUTE COUTURE COOPERATIVE?
The first fashion show of this prestigious body took place in 1941 beneath the dome of the Teatro Coliseum in Barcelona, with the participation of Santa Eulalia and other haute couture houses based in the city — the true driving force, from Barcelona, behind Spain's emerging fashion scene.
Model wearing a Santa Eulalia dress at the first fashion show of the Haute Couture Cooperative under the Coliseum dome, 5 March 1941.
Haute Couture Cooperative fashion show in the salons of the Hotel Ritz in the 1950s.
During the golden age of haute couture, the Cooperative's members were known as the «Big Five of Spanish Fashion», with Barcelona at their epicentre, regarded as the heart of the most influential designers of Spain's emerging fashion scene. Alongside Santa Eulalia were El Dique Flotante, Asunción Bastida, Pedro Rodríguez and Manuel Pertegaz.
Level -1 of the Paseo de Gracia 93 store today
Model in a Santa Eulalia silk dress at the Spanish Fashion Salon, held at the Hotel Ritz in 1965
Francina in the Hall of Mirrors of the Gran Teatre del Liceu wearing a Santa Eulalia evening gown
DO YOU KNOW WHICH MODEL AND WELL-KNOWN BUSINESSWOMAN WAS SANTA EULALIA'S MUSE OVER THE YEARS?
Francina Díaz Mestre joined Santa Eulalia at barely 18 years old. She walked the haute couture and prêt-à-porter collections during a decisive period for the house. In those years, Santa Eulalia was one of the driving forces of haute couture in Barcelona, with a major creative team led by Pere Formosa and later by Jordi Olesti. Francina was the most recognisable face of many of those collections, helping to project the image of the house both at home and abroad.
DID YOU KNOW THAT CLIENTS COULD NOT TRY ON A HAUTE COUTURE GARMENT BEFORE ORDERING IT?
In haute couture, every dress was made in mannequin size only, so clients could not try them on; instead, a model would present them in person.
Afterwards, it was common to adapt necklines, sleeves, lengths and even fabrics to the client's taste, always with the guidance of the creative team. Santa Eulalia's team was led by Pedro Formosa, who joined the house in the 1920s as an apprentice and later took on the artistic direction of the haute couture collections. Under his direction, and with the collaboration of Joan Serra, Santa Eulalia established itself as one of the most prestigious haute couture houses in Spain between the 1940s and the 1960s.
Model Francina presenting a Santa Eulalia evening gown in the salons at Paseo de Gracia 60, in 1965.
Figurines de la colección de Alta Costura de trajes de noche de los años 70
DID YOU KNOW THAT SANTA EULALIA CELEBRATED COTTON WEEK?
Once a year, the Catalan Cotton Guild — whose headquarters stood in the building that today houses the Hotel Cotton House, on Barcelona's Gran Via — organised Cotton Week.
Model Miss Cotton poses in Santa Eulalia's haute couture salons alongside Lorenzo Sans, father of the firm's current owner, accompanied by the house models, in 1960.
Miss Cotton with Lorenzo Sans at the entrance of the Santa Eulalia store at Paseo de Gracia 60, in 1956.
During those days, the windows of the leading fashion houses were dressed with designs made in this fibre, turning the city into a showcase of creativity and elegance.
As part of the celebration, a model chosen as Miss Cotton toured the different fashion houses and attended the shows organised for the occasion.
The Santa Eulalia windows at Paseo de Gracia 60 dressed up every June to celebrate Cotton Week. These images correspond to the 1959 and 1960 editions.
