Globetrotter is designer Carlotta Barre Pull one of the biggest inspirations. Her visit to Cuba led to “Asere, qué bolá,” a series full of references to Caribbean countries. The fabrics are natural: cotton, linen or lyocell fibers are combined with silk or cotton for a fresh, light style. As for the color scheme, Barrera chose blue, yellow and green, as well as white and brown, all of which are ubiquitous in Cuban culture. Her blouse echoes the versatile Guayabella. The vest is redesigned in the form of a trompe loeil shirt.
One of Barrera’s spring stars is her abstract prints created with seaweed picked from the sea. Her work is based on blueprints, a monochromatic negative printing process marked by blue-and-white tones, and references the botanist Anna Atkins, who first made the imprint in the mid-term 19century. In addition to the hues inherent to the technology, Barrera has transferred the pattern to photographic silk prints, she says, “and we’ve applied it to other black-and-white garments as well,” such as the coats she showed at London Fashion Week and denim. But seaweed wasn’t the only thing she found in the ocean. “We scanned for other sad elements such as plastic debris, bottle caps, beer can pull tabs and plastic bags,” she said. These things are also part of the print, and they talk about Cuba from a different angle: “There are a lot of beaches in Cuba that are being damaged by pollution. It’s about capturing all of that in the fabric,” she said.
