“A piece of the Mediterranean in the Madrid neighborhood of Las Letras”. This is how the Barcelonan Álex Llop defines his gallery Llop Madrid (San Pedro, 9), a concept store where to get lost among your fashion creations and the selection of artisan pieces made by himself.
Conceived during the spring 2020 lockdown, the gallery opened its doors a year later, and in the diaphanous space live their own fashion collection, iconic design pieces, illustrations and decorative crafts of a great variety of Spanish artists.
Álex spent many summers in the Empordà as a child, which has become one of his great sources of inspiration, and he wants these roots are reflected in the aesthetics and spirit of Llop, that he bets on the 'made in Spain' and the handmade.
Llop Madrid, fashion and crafts 'made in Spain'.
Among them, his own clothing line made with natural fabrics, such as 100% cotton and linen, and merino wool. Álex comes from the world of haute couture, although he prefers not to delve into his origins, which have involved years of work with some of the best designers in the world, besides exciting travel around the globe.
Although he now has his base of operations in Madrid, Alex lived in England ten years and, as he explains with a laugh to Condé Nast Traveler Spain: "I can't fit any more stamps of Japan in the passport."
"To the have dedicated myself to haute couture , I have traveled non-stop all over the world; especially I took care of the Asian market”. A) Yes, echoes of Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya… can be traced on your clothes, as in the story that he wants to tell with the art pieces that he presents.
Sustainability is a key point in the Álex Llop concept.
“During the pandemic I began to draw and the summer collections emerged. For me this is the materialization of the trip my grandfather made from the south of Spain to Catalonia after the war. The typical painting that I use in my prints is the one with the handkerchief that he used as bundle to collect fruit and vegetables from the orchard”, explains Álex, who has merged this idea with the japanese technique furoshiki (a traditional Japanese way of wrapping and transporting objects with cloth).
The garments -which, in principle, are for men, although they may well be unisex– bet on straight lines and, as for the colors, Álex always draws the sun and the cypresses, “symbols of the Ampurdán, using earthy, natural colors that connect with that environment”.
The most important thing for him about this project that he intends to develop in the long term, he tells us, is that people discover Spanish artists in his space. "I've brought lighting parts Tony Fuster, from Mallorca, paintings by Esther Mir, who works on Japanese paper, some sculptures by Manolo Menéndez... and I have a lot of new creators on the roster for the next few months.”
Álex himself selects them with care so that there is the same common thread in the store, and the pieces that he chooses cover all the plastic arts and are made in clay, cement, wax, glass... even includes furniture proposals.
‘MADE IN SPAIN’... AND SUSTAINABILITY
This careful selection of design and craft objects – sculptures, lamps, ceramics of all kinds, chairs, chandeliers, natural candles...– have another point in common besides the Spanish origin: their vocation slow and sustainable.
Gallery and shop facade.
Among the names that Álex has opted for is that of Andreu Carulla, Marta Bonilla (ceramics and lighting), Isis Atelier, Miguel Milá (lamps), Mulier and Pampa candles, Lava Objets (cement sculptures and vases), Manolo Menéndez (cement sculptures), Meritxell Durán and his fascinating illustrated tureens… There is also pottery from a lady from Mundet – from the town of Álex, who works the pieces with The technique terra sigillata, that the Romans used Trenta bamboo furniture… and a long etcetera.
Now, Mariscal also introduces an exclusive collection of watercolors and ceramics, Precisely in this year in which we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Cobi, mascot and symbol of the Barcelona Olympics 92 and part of our cultural imaginary. He and the mythical members of the Los Garriris family are the protagonists of the original and unique watercolors that are exhibited and sold in the Madrid space.
Mariscal is one of the artists present at Llop Madrid.
A series of ceramics made by hand and painted by Javier Mariscal is also part of this collaboration: unique plates, bowls, cups and fruit bowls with the colors of the Mediterranean and the imaginary world of its creator.
Does Álex have any pending trips left to find inspiration? “I have become saturated with traveling in my life,” he says between laughs. I have spent a lot of time away from home. I know everything. Italy is a whole dream, Sicily, for example. Italian culture knows how to sell very well and after having sold so much of yours… Now I want to sell ours." jokes the designer, who, at the same time, is very serious: "My strength is the vindication of the crafts of my land".
The space is a small Mediterranean oasis in the capital.