Roll Out the Red Carpet Again - Paso de Zebra 2013

A couple of hours ago I got stuck behind a van unloading a fair amount of what looked like felt to cover a pool table or something, but then remembered last year stumbling upon the cool Paso de Zebra festival, which celebrates fashion, design and art, and where better to stage such a jaunt than the Raval. There's nothing quite like the urban freshness and inventiveness that the Raval has for me - forgot El Borne with your daft posh galleries (I don't claim to understand anything about art), and give me the real creative edge. Occupied buildings, cool graffiti, fantastic markets and vintage clothing is all the go.

This year the festival takes place on the 8th and 9th June in the streets around Vistalegre, Carretas, Aurora and then fashion shows at Plaça Pedró. There's a chill out area in the BBall courts at Aurora, and there's a few "pop-up stores" at the galeries on Portaferrissa too, so spread yourself around the old town and soak up the vibes.

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Mango Outlet Barcelona

It's not often I'll call out a specific shop or brand here on the blog, but I wrote an article a few years ago on another site which receives an enormous amount of traffic for the search phrase "Mango Outlet" and I only mentioned that in passing when talking about the various bargains Barcelona can offer for the thrifty shopper.

I think it's fairly easy to find a bargain in Barcelona, with central shops such as Lefties (Zara Outlet) in two very strategic spots in the city, Celio is another with an outlet (although not that great for bargains IMO), and many more (please ask me in the comments or leave your own) but the actual information out there about the Mango Outlet is a bit poor. There is a store in central Barcelona - Carrer Girona, 37 - just below Gran Via and another massive warehouse which has an open sale I believe every 2 years. That one is just outside Montmelo - where the the racing circuit for the Formula 1 Grand Prix is - and is difficult to access with public transport. That one is really cheap  - like boxes and boxes of stuff and it's a proper free for all. My wife has been a few times, and people go at 5am to queue up outside, and just buy up whole boxes!

This central one is a fairly decent sized shop and you can see from the pics here, it's a nicely managed place, not just a mad rush with loads of mounds of messy items. Although it should be noted that it was an early mid-week morning ! The store is mainly women's fashion, but there is a really small section of men's stuff if you fancy prancing around like Gerard Pique.

Any readers got some more tips? Fans of Primark for more bargains? Please let me know in the comments! And if you're looking for Barcelona accommodation this Autumn, check out BCN Rentals Apartments for some great, late deals. And for a quick look at the rest of the city sights, their guide to Barcelona is another good read.

Spruce Up your Home & Wardrobe This Month in Barcelona

Yes, the sales have started. If you've got any money left from the Christmas and New Year Celebrations, then there are surely some great bargains to be had (no idea, I've got no money left from the celebrations!!). However, if you're looking for some real ideas for a makeover at the start of this new decade, then head no further than the Fira de Barcelona.


First up is home improvements with ExpoHogar. The Home exhibition takes place this month from the 22nd to 25th at the Fira de Barcelona at the foot of Montjüic. In it's 42nd edition, you can forget your flat-pack wardrobes and the like, and expect to see the cutting edge in everything new and cool for your home. Everything from cutlery to curtains, funky lamps and prints to wallpaper and nick-knacks for your home, this event is held twice a year and despite the "crisis" is expecting a good show. Those wishing to show off their wares come from far and wide, not just Barcelona itself, with the South of France and Valencia joining in on the party.

Stright after the ExpoHogar, from the 26th to 28th January (inclusive) it's the fashion world's turn to take the stage. Despite the hotel sector lamenting the disappearance of Bread and Butter, which was replaced by Brandery and 080 Fashion, 080 is doing its best to keep the spirits high.

The unique thing about 080 is that it showcases local talent, and promotes the unknowns, or rather not-so-well-knowns and their new styles. It receives the full backing of the local council, who are coming to a close of a campaign to promote fashion in the city which started in 2007. The idea is to become a rival to other European cities which are renowned for fashion - not just Milan, for example. I think it's great to see the conferences and fairs putting on a brave face, and doing their best to pull the rest of us out of the crisis (even if I think the majority of the fashion industry is a joke that I don't quite get!! haha! but you know what I mean).

Are you coming to Barcelona this month for either trade fair? Let me know your thoughts for the prospects this year in the comments below. And if you're stuck for accommodation still, then check out these apartments for rent in Barcelona as a great alternative. They have many properties with easy access to the Fira making it a lot easier than travelling to and from a hotel.

Barcelona Welcomes Back 080 Fashion Show

Barcelona's fashion showcase used to be the Bread and Butter fair which has returned to its home in Berlin after a final turn out in January. There is another bridal fashion show in the city, but the attention is now drawn to Barcelona 080 Fashion show which returns to the city today, after a great show back in September last year.


The city council and even the Catalan Government have given their full backing to Barcelona 080 fair, with an aim to cement the fair as a big player in the fashion industry, and it certainly seems to be working so far. This is part of the 2007-2010 plan to promote fashion in the city, and this week's third fair will also see the first 080 Barcelona Fashion Best Collection award, which is worth over 20,000 Euros. An international jury will decide on the prize winner from 29 designers - 10 of which are catalan or catalonia based. If you have any interest in fashion, or want to keep up with the latest trends, head on down to the Fira de Barcelona, located at the foot of Montjuic.

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Barcelona 080 fashion

Everyone knows that Barcelona is a mecca for fashion. Forget the Italians - the Catalans do it just as good. Well known brands like Tous are instantly recognisable on almost every woman's handbag around the streets and recently secured the services of Kylie Minogue for their publicity campaigns. Another great designer - the only spanish designer to have a shop on New York's fifth avenue, and to boast the cast of US sit-com "friends" as models in an episode is Custo.

This week sees the start of Barcelona 080 fashion show - a springboard funded by the Catalan government to showcase the newest and hippest designers. 12 local designers (all Barcelona-based) and 5 guests are showcasing this fair to be held from the 3rd to 5th September at the Fira de Barcelona. What better way to shed those back-to-work blues than browsing the newest fashions and supporting local talent.

Images courtesy of 080 website.

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