CURIOSITIES AND HIDDEN STORIES
BEHIND OUR SHOP WINDOWS
The year 1926, a hundred years ago, Santa Eulalia organized its first haute couture fashion show on the first floor of its store in Pla de la Boqueria, pioneering in Barcelona. To commemorate this milestone, over the coming months and until the end of September, we will be revealing curiosities and anecdotes connected to our history.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE ORIGIN OF OUR NAME IS LINKED TO THE CITY OF BARCELONA?
The name of the Santa Eulalia store comes from its original location in Barcelona, near the medieval portal of the same name where legend places the martyrdom of the saint, co-patron of the city. The store was founded in 1843 by Josep Taberner and his son Salvador, at a time when the city was still walled. The establishment began to be popularly known by the name of the place where the portal dedicated to the saint had been.
It was not until the late 19th century that this designation was officially adopted, becoming known as Almacenes Santa Eulalia and becoming one of the first businesses to adopt its own commercial name. In those days, it was common for stores to bear the name of their owner.
DID YOU KNOW THAT PERE FALQUÉS, AUTHOR OF THE ICONIC STREETLAMPS WITH BENCHES ON PASSEIG DE GRÀCIA, DESIGNED THE BUILDING OF OUR FORMER STORE ON PLA DE LA BOQUERIA?
In 1898, Domingo Taberner decided to demolish the original building to erect one more in line with the elegance of the era. On the facade, an image of Saint Eulalia was placed, which can still be seen today. The project was the work of the modernist architect Pere Falqués, author of the emblematic streetlights with trencadís benches on Passeig de Gràcia.
DID YOU KNOW THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY SANTA EULALIA OFFERED CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT FOR SKIING?
From 1914 until the 1970s, Santa Eulalia was one of the few establishments that offered ski collections to its customers. Its initiative was truly pioneering: the first mechanical ski lift in Spain was not installed in La Molina until 1943, almost thirty years later.
In its early days, garments were made from thick flannel and combined with woolen twill shirts. It was not until the 1960s that synthetic fabrics appeared, which significantly improved the functionality and performance of the garments.
Publication of the Santa Eulalia Winter 1914–15 collection
