On Saturday the 14th July I drove across to Altea to meet one of the worlds finest clothing designers for women namely Barbara Bui who was that evening working with the lovely Estefania of PACA CERVERA on a special event to meet and converse with their clients at the ALTEA showroom.
An Interview by Terry Moutter at the Paca Cervera Store in Altea
Barbara is a incredible lady who has spent her life being not only a great designer but also a unique woman who combines her skills with her unique passion for producing fashion that is not only stylish but also extremely practical.
I therefore set about asking her a series of questions and we had a wonderful dialogue of answers and overall insight into what makes her tick each day.
Q. First of all who is the kind of woman do you think who wears Barbara Bui and do they have their own identity.
A. BARBARA: I think the ladies who we appeal to are not only strong in their ideas but also like cultural fashions as we make items that combine both the feminist side of ladies but also can combine the masculine and sensitive side as well.
They are very unique clothes with coherent different ideas that allow the lady who have her own identity to grow and make them more confident in themselves when they wear our fashions.
Q. When you meet the customers of PACA CERVERA today is there any particular key piece or items from your fall/winter collection that you can recommend.
A. Overall there is a lot of pieces that I am sure they will like and again will create for the individual a style of their own that they will feel comfortable in but I think the new jackets especially in leather will do well.
Q. How would you describe yourself as I have seen it said you are a Rock Chic or a very strong person who with a mix of cultural backgrounds can adapt to all parts of what ladies need across the world .
A. HA I have had this term said to me before and this was because when I started out I had the influence of the music and cultures in the 70s and 80s that did have a effect on me.
I do like to make clothes that style people and make them feel good about themselves and I did use a lot of black in jackets and other items that gave out the masculine and feminine side and this formed a strong structure of my future designs.
I do not make fashions for fashions sake I make them so the individual can enjoy and feel strong in them.
ESTEFANIA at this stage also stated that because BARBARA had such a unique style and did not make large amounts of the same item so her clients are always waiting for the next collection from BARBARA BUI as it is always different and stylish in all areas.
Q. What is your thoughts on your collaboration with PACA CERVERA… why have you travelled all the way from Paris to Altea for this.
A. My reasons are very simple Estefania gets it and me totally… Her passion and love of my fashions is wonderful and she has been a big supporter of my brand and it felt right to fly over here and meet her clients and explain the new collection and it is always a pleasure to meet the customers themselves.
Q. Do you have a change of collections for different countries as with your background of Asian influence as well as Western culture do you look at this.
A. No I do not change my fashions for different cultures or countries as the clothes are so adaptable and look good on all sizes of ladies and I cater for making them feel like a individual and we do not make large amounts of the same thing our styles are unique and we do well all over the world and in Spain it works well .
Q. As you are a well travelled lady and a icon in the fashion world what accessory would you say a lady today cannot be without.
A. Ah well there are a few I suppose but shoes can be worn differently for different occasions and of course they are a essential item and no lady ever has enough shoes … however I think a handbag that is needed at all times and the style and look of this item tells you a lot about the kind of person you are and this is one item I think you need to be practical and look good as well.
After my interview on questions I got to realize that Barbara is truly a unique one off in the fashion world as not only does she not take herself to seriously but she is also still as passionate now as she was 25 years ago and her next collection is always the one she wants to discuss and learning every day what the client wants and providing a set of styles and designs that not only make women feel good about themselves but also makes them feel truly confident in all that they wear from the BARBARA BUI COLLECTION.
I left meeting her fully understanding why PACA CERVERA revere her so much and why the special event was just that SPECIAL as she is truly a good fashion icon but also a lovely warm human being who was prepared to travel to the lovely town on Altea to meet her clients in situ and not many will do that all the way from Paris.
ESTEFANIA SALGADO was also delighted with the event and she added:
“The objective of PACA CERVERA is that, together with the particular vision of the collection that BARBARA BUI presents to us, to find the appropriate and personalized style for each client, since each woman has a different need. That’s why our proposals are so different and original.
It was a pleasure for us that our audience could personally meet an international designer with as much prestige as BARBARA BUI and we loved that our clients were participants of a unique and exclusive evening.”
We warmly recommend you make an appointment and visit the Paca Cervera stores and see the Fall-Winter collection of Barbara Bui and much more. Also, make sure you check with us regularly not to miss our exclusive series on haute couture designed and curated by Paca Cervera and Estefania Salgado. Visit their website www.pacacervera.es and call + 34 963 816 696 for an appointment in Valencia, on Calle Sorní 14, respectively +34 966 880 717 for an appointment in Altea, on Conde Altea 3.