Claudia and Sayana Durany, founders of Gimaguas
Far from being just a brand, ** Gimaguas is a very personal story, that of Barcelona sisters Claudia and Sayana Durany.**
"We traveled to Cuba very young and there they called us 'jimaguas', we loved the name and it stayed as a nickname in our family," they explain to us. And it is that in Cuba 'jimaguas' means twins.
Lovers of travel and crafts, Claudia and Sayana founded Gimaguas in 2016, while studying in London.
Today they are one of the favorite firms of lovers of slow lifestyle, that life that takes place in places where fresh air still reigns, where there are no clocks or alarms and where the dress code includes walking barefoot and, of course, with one of Gimaguas wonderful flowing dresses.
Exploring the Indian city of Jaipur
UNITED SISTERS WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED
At 17, the 'gimaguas' they moved to London to pursue their university careers. Claudia chose 'Financial Business' while Sayana chose 'Fashion Business'.
"On our return to Spain, I moved to Madrid, where I worked in the world of communication and in the press office of a French luxury brand," says Claudia.
Sayana, for her part, worked on product trends in a Spanish fashion company. Both moved to Barcelona a year ago, after making the decision that Gimaguas would be their only professional project.
The 'jimaguas' in Delhi
Where does this entrepreneurial spirit come from? “Our parents have been entrepreneurs and that may have made us admire their values of energy, perseverance and sacrifice and that we were not too afraid of undertaking so young”, they reflect.
“It was always clear to us that we wanted to do something together sooner or later, It didn't have to be a strictly fashion brand either, but the concept behind Gimaguas was clear," they continue.
"It is a concept that defines us. Of course, whoever knows us sees a part of us in our product”, they conclude.
In Jaipur (India)
A PROJECT THAT WAS BORN IN THE CLOUDS
How was Gimaguas born? How could it be otherwise when it comes to two restless minds: on a plane. “Our firm was born on a London – Barcelona flight while we lived in the British capital.
"It was a few years of many new experiences for us and dreams so it was easy to venture to start something together” the twins comment to Traveler.es
As they fantasized about what a concept created by the two would look like, they started a big brainstorm: "We write destinations, smells, adjectives, colors..., We both had very clear from the beginning what we wanted to convey with Gimaguas” they continue.
The origin of everything? Your parent: “Our mother is a lover of crafts and she traveled continuously for work, From her travels she always brought us precious pieces that we treated like treasures. We wanted our concept to start from there”, they conclude.
in Marrakesh
MANY THINGS FROM MANY PLACES
With “Many things from many lands” As Gimaguas's motto, the twin sisters' love of traveling is confirmed.
“It's what we like the most! Live unique moments, new things happen, those that do not happen in your daily routine. Those are the moments that one remembers forever”, they comment.
They are clear about what they want to convey with their signature: “We want Gimaguas to take you on a trip, to remind you of some exotic country, in details and accessories, combine an urban look but at the same time not lose that cult for what is handmade and craftsmanship that we value so much”, the sisters explain.
“Also, that there is transparency in production, that you know where what we offer comes from and what processes it uses. In addition, that the clients who visit us, can take pieces of which there are not two of each”, they sentence.
India as a source of inspiration
INDIA AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
When we asked them about their inspiration, they immediately say they feel lucky when it comes to traveling: “We have to travel for work, but that is also key in our creative process. Leaving our comfort zone forces us to look at things from another perspective and pay attention to the small details”, the sisters explain.
“India, where we produce, is always a source of inspiration for us. They have a spectacular taste for details. The men are impeccable, often in white, or with a simple t-shirt and a pareo, rings on their hands and feet, the women with saris, each one more extraordinary”, says Claudia.
“They have a gift combining colors, and not only in clothing, we can see and feel it in the streets, the posters, the facades of the buildings…”, adds Sayana.
GIMAGUAS AROUND THE WORLD
One of the trips that has marked them the most was the one they made to the Polynesia. “We went for a month with our mother ten years ago and we slept in the houses of natives on several islands where they don't accept hotels so we could learn about the culture of the country and its virgin landscapes, in addition to the black pearl farms and the smell of the tiare flower”, they tell us nostalgically.
"Also, The trip we made to Peru and Mexico was very special, at the time we decided to focus on Gimaguas. We wanted to discover in depth the crafts of these countries and we succeeded. It is incredible the artisan technique that is still preserved there, in addition to its artistic wealth”, they comment.
If we ask them about their favorite place in the world, they respond in unison without any hesitation: “Formentera, is our bubble of happiness”.
On his list of pending trips is the African continent: “We would love to learn more about African crafts. We have a pending trip to Senegal to visit the Batik workshop that we are going to build for the Bassari NGO and through the project that we have done with the Here we are collective".
“Furthermore, after liking so much the destinations we have visited in South America, we would love to go to Colombia soon”, they add.
Discovering artisan treasures
PIECES WITH A LOT TO TELL
Behind each of the Gimaguas pieces there is a story, a place, a craftsman, a reason. "This summer, for example, we bring bags from different parts of India that are made from pieces of 'gipsy' dress fabric that are over 50 years old, the woman who makes them is a true artist," they expose.
The bags of Argentina, On the other hand, they are dyed with natural dyes and woven by hands by women in the north of the country, each one is different from the previous one.
In its spring/summer 2019 collection, the handmade fabrics that result in terry cloth pants and frayed skirts, prints with the traditional Indian Bhandani technique and tie dye, transparencies through cotton gauze, shoulder bags from Argentina and very colorful jewelry.
“We design wanting to cover all the needs of the summer wardrobe, also including details and accessories such as a cushion for the beach, or a jewelery holder to take with you wherever you travel”, they say.
In Puerto Escondido (Mexico)
GIMAGUAS, CITIZEN OF THE WORLD
For Claudia and Sayana, the online store is your store and at the moment they do not see themselves opening a physical store to use, although they do come alive with the pop-ups.
Today, social networks have such a global reach that your brand becomes a brand without a country of origin. We believe that the pop up concept, as an ephemeral and itinerant store, is perfect for getting closer to our clients and being able to explain the collection to them, as well as offering them unique products that we do not offer online”, they explain.
Yes, we can physically find them in multi-brand stores outside our country, such as Warm in New York (which sells summer clothes all year round), Here The Store in Honolulu, Lisa Says GAH in San Francisco and For artist only in Australia, among other.
In Spain, you may find some of his pieces in Paula's Room (Palma de Majorca) and Temporaire Store (A Coruña).
Its first physical space, as a showroom, It is at number 29 Avenir street in Barcelona, where they receive their clients by appointment or every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. If they are not there, you will surely find them pedaling along the beaches of Formentera.
The twin sisters in the Moroccan capital